Ford has released a few images of the new Focus ST ahead of its public reveal Paris Motor Show. The ST will complete the Focus line up on the stands in Paris, making it the first time all varitations of the next generation C segment platform car have been seen in the one place.
With this new hot hatch ST version Ford has certainly got one thing right, the power. There will be 250PS (184kW) on offer from a 2.0 litre turbocharged four cylinder. The lack of a five pot engine will force the XR marketing team at Ford Australia to scratch their heads – the current Focus ST is called an XR5 here. The XR4 name plate has been used for the Fiesta. Maybe sanity will prevail and we’ll get the call it the ST like everyone else on the planet.
Sadly, however, Ford got one thing horribly wrong, the looks. Perhaps that face won’t look as sad and shark-like in person. In pictures, it’s simply diabolical. Even the official name for the paint colour you see above is in on the act – “Tangerine Scream”.
Anyway, Ford hopes the new ST can become a global hot hatch player and it will go on sale around the world in early 2012. That’s some lead time, given the show car will make its debut more than 12 months ahead of the sales launch.