2020 Ford Focus ST Heads Down Under With 276 HP Petrol Four, AUD $44,690 Starting Price

After stirring the waters in Europe, the new generation Ford Focus ST will launch in Australia and New Zealand in Q1 2020. The hot hatch will be imported from Germany and will set buyers back AUD $44,690 (equal to USD $30,671).

Unlike the model sold in the Old Continent, which is offered with both a petrol or a diesel engine, Australia’s Focus ST will only pack the former. The 2.3-liter turbocharged unit develops 276 HP and 420 Nm (310 lb-ft) of torque and is paired to a six-speed manual, while the seven-speed dual-clutch is a no-cost option.

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The Focus ST sets itself apart from the rest of the lineup with a sporty body kit, honeycomb grille, LED lights, sculpted side skirts, dual chrome exhaust tips and 19-inch machined alloys shod in 235/35 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. The re-tuned suspension lowers ground clearance by 10 mm (0.4 in), while stopping power is provided by the upgraded brakes, with 330 mm front and 302 mm (13-12 in) rear ventilated discs. Color choices include Ford Performance’s Blue and Orange Fury, Frozen White, Race Red, Ruby Red, Magnetic and Shadow Black.

Inside, the compact hot hatch features heated Recaro sports seats trimmed in leather and suede, aluminum pedals, a chrome gear lever, flat-bottom steering wheel wrapped in perforated leather, ST badging and sporty trim. The SYNC 3 infotainment system with an 8-inch display, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice control, sat-nav, wireless smartphone charging, keyless entry & go, ambient lighting and dual-zone climate control are also standard.

A suite of safety systems is part of the offering, including autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind spot information with cross traffic alert, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, hill launch assist, dynamic stability control, adaptive cruise control, reversing camera, automatic high beams and LED DRLs.