Sorry Europe, No Ford ST SUVs For You

If you live in Europe, and have looked longingly at the new Ford Edge ST, we have bad news for you. The latest word has it that the Blue Oval automaker won’t offer its ST-badged performance crossovers on your side of the pond.

“All our research shows buyers want a combination of the sporty ST styling with a more luxurious feel to it, from the interior finish to the engine package,” Ford UK boss Andy Barratt told Autocar.

In the US, the new Edge ST replaces the previous Edge Sport. It packs a 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6 rated at 335 horsepower (250 kW) and 380 lb-ft (515 Nm) of torque. A similar ST version of the next Explorer is expected to offer around 400 horsepower.

They join the new Fiesta ST, which conversely isn’t expected to be offered in America. But a new Focus ST is soon to follow. The Ford Performance lineup also includes the Mustang Shelby GT350, F-150 Raptor, and Ford GT. A Raptor version of the Ranger pickup was also recently introduced in certain markets. And there’ll be a new Focus RS as well.

While American customers may eat up the performance crossovers, their European counterparts will have to make do with the ST-Line. Those models feature sportier styling with smaller, less potent engines.

“The customer will always have the casting vote. If the demand is there, it is unlikely we’ll resist it,” said Barratt. “But we already have plenty of evidence that ST-Line is the way to go. The Kuga has led the way on this and the Fiesta is following suit. Customers are stepping up from Zetec trims and that’s good business.”