Ford Focus ST sales have leapt by 270 per cent since the introduction of new petrol and diesel powertrains.
Almost 6,700 diesel and petrol Focus STs have been sold in the UK so far this year, compared with 2,460 for the whole of last year.
Demand in Britain is evenly split between the two engine options, with 45 per cent choosing the new 185PS diesel Focus ST and 55 per cent selecting the 250PS EcoBoost petrol variant.
The UK’s appetite for Focus ST, with the ST170 in 2002 has driven sales beyond 50,000.
Ford is further expanding the Focus ST powertrain line-up to offer a six-speed dual-clutch PowerShift transmission with the diesel engine, available to order now for delivery in early 2016.
“New Focus ST has been a runaway success with customers spoilt for choice between our latest petrol and diesel power units,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe. “Diesel drivers now have the additional option of the Ford PowerShift transmission, which allows them to swap between quick-shifting automatic and sporty manual to suit their mood.”
The new Focus ST diesel PowerShift model will be Ford’s fastest accelerating diesel car ever, targetting 0-62mph in 7.7sec – 0.4sec quicker than the manual variant – and delivering CO2 emissions of 119g/km and combined fuel economy of up to 61.4mpg.
The Ford PowerShift transmission provides Focus ST diesel customers with the choice of driving in full automatic mode, or selecting gears manually using paddles mounted behind the steering wheel.
Drivers can also select a Sport mode by moving the gear lever to the S position, which offers a more dynamic driving experience with a sports shift programme that changes up at higher engine speeds and shifts down under braking for enhanced control.
In addition to the expanded engine line-up, Ford’s latest Focus ST offers an even more responsive, balanced and refined driving experience with optimised chassis control technologies, tuned suspension and steering, and bespoke tyre specification. The sporty new five-door and Estate models also offer advanced driver assistance technologies and connectivity features including the SYNC 2.