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Ford Focus ST packs a mean punch

STUNNER: Ford Focus ST is not meant to exude subtlety. Cicra 2008. Pic. Unknown
STUNNER: Ford Focus ST is not meant to exude subtlety. Cicra 2008. Pic. Unknown

Bruce Fraser

Bruce Fraser

There's a cocktail doing the rounds in the more trendy bars of Jozi that is becoming increasingly popular - the Jagerbomb.

It consists of stiff shots of Jägermeister followed immediately by an energy drink.

Things normally start off pretty quietly, but before you can say John Travolta, you are on the bar counter doing dance routines from Saturday Night Fever!

The Ford ST is similar.

It is innocuous enough but dare to awaken the 2,5-litre turbo lurking beneath the bonnet and you are guaranteed one thing - fun.

The ST is the top-of-the-range in a long list of Focus vehicles and with its unusual 18-inch alloy wheels, strategically placed logos and rear spoiler and outrageous colour, subtlety is not in its vocabulary.

The ST does not have an ignition but a simple button which you press to fire her up.

The so-called key, which is basically just a small, black plastic holder, must be in your possession so that a sensor picks up its frequency.

The sports seats are designed for those with a figure like Lewis Hamilton, so if you pack a few extra kilos around the waist, you feel slightly hemmed-in. A trip to the coast could leave you with a few aches and pains.

On the dashboard are three separate instruments indicating oil temperature, oil pressure and turbo boost.

Push the power button to switch off the engine and the car lets out a whine similar to when a jet engine shuts down. Very cool.

A highlight for me with the ST is the responsiveness of the 6-speed gearbox. Changes are effortless and chopping down to get more out of the 166 kW engine always brought a smile. The ST is undoubtedly a performance vehicle.

Pricing for the Ford Focus ST range starts at R243600 with cloth seats. The price for the leather seats ST is R258850. A few optional extras exist such as metallic paint, sunroof and stripes.

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