The Next-Gen Ford Focus ST Will Take on the Renault Megane RS with the 2.3-Liter EcoBoost; Could Deliver as Much as 320 Horsepower

TopSpeed

By Ciprian Florea

Published Apr 23, 2018

The Blue Oval could go wild with this one!

The next-generation Ford Focus ST was recently spotted testing in the wild, and we've already discussed what it may bring to the table in our speculative review. Now, a new rumor suggests that the new ST might be the last non-hybrid hot-hatch from Ford and that it could get its juice from the same 2.3-liter EcoBoost found in the Mustang. Sounds pretty wild, but it makes sense given Ford's plans for the next-generation Focus RS.

According to Autocar, Ford wants the new Focus ST to target hatchbacks that are more powerful than the Golf GTI, which is rated at 247 horsepower with the Performance Pack, slightly below the ST. The company's aim now is the Peugeot 308 GTI and Renault Megane R.S., the latter of which boasts a solid 276 horsepower. As a result, Ford wants to ditch the old 2.0-liter four-cylinder for the Mustang's 2.3-liter EcoBoost, which is capable of significantly more power. Past rumors suggested that the Focus ST might get the 1.5-liter three-cylinder from the smaller Fiesta ST, but the tiny unit isn't really an option as it would have to run close to its reliable limit at more than 250 horsepower.

The reason why Ford wants to use the 2.3-liter EcoBoost in the ST is that the next-gen hatchback will also be the last to utilize a hybrid drivetrain. The next Focus RS is already scheduled to get a hybrid drivetrain and there's little chance that Ford will revert the hot-hatches to pure combustion power in the future. So, the gasoline-only Focus ST is getting a proper send-off.

But how much power will it deliver?

Although the new ST will be lighter and significantly more rigid, it's safe to assume that Ford doesn't want to rollback to the old rating of 252 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. And, with the next-gen Focus RS rumor to get around 400 horsepower, if not more, there's plenty of room for the upcoming Focus ST in the horsepower department. The 2.3-liter EcoBoost offers up to 370 horsepower in its most capable setup in the Focus RS Red Edition, so turning the ST into a segment leader power-wise won't be an issue. But making it almost as powerful as the upcoming RS isn't something that Ford wants to do, so it will probably have less than 300 horsepower.

A 280-horsepower rating would be enough to give the Renault Megane R.S. a run for its money, but Ford could decide to go wild and push the EcoBoost toward 300 horses. Heck, it could boast even 320 horsepower without going into Focus RS territory. Such a rating would put the ST far above the competition and would probably make it a lot more expensive too, but if Ford wants to demolish its rivals, this is the way to go. A more feasible approach would be to offer a standard version with about 290 horsepower and an optional performance upgrade with more than 300 horses. We should find out more about that in the coming months, so make sure you come back for details.