(By Tom Lohnes) – Since the Ford Focus and Fiesta ST’s departure from America, a lot has changed. Both of the models have downsized from 4 cylinders to 3, and basically everything has changed inside and out. And even with the STs only being sold in Europe, where 70 percent of these sold cars have manual transmissions, the ever-useful 10-speed automatic has found its way into a non-SUV ST.
Now, I bet you’re thinking that the automatic is a good use for the track, and helps with acceleration. Well, that is where you’re wrong. The manual Focus ST does 0-60 in 6.5 seconds and has a top speed of 145 MPH, Pretty standard hot hatch numbers, right?
Well, the auto-equipped ST does 60 in 6.9 seconds and can do 130 miles per. That is considerably slower than the manual, and is strange because a 10-speed equipped Mustang GT is .25 seconds quicker to 60 and 100 than a 6-speed equipped one. The manual is also much better on fuel than the auto, and also the auto is an extra $2,200 on to the base ST, which is already $32,000 in American money. With 255 horsepower on tap, the Focus ST is a very pure and fun to drive car that does not need to be diluted by an automatic transmission.
