First drive videos of the new ST are starting to appear on YouTube. The ones I've found so far are mainly in German, but that engine sounds pretty good in any language!😀

Looks really good in the Orange Fury too! Though it appears the boost gauge has gone which is a shame.

Ford tell me there'll be a petrol 8 speed auto version.

Yes, I find myself strangely drawn to that colour - just don't think I'm brave enough to go for it if I was having an ST!😀 I quite liked the extra gauges too - it took me back to the Mk 1 & 2 Cortina GT with the 4 supplementary gauges in the middle of the dash.

15 hours ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

First drive videos of the new ST are starting to appear on YouTube. The ones I've found so far are mainly in German, but that engine sounds pretty good in any language!😀

Ja, das auspuff gerausch ist fantastisch!!  

I still think the orange has lost something since the Electric Orange of the Mk2, the more recent ones just don't seem to have the same impact for me...   Overall it looks very nice, bit of a shame they've over crowded the steering wheel with so many buttons though.

I'd have it in the grey of the STLine I have now, I like subtle.

2 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Ja, das auspuff gerausch ist fantastisch!!  

I still think the orange has lost something since the Electric Orange of the Mk2, the more recent ones just don't seem to have the same impact for me...   Overall it looks very nice, bit of a shame they've over crowded the steering wheel with so many buttons though.

Electric Orange and Ultimate Green will never be topped! But it is still nice.

3 hours ago, Guy Heaton said:

I'd have it in the grey of the STLine I have now, I like subtle.

This tends to be my inclination with cars also. It didn't seem to bother me with bikes - I rode around on a lime green/purple/white Kawasaki quite happily, perhaps secure in the knowledge that no-one would recognise me behind the visor!😀

In the Netherlands only the manual Petrol version will be available. The Diesel version and 8-speed automatic versions will not be available over here.

A few weeks ago Ford released the prices for the Focus MK4 ST in the Netherlands. Thanks to our tax system the base version of the Focus MK4 ST Hatchback is going to cost €49.100,-. The wagon is €1000,- more expensive. For reference the (better equipped and more powerful) base version of the Focus MK3.5 RS did cost exactly €50.000,-.

I guess the MK4 ST is going to be pretty rare over here.

Difficult really, part of me wants an st, part of me is really interested in the upcoming hybrids.

2 hours ago, Guy Heaton said:

Difficult really, part of me wants an st, part of me is really interested in the upcoming hybrids.

I'm the same - juggling the desire for one last petrol hot hatch before they disappear, against my curiosity to try something new! The forthcoming mild hybrid 1.0 ecoboost with 153ps and the electric motor boosting low end torque, might turn out to be a very enjoyable thing.

I hope they bring out a hybrid with a bit of poke, like the new Corolla