Ford Focus ST: Photo Gallery
Those looking for a Ford performance car that’s not a Mustang will finally have something new to fawn over in the guise of the Ford Focus ST.
More 2011 L.A. Auto Show Coverage
The Focus ST is the spiritual replacement for the Focus SVT, a high-performance model killed nearly eight years ago in the U.S. The ST will pack a 247-horsepower four-cylinder and come with a six-speed manual transmission, only.
Clicking on any image below will launch a larger photo gallery; you can browse through them by hitting the right and left arrow keys. Cars.com photos by Ian Merritt.
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I know I'll be in the minority here, but I really can't understand why manufacturer's refuse to offer automatics in cars like this. There's a market for a car that is compact, fast and has slot-car like handling, but with and auto. Most cars sold are auto, including Mustang GT's, Camaros and Corvettes. Sorry, but I think Ford's made a mistake, don't see them selling many of these.
..I think any real car enthusiast prefers a stick, it enables you to have the most fun with the vehicle, I find an auto actually disconnects me from the driving experience!...
Ford would sell more if an auto was an available option. Looks like a missle, too...
Vehicles like these should come with nothing but a manual transmission. Now if we could only get a manual in a Ford F150!
Why should a car like this only come with a manual? Why not give the customer an option? Ford's basically saying that if you want an auto, you have to purchase the 160hp version. That's an 87hp difference, which you'll feel on the road. At least offer a slightly detuned version with the auto, say around 200-220.
Just learn how to drive a stick. It is easy.
@Tom, All good hot hatches should have a 5 or 6 speed manual gearbox that you row yourself. None of that flappy-paddle nonsense and definitely not an automatic.
The automated manual boxes are so heavy that you lose the performance you get with a real stick, and a torque converter automatic would multiply the torque from this thing so much that the front end would jump around under throttle and it would torque steer your nuts off.
Ohh TOM, TOM my boy, don't even bother questions like this:) Is like "why you not wear Pampers any more
? because you are Big Boy."