Taken from the Mondeo, the 2.5-litre engine produces 217bhp - a massive power hike over the existing Focus ST's 168bhp. There's also speculation that Volvo's five-cylinder unit could feature. Insiders suggest the car's performance will be close to that of the current RS, which means drivers can look forward to a sub-seven-second 0-60mph time.
The ST's debut is being held back until Geneva as Ford is concentrating on promoting the standard Focus. It will go on sale here before the end of 2005.
Source: Chris Thorp, AutoExpress