02 Nov 06
For double the price of an entry-level Focus, I've received a car with an array of talents. A 223bhp, 2.5-litre turbocharged engine ensures that it's rapid - 0-60mph takes just 6.5 seconds - while the lowered, uprated suspension should provide some fun when I escape the confines of the M25. But it's also designed to be refined and versatile enough to be used as an everyday business tool.
When I first drove the ST a year ago I wondered whether it was a bit too sensible for its own good; whether the emphasis on refinement and usability undermined its appeal. If you wanted a quick, sensible Focus, surely you'd buy the 2.0 diesel. In response, Ford's marketing people argued that, over time, the ST's subtle virtues would start to shine through. This is a car, they said, that you learn to love.
Ginger Spice will be with me for the next 12 months, which should give me ample time to decide which of us is right.
