The New STyle
If you live in Europe you can get ST handling and styling on a budget with the ST-Line
By Steve Turner
Photos courtesy of Ford Motor Company
For a while now, Ford has told us that performance cars are selling well. Apparently they are quite popular in Europe, but not everyone has the means to run out and buy a Fiesta ST or Focus ST, much less the hot, new Focus RS. Well, Ford of Europe has something new for fans of its performance rides that don’t want to break the bank—the ST-Line.
This new trim level for the Fiesta and Focus offers styling and handling inspired by the sportier Fiesta and Focus ST, but leaves the big engine performance to those vehicles.
“With our new ST-Line range even more customers can experience sporty style and driving dynamics inspired by our most exciting Ford Performance line-up ever, that includes models such as the Focus RS, new Fiesta ST200 and Ford GT supercar” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford of Europe. “This year we expect to sell 40,000 performance cars in Europe, a 50 percent increase compared with 2015, which in turn saw performance car sales rise by 61 percent compared with 2014.”
The ST-Line vehicles are now available for order and if you dial one up it will have some familiar styling cues, including a honeycomb grille, a front bumper lip spoiler, a rear diffuser and a large roof spoiler. They also wear side skirts and ST-Line exterior badging. Inside the ST-Line vehicles feature sport seats with red stitching, an ST-style gear knob and an ST-style steering wheel with red stitching.
“The new Fiesta ST-Line and Focus ST-Line will offer customers a chance to enjoy the famous fun-to-drive characteristics and great looks of Ford’s performance models in an exciting and affordable package with a broad range of petrol and diesel engines—and we will be introducing two further models later in the year,” Roelant added.
Yes, what’s really interesting about the ST-Line is the number of available powertrain options. The Fiesta can be optioned with gasoline-burning EcoBoost 1.0-liter engines producing 99, 123 and 138 horsepower when backed by a five-speed manual. The six-speed PowerShift automatic is available when paired with the 99-horsepower 1.0-liter. It can even be ordered with a 94-horsepower 1.5-liter diesel with five-speed manual trans.
The Focus ST-Line has fewer powertrain options, but they pack more performance. The base engine is a 123-horsepower 1.0-liter EcoBoost, but both 148- and 180-horse 1.5-liter gas engines are also available. The Focus ST-Line has a diesel option too—a 118-horsepower 1.5-liter diesel. If you order the Focus ST-line with a six-speed auto, you also get paddle shifters to amp up the fun factor.
So far these trim levels are limited to Europe, but some of the parts (like those wheels!) might make interesting upgrades for Fiesta and Focus owners in other parts of the world.
Lowered 10mm on sport-tuned suspensions, both the Fiesta and Focus ST-Line will wear unique Rock Metallic Gray wheels, with the Fiesta version earning 16-inch versions and the Focus stepping up to 17-inch wheels.
Want the ST look and handling without the price tag or power, Ford of Europe’s new ST-Line models are for you. The Fiesta ST-Line is available in three- and five-door versions, while the Focus ST-Line comes in five-door and wagon models.
Inside the Fiesta and Focus ST-Line wear Sport seats with red stitching, perforated-leather steering wheels, ST-style gear knobs, dark woven headliners and ST-Line door sills.
The Fiesta and Focus ST-Line wear unique badging to set themselves apart from the crowd.
