EditorTurner

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Final Exam
Blasting around in a hopped-up Focus ST to close a chapter in rock history
By Steve Turner

With it gorgeous weather and varied topography, it’s clear why California is so heavily populated. Once you get away from the cities and into the twisty roads in the hills, you know why it is often the scene of new-car drives hosted by manufacturers. The state also has a storied musical history that spawned some of your author’s favorite bands. When one of those bands scheduled its final performance at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve 2015 it meant one thing… that a trip was in order.


Such a trip also provided us the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a special Focus ST that Ford Performance injected into Ford's Southern California media fleet. This 2015 ST is upgraded with a whole host of Ford Performance Parts and mountune gear that enhance its performance without detracting from its drivability, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.


This trip actually provided our first chance to spend a little quality time in the latest Focus ST. While it is quite similar to our own 2013 ST project car, the 2015 model does feature some refreshed styling in and out. While we aren’t huge fans of the latest fascia, the Ford Performance ST did look sharp with the red racing stripes over the Tuxedo Black paint. Inside it features a redesigned console; a leather-wrapped, flat-bottom steering wheel; and a more informative gauge cluster screen.


Of the upgrades, it was the steering wheel that made us most envious, as the fat, leather wrapped wheel just felt right in our hands and the steering on this modded ST seemed just a bit sharper than our first-gen model’s. Otherwise, since our car features a number of the Ford Performance Parts upgrades the performance level was on par. However, everything just felt a bit tighter and sharper in this lower-mileage example.


A quick review of the car’s upgrades told the tale, as this ST is fitted with a Quaife limited-slip differential (PN 2363-ATB-AA; $999). This helical-geared diff is a direct replacement for the stock diff and it constantly biases torque away from the spinning wheel. It definitely sharpened the steering in the corners, but it doesn’t totally mitigate torque steer when you bang through the gears in anger.


Of course, this Focus has a bit more torque to bias thanks to the addition of the mountune MP275 Performance Upgrade (PN BLACK2363-280-BB; $1,900), which includes an intercooler, a cold-air intake and a performance calibration. Backpressure is reduced with the Ford Performance cat-back exhaust (PN M-5200-FST; $995). On the handling side, it wears a mountune strut-tower brace (PN 7063-FSB-AA; $215) and a set of Ford Performance lowering springs (PN M-5300-V; $299.95).


This was most evident as we escaped the city for the afternoon for a quick lunch at Duke’s Malibu and took a turn onto Topanga Canyon road to explore some twists and turns in the SoCal hills. Sadly the traffic was pretty thick on New Year’s Eve day, but on the brief stints that the road opened up, the Ford Performance ST put a smile on my face and made my wife chastise me as I started to hasten the pace through the corners…

[video=youtube;DIudlgoO1vE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIudlgoO1vE[/video]

After some brief spirited driving, it was time to head back to the city for the final Mötley Crüe concert ever. (If you are so inclined, you can see the show at a local theater on Tuesday June 14.) Making our way back from Malibu in the Ford Performance ST, the car proved that its long list of mods did nothing to hurt its driveability. In fact the extra oomph and sharper handling helped navigate the harrowing SoCal traffic more easily, while the ride quality and exhaust tone were just a hint more aggressive than a stock ST.


As the trip came to an end it was bittersweet. One of the bands of my youth had called it quits, but I was happy to say I had been there to witness the swan song. Likewise, I loved the Ford Performance Focus ST so much that I wished I had more time with it. While the final Crüe setlist seemed uninspired, the list of mods on this Focus ST offers an ideal mix of performance and streetability that is definitely worthy of another tour.


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All signs point to a good time when you have the opportunity to drive a 2015 Focus ST upgraded with a host of Ford Performance Parts.

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Upfit with the Ford Performance/mountune MP275 Performance Upgrade (PN $1,900; BLACK2363-280-BB), which includes mountune Induction kit, a mountune High Flow Intercooler, mountune mTune handset with a performance calibration, the Ford Performance Focus ST produces 270 horsepower and 296 lb-ft of torque. This 18-horse, 26 lb-ft increase is a welcome addition and gives the ST the sporting feel it deserves.

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While the exterior was dolled up with stripes and Ford Performance decals, the interior was pretty much as the factory created it. However, when stock includes a flat-bottom steering wheel, Recaro seats, and MyFord touch, it doesn’t want for much in the way of upgrades. We did find the flat-bottom steering wheel quite pleasant, while the gauge display offers far more data, including instant fuel economy. Moreover, the numbers on the dash mounted gauge pod are far easier to read in this model as well. Our example was improved with a Ford Performance short-throw shifter.

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Naturally those Ford Performance stickers on the ST weren’t just for show. Instead they warned potential challengers that this EcoBoost machine featured numerous FPP/mountune upgrades, including an intercooler, cold-air intake, strut-tower brace, springs, and exhaust.
 

Snake Plissken

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I bet that was a blast! Nice review

If one of the bands from my youth were to reunite :bowdown: (Zeppelin) I'd probably pack-up the Kona Blue ST and head for Cali. :D
 
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EditorTurner

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Thanks Snake Plissken. The Focus ST and the show were both a blast. If Zepplin did another show with Jason on drums you and lots of other people (including me) would make the trip

As you can probably tell, driving a cool car to a rock show is one my favorite things to do.
 

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