Limited Edition Flagship Ford Focus ST-3 Revealed In Australia

April 21, 2021 7:15 am

Ford may no longer sell the Focus in North America, but in other parts of the world, it’s still going strong. That includes the performance-focused ST variant, a purpose-built hot hatch specifically designed to dominate its competition with a special seven-speed gearbox that’s surprisingly slower than the manual version. Ford has suggested in the past that the current-gen Focus ST might be the last hot hatch of its kind, but if it is, the new Ford Focus ST-3 will certainly help it go out on top.

Ford Australia just revealed the Ford Focus ST-3, which is a flagship variant of the regular ST that will be limited to just 200 units. The ST-3 comes loaded with standard features including Recaro sport seats with heat, lumbar support, and power adjustment, a panoramic sunroof, a B&O 10-speaker stereo system, Blind Spot Information System with Cross-Traffic Alert, a heads-up display, wireless charging, keyless entry, push-button start, ambient LED lighting, and dual-zone climate control.

The Ford Focus ST-3 also comes equipped with Ford’s Advanced Front Lighting System, which is able to detect curves in the road ahead and move the headlights accordingly, as well as adjust the lights to adapt to both the road and current driving conditions.

Mechanically speaking, the Focus ST-3 is identical to the regular ST, which means that it’s powered by Ford’s 2.3L EcoBoost I-4 that produces 276 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. Unlike the regular ST, however, the ST-3 is only available with Ford’s seven-speed automatic gearbox. The ST-3 features a base MSRP of $47,990 AUS ($37,400 USD).

“The Focus ST has attracted a passionate following, and the ST-3 supplements our highly popular Ford Performance portfolio that also includes the Fiesta ST, Mustang, and Ranger Raptor,” said Ford Australia president and chief executive, Andrew Birkic. “The premium equipment levels add an extra touch of prestige to the Focus ST’s already highly-regarded performance credentials, with the technology and innovation our enthusiast customers expect in a hot-hatch.”

We’ll have more on the Focus ST soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Focus news and around-the-clock Ford news coverage.

By Brett Foote

Brett's lost track of all the Fords he's owned over the years and how much he's spent modifying them, but his current money pits include an S550 Mustang and 13th gen F-150.