"Today I have $30,000 to spend on something that will carry my family of 4, allows me to carry some larger items I move from time to time, and is able to make me feel like I am a race driver when I want it too. Do you have anything that might work for me?
His reply? "Have you driven the Focus ST?"
"Well, I have driven the Focus and although I know it will handle the family and carry my goods, it really doesn't make me feel like I'm driving anything racy." Again he replies "Have you driven the Focus ST?"
"Well then, show me this car you speak of!"
He takes me over to a Focus on the lot and as we approach from the front all I can see different is an ST badge on the left hand grill opening, I am underwhelmed. As he pulls the car forward and reveals a bit more to me, well I am mildly pleased, as it has a bit of a sportier edge to it from the side. Around back of it I am thoroughly impressed, this car is all business out back from the nicely sculpted rear spoiler down to the intriguing look of the exhaust placement.So I tell him, "It does have a different look to it, and it is an alright look, but what I am after is the performance driving experience. I want something I can toss around corners and that has enough power to set me back in the seat."
"Let me tell you something about the ST package," he says. "It includes the 2.0L EcoBoost 4 cylinder that pumps out 252 HP and 270 lb/ft of torque. Also there is a close ratio 6 speed manual transmission to pump that power through to the front wheels. It also includes three mode Advanced Trac, - at the push of a button you can go from Standard - designed for all road surfaces, wet dry or snow. Sport - where the Advance Trac only activates when needed. Or Off - where you are entirely in control of the car with the system shut down."I am now impressed and I need to drive this car. I climb behind the wheel and can't help notice the near perfect layout of the gauges as I am embraced by the grip of the Recarro seats. With information laid out for quick viewing while driving at a fast speed, it had very much a track car feel to it.
But wait, this one still has the My Ford Touch and navigation in it, this would appear to be a hybrid - part racer, part practical every day driver - this might very well be the ticket I was looking for! When I fired it up it had a nice subtle rumble to it, I am pleased as the loud soup can exhausts drive me crazy. Now I want to drive this thing.
We take it off the lot and my first thing was to see what it felt like, after all if it did not go the answer would be no and I would return to the lot. Instead what I found was a very punchy little car. The turbo lag you feel in most cars was almost nonexistent. Well, time to open this thing up, I already know it will be practical, my worry is will it be able to keep me entertained.
We get it out to an open highway and start rowing through some gears, they are close ratio but I find the shifter throw to be a bit much for me, nothing that can't be cured by the aftermarket. It accelerates with ease to 100kph in about 6.5 seconds, I was told by the salesman it would top out at over 240kph if we were on an open track.
I have to admit, this car had the ability to make me soil myself and that was exactly what I was after. Even with front wheel drive it was a very mild bit of torque steer and once you knew it was going to be there it became second nature.
I still needed to know how it would handle in the corners as all of the cool kids are running rear drive cars and I still want to play with them. A few off ramps and an open parking lot filled me in. This car stuck, and it was hard to tell it was a front driver. It responded well to everything I asked of it. This could be the one!
We returned to the dealership both of us with grins from ear to ear and I told him I only had one more hurdle to jump but I knew this was the car for me. I had to convince The Wife.
This is never an easy task as she does tend to like practical and sensible cars. For me to want this so I can race was not going to go over well. So I did what any other man would do, I left that part out.
I showed her the brochure and told her how practical it was and how comfortable the family would be even on the longest trips. I let her know about the navigation so she would never be lost again. She was unsure about the manual as she does not like to shift all of the time, I said that part was for me as I will drive it most. I then had to pull the trump card, it has a vanity mirror* under the visor that lights up. Permission granted!
The lesson here is "Happy Wife, Happy Life" and I can still hit the track on the weekends, everybody wins with this car.
* Disclosure : This vehicle was provided by Ford Of Cananda
*This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events or wives, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. My wife likes impractical race cars.
