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Ford's last new hot hatch – for now, at least – has been built as the end of the line for more than 45 years of cult favourites.
The final example of Ford's last-remaining hot hatch, the Focus ST, has rolled off the production line in Germany, ending a lineage stretching back more than 45 years.
It precedes the end of all Focus production, due to wrap up in Germany this November after 32 years, as Ford's final passenger vehicle in Europe that isn't an SUV – at least for now.
Images posted to the 'Ford Focus ST / RS' Facebook page show the final Focus ST, a red wagon, was completed on Friday, September 26.
The ST badge continues in Ford showrooms on SUVs – the Puma ST in Europe and Explorer ST in the US – but the company is without a high-performance hatchback for the first time in years, after launching its first in the 1980s.
It is reflective of customer demand across the car industry, which has seen the popularity of hatchbacks and sedans dwindle in favour of higher-riding SUVs – though the shift has not been as rapid in the performance-car market.
However, recent reports claim Ford is preparing to return to traditional 'passenger car' segments in Europe to broaden its reach beyond SUVs, which could see the Focus make a comeback – albeit in a new form.
It launched the Fiesta Supersport in Europe in 1980, followed by the Escort RS in 1984, and the iconic Escort RS Cosworth of 1992-96.
The Focus spawned ST170 and RS versions in 2002, followed by the first Fiesta ST – sold in Australia as the XR4 – in 2004.
When Focus ST orders closed in the UK earlier this year, there were said to be fewer than 200 left in dealers without customer names attached. Australia's final examples sold in 2023.
Ford's petrol-powered hot-hatch lineage will exit with the Focus ST's 206kW/420Nm 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, matched with six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmissions.
Neither the Fiesta nor Focus offered a 'final edition' swansong to celebrate the end of production, as with Renault's last RS-branded Megane, but Ford has sold Focus ST 'Edition' grades in recent years with lightweight wheels and coilover suspension.
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
