Spied! 2012 Ford Focus ST Track and Winter Testing

[ahmed_7erzon]

Now that the 2012 Ford Focus is out in showrooms for the U.S. masses, it's time to focus (pun intended) on what enthusiasts are excited about -- the upcoming ST model. These latest spy shots snapped on the Nurburgring and in cold weather are evidence that Ford is hard at work fine tuning its new hot hatch.

First up is the silver-colored tester caught during a 'Ring attack. Because the sheetmetal and body kit appear to be mostly stock and far from the stylish and aggressive treatment on the Tangerine Scream-colored concept model, this ST is uncamouflaged. A thin metal pipe for the center exhaust and the gray, smoked-out rims are the only ST giveaways.

The black tester snapped in the snow looks like Ford engineers had tons of time and duct tape at their disposal. Again, the body appears stock, though this time we were able to get a close up of the ST-exclusive center exhaust pipe covered with wire mesh.

It's obvious from these shots that Ford is focused (yes, again with the puns) on the mechanical bits at this stage of testing. Perhaps the most important item on the performance list is what will power the ST -- an Ecoboost turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that should be good for upwards of 250 horsepower. Other upgrades such as the suspension, limited-slip differential, and transmission choices have yet to be confirmed.

Same goes for pricing. The base price of the Focus five-door hatch starts at $18,790; expect the ST to come in significantly higher, probably somewhere in the 25k-plus range. We expect it to be worth the price (and the wait).