DUNTON, Essex, Dec. 5, 2019 – The Ford Focus ST has ended 2019 on a high, being crowned Hot Hatch of the Year at the TopGear.com Awards.
It inherits the award given to its Ford Performance sibling last year – the Fiesta ST – and was collected by Ford Performance European Manager, Stefan Muenzinger.
Top Gear’s Hot Hatch of the Year scored highly thanks to its “strong and tuneful” 2.3-litre, four-cylinder EcoBoost engine, and praised its braking and grip ability, thanks to a “brilliantly integrated diff and well-chosen adaptive damping.”
“The Focus ST has no vices. No weaknesses. No chinks in its armour”, said Top Gear.com. “It’s a car that stands at your shoulder in any situation, exuding an “I’ve got this” confidence.”
More than 1700 examples have been sold since it went on sale earlier this year, and now evaluations of the 155mph Focus ST estate in police car form are underway, with forces up and down the country set to trial its blend of load-carrying ability, performance and handling.
Christmas came early for the Mustang Shelby GT500, too, as Top Gear.com awarded it their Muscle Car of the Year. It called the GT500 “Bold, brash, and an assault on the senses, designed to get your attention and be unapologetic about it”.
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 194,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.
is responsible for producing, selling and servicing Ford brand vehicles in 50 individual markets and employs approximately 50,000 employees at its wholly owned facilities and consolidated joint ventures and approximately 64,000 people when unconsolidated businesses are included. In addition to Ford Motor Credit Company, Ford Europe operations include Ford Customer Service Division and 20 manufacturing facilities (13 wholly owned facilities and seven unconsolidated joint venture facilities). The first Ford cars were shipped to Europe in 1903 – the same year Ford Motor Company was founded. European production started in 1911.
