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Ford

Monday, 21st of July 2008

Fast Fords have always been legendary like the Escort RS2000 and the RS Cosworth and the ST500 is certainly no different. It packs a real punch with the 222bhp coming from its 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine. It has a top speed of 150mph while it will get from the standing start to 62mph in 6.5 seconds – the ST500 has the same power plant that any other ST is equipped with. It’s a shame Ford didn’t give it a bit more power so that you would get a little more grunt for your money.

The ST500 is no different to any other Focus ST – as well not tinkering with the engine the engineers at the Blue Oval have also left the handling of the car the same. But that’s not a negative point the Focus ST is a seriously good car and one of the best handling cars around. The steering is well weighted; there are lots of torque at low revs and a real surge of power when you creep up the rev counter – all coming, from the five-cylinder power plant. What more would a hot hatch fan want?

In the past few years the build quality has improved on all Ford models. The interior is well laid out, although you will have to get used to the red leather that could be off putting for some as it could be looked upon as a little garish. The dash has that orange peel effect that you see on vehicles from the premium market – a nice step for Ford to take in making the cabin more appealing. Our car was ultra reliable with not a hint of any mechanical or electrical problems.

It comes with lots of safety equipment. The car has been fitted with six airbags to keep drivers and passengers safe in the event of an accident. If you have a young child you’ll be pleased to know that an Isofix is a no cost option. The ST500 is also fitted with ABS and ESP to help you out of those tricky positions one tends to get into, from time to time.

The driver’s seat cannot be adjusted low enough. Don’t get us wrong the handle is very easy to use and the chairs are really grippy and hold you in well – but even drivers of an average height tend to brush their knees on the bottom of the steering wheel. The boot is quite roomy as the floor is really low – this is due to Ford’s participation in the World Rally Championship, as the WRC car has to be homologated from the road car. You can get three adults in the rear but it can be a bit of a squeeze and long journeys are not ideal with a full car.

This car will literally fly out of the showroom, as it’s a limited edition. With only 500 available the car is sure to hold its value. But the high mpg is sure to hurt on whole life costs. It costs from £20,495 while the maker claims it will get 30mpg on the combined cycle. Our car was only averaging 25mpg while you’ll have to check out the tax bands come April 1 as the ST500 emits 224g/km of CO2. But the ST remains a brilliant all-rounder making the Volkswagen Golf GTi its only real rival on real world usability.