In recent years Ford has axed the Focus ST and Fiesta ST hot hatches – as well as the commuter cars they’re based on – from its global lineup, and it appears there’s no turning back now.
Ford has a long lineage of relatively affordable performance cars, from the Cortina Twin Cam and Escort RS of the 1960s and 1970s, up to the multi-decade success of the Focus ST, while certain regions have thrown in their own concoctions, such as the Falcon XR6 Turbo.
But exclusively focusing on on-road performance seems to be a plan of the past, with Ford CEO Jim Farley reiterating the brand’s future in the off-road space.
“The way we think about looking forward to bringing that affordable enthusiast product to life would be more of a mashup between on-road and off-road,” Farley told Australian media.
“I think the Fiestas and Focus’ and all the products that we grew up with – the Sierra RS500s […], the Falcon coupes, I mean, it’s a long list right?
“But we look forward. We don’t want to operate in the past, and in the forward world of automotive technology and enthusiast driving, I don’t think customers need to make such difficult choices between fun off-road and fun on-road.
“So, if we’re going to do something like that, I would insist the team invent, maybe something of a new formula that you haven’t seen yet.
“And we are very committed to affordable performance. It’s the DNA of the company. It’s a democratisation promise that Henry Ford made, but please expect us not to phone it in or to copy the past.”
Previously the likes of the Focus ST and Fiesta ST were regarded as being among the best offerings in their respective classes, traditionally offering equal or greater performance than the equivalent Volkswagens, but at lower price points.
Now, Ford – at least in Australia – has put a huge emphasis on commercial vehicles, such as the Ranger and Transit Custom, as well as its locally developed Everest SUV.
In the US, the Raptor lineup of performance off-road vehicles spans the Ranger, Bronco and F-150 product lines, however only the ute is sold here in Australia, where it is one of the most expensive dual-cabs on the market – but providing a driving experience not replicated by any rival.
Earlier this year, Farley said Ford was considering a road-legal version of its Raptor T1+ prototype that competed in the Dakar Rally, having long hinted at producing an “off-road supercar”.
“We’re in the middle of creating something, so we don’t have all the answers yet, but the question is should Ford make an off-road supercar? Not a version of a car, a standalone supercar,” Farley told Top Gear.
“The reason people love the Ranger Raptor in the UK is because it’s a fun car but the damping is very compliant. People don’t understand about off-road racing how compliant the damping is and that makes it a totally different experience to being in a [Porsche 911] GT2 RS.”
“That’s what we’re trying to answer. What do we do on a utility car? Is there a supercar? That’s what we’re debating now.”
Regardless of what Ford does in the off-road space, it appears that its days of offering true performance road car heroes outside of the Mustang model line are in the rear-view mirror.
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