Ford Focus ST diesel coming – reports

Said to be powered by a 2.0-litre TDCi turbo diesel four-cylinder engine, the Focus ST diesel will give Ford a competitor to the Volkswagen Golf GTD.

Several reports out of Europe claim the announcement was made by Ford chief operating officer Mark Fields at a dinner function following the Geneva motor show last week.

The Ford Focus ST diesel will reportedly outgun the VW Golf GTD in terms of power, with 136kW compared with the GTD's 135kW. Torque is apparently rated at 380Nm - identical to the VW. However, it is expected the Golf will be lighter, and boast a superior 0-100km/h sprint time of 7.5 seconds, while the Ford has a claimed 8.0sec time.

The ST diesel will reportedly carry over an identical suspension and steering tune to the petrol-powered version, and both will reportedly feature a revised steering mount for better control. It will also boast a range of cosmetic changes to the exterior, and the interior will carry over the extensive changes already revealed in the facelifted Focus range revealed at Geneva.

CarAdvice has contacted Ford Australia to confirm if the Focus ST diesel is under consideration for local launch.

If it is, there's little chance we will see it any sooner than late 2015, as the brand has told CarAdvice in the past that the updated Focus won't make it on sale here for at least another 12 months.