Ford Focus ST

The Ford Focus ST wagon offered in Europe is not planned for Australia. However, Ford Australia expects the new Focus ST hatch due in showrooms this week will broaden its appeal with the option of an automatic transmission for the first time. Figures supplied by Ford show demand for manual versus automatic transmissions for all hot hatches sold in Australia is fairly even, at 53 per cent versus 47 per cent respectively.

Ford Performance has unveiled the new-generation Focus ST this week, ahead of an Australian launch early next year. As before, the Focus ST will be offered with both petrol and diesel engines (though we never got the oiler Down Under) with an automatic transmission available for the first time with petrol power.

Ford has announced the launch of Ford Performance sub-brand in Australia, backed by the news the 2018 Mustang will be homologated for the 2019 Supercars season. The first Ford Performance-branded models to touch Australian soil will be the 2018 Mustang and hotly-anticipated Ranger Raptor. The company says its performance arm is focused on "developments in aerodynamics, light-weighting, electronics, powertrain performance and fuel efficiency".

Australians love hotted-up versions of everyday small hatches and sedans, but which are the sales leaders? Beyond a shadow of a doubt, it’s Volkswagen that sits at the top of the sales tree, given the fact it leads across three key price/power market breakdowns. But Subaru, Renault, Ford and even premium players Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz give stiff competition.