First drive: New Ford Focus Zetec S

Fast Ford Focus fans will be doubtless keen to receive the coming 250bhp Focus ST, but we’ll all be waiting until around the summer of next year for that potentially very perky performer. So, until the warm summer sun brings some hotter ST-fun, Focus customers looking for a bit more shove can test drive the £18,745 (starting price) Focus Zetec S at Ford dealers now.

I tried out the quickest Zetec S cars in both petrol (180bhp) and diesel trims (163bhp) – there are four engine options; two of each fossil fuel derivative – but regardless of powerplant, all Zetec S models come as standard with a deeper body kit, 17-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels, firmer sports suspension (springs and dampers), LED taillights and sports pedals. There are also, of course, all the award-winning new Focus safety features to consider, with the Driver Assistance Pack a £1000 option.



First impressions:
We’d expect a touch of extra toughness from the Zetec S as the Focus range creeps towards the ST, and Ford has pretty much matched these sportier expectations. However, coming from a tuning background and enjoying cars with a sharper edge, I’d have liked the UK-specific tuning department to have tweaked-up the volume just a little more, still, I think, without detracting too much splash from the summer’s ST.

Based on the existing Zetec model, the S enjoys its own and unique front and rear splitters, effectively lower-to-the-road and sharper-looking bumper-bottom trims, and deeper side skirts. There S-appendages pull the fastest Focus closer to the ground for that track-ready look, and while the suspension is a whole 28 per cent stiffer – sounds a lot – Ford chose not to lower the car over the standard Focus ride height.

For me, a little lower would’ve made quite a difference, as would an extra inch of height on the 17-inch wheels. Taller wheels, lower profile tyres and a touch more ride-drop would’ve really lit my Zetec S styling fire, but we must remember that Zetec S likes to keep a Michelin Primacy-shod foot firmly on the (more practical) ground with focus on economy as much as performance. 

For me, the standout colour was a dolphin-friendly Micastone (light grey) that’s both classy and modern, and with a set of 18-inch upgrade alloys – painted black – we’ve got ourselves a bit of a babe. The 18s aren’t on the official options list for Zetec S yet, but word is some special Zetec S-only 18s are due in January 2012 to keep all us big-wheel-fans happy. 

Zetec S interior is standard Zetec fair, and that’s no bad thing as any Ford Focus comes with a class-leading interior layout in terms of driving position, seating comfort, fit and finish and easy-to-live-with ergonomics. However, for an extra £800 you can treat your Zetec S to an interior pack that features Inferno Red partial leather on the seats, heated front seats, powered driver’s seat, power rear windows and global closing. I’m still in love with the baby-blue instrument needles. 



The petrol drive:
We’re stepping into pretty potent performance with the 180bhp, 4-cylinder, 1.6-litre EcoBoost turbocharged petrol engine. It packs a top speed of 138mph and a 7.9secs to-62mph sprint time, but still returns 47.1mpg and a lowly 139g/km CO2. Performance cake with eco-icing? And you get to eat it all! 

I quickly find a low and comfortable driving position thanks to the multi-adjusting driver’s seat and leather-wrapped steering wheel, and after arriving at this Ford event in a distinctly edgy Honda Type-R Mugen, every control in the Zetec S feels light and mass market user-friendly. 

The 6-speed manual gearbox - the 1.6-litre 125PS Ti-VCT petrol and the 2-litre 163PS TDCi can be specified with either manual or PowerShift automatic transmission – is its usual snicky self and at carpark speeds the most powerful Zetec S is purely good mannered. 

Onto empty country lanes and a buried throttle returns a fair amount of wheelspin – the traction system doesn’t pooh-pooh the power-party right away – and a pleasant but definitely not intrusive growl from the airbox. Ford’s Torque Vectoring Control – front differential - reacting to the road 100 times per second – does a good job of feeding the power to each front wheel – and automatically braking the slipping wheel, keeping the front-end pointy, quick and torque-steer-free. 

If you’ve not driven one of Ford’s latest cars with one of their latest petrol-turbo engines, you’ll be in for a bit of surprise. The turbo is almost invisible; as we’ve seen in the 150bhp-powered Ford Focus test drives already. 

Accelerate with gusto and the Zetec S pulls well and with a flat and predictable torque curve. The latest in small and quick-spooling turbochargers means that there is no lag in the turbo’s power delivery. The 180bhp Zetec S driving experience is smooth; the days of waiting for the surge of turbo-boost are long gone with the latest Ford engines.

Is it too smooth to add excitement? Again, from my tuning times, I’m used to big turbos with big lag that take an age to make boost, but when they do, the world warps. But these are specialist tuner cars and if your new Focus leapt like this you’d think it broken. I was expecting a bit more of a noticeable “punch” from a 180bhp turbocharged motor, but at 7.9secs to 62mph, the Zetec S goes quick enough for fun; it just doesn’t shout about it.
The ST, then, is set to be the party animal of the Focus bunch.

The brakes are powerful and beautifully progressive; full of feel, and the usual top-notch Focus ride is pleasantly present, even with those stiffer Zetec S springs and dampers. It’s a car you could drive for many, many miles with complete comfort and relaxation, but one that’ll give you some respectable whoosh should you open the taps. 



The diesel drive:
The most powerful of the Zetec S diesel cars - like the most powerful petrol – benefits from the very latest in Ford engine and turbocharging knowhow. It’s quiet and refined; almost unnoticeably diesel and with big chunks of turbo-torque all present and correct, sporty diesel drivers should be satisfied with this Zetec S.

A 6-speed manual gearbox again controls the motion in this diesel test motor and, like the petrol, it’s a well-matched partnership. 

The 163bhp, 2-litre motor makes light work of propelling the Focus and if hitching’s your thing, this mid-range-blessed engine would doubtless haul a pretty serious speedboat. And with its long-diesel-legs, the 2-litre TDCi turns in a quoted combined fuel economy of 56.5mpg, with CO2 pinned at 129g/km. 

Both of our TotallyMotor Zetec S test cars sit at the top of the Zetec S price-pile, at around the £21,000-mark without options, but the Zetec S models kick off at £18,745 on the road, which is equivalent to the Focus Titanium. The idea is that you can choose a bit more luxury or a bit more performance, for the same price. Performance for me, please!

www.ford.co.uk



Zetec S in Frozen White



17-inch Zetec S alloys and stiffer suspension



LED taillights



Zetec S in Colorado Red



Zetec S gets deeper front and rear bumpers and side skirts 



TotallyMotor editor, Dan, sucks it in for the camera! 



Tall chaps - no problem - Focus interior offers space and comfort






Partial leather is part of an £800 optional pack, but certainly adds the jazz



Baby-blue, baby!



Micastone is my colour of choice






Under cover - 180bhp EcoBoost petrol-turbo engine. Good for 138mph and 7.9secs to 62mph


By Daniel Anslow

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