FORD TO AXE FIESTA ST AND FOCUS ST FROM AUSTRALIAN RANGE

Fans of Ford’s Fiesta ST, Focus ST and Focus ST-X have only a few months to purchase a new example, as the hot hatches will be removed from Ford Australia showrooms by the end of 2022.

This follows the discontinuation of the standard versions of the Fiesta and Focus last year

Ford to axe Fiesta ST and Focus ST from Australian range

Ford Australia are citing semi-conductor-related supply shortages and “emerging areas of growth” as the reasons behind the decision, but make no mention of the fact that sales of the Fiesta and Focus have been in decline for years, with less than 200 combined sales of both models in the first six months of 2022. This reflects a broader move away from small cars in the Australian market as SUV and ute sales continue to grow.

For Ford, the Ranger has been their top-selling model in Australia for almost a decade. Interestingly, the last Ford prior to the Ranger to make the annual top ten sales list here wasn’t the Falcon, but the Focus, back in 2012.

“Both the Focus ST and Fiesta ST have been segment-defining hot hatches for Ford Australia and have put smiles on the faces of enthusiasts across the country, and we want to thank those fans for their passion,” said Andrew Birkic, President and CEO, Ford Australia.

“We’ve made the difficult decision to call time on these iconic hot hatches in Australia. We look forward to sharing more about the next era of our performance vehicle line-up soon.”

That last sentence suggests an EV equivalent of the hot hatch will be coming, but no such model exists in Ford’s global range at the moment, with the Mach-E SUV the closest equivalent.

Removing the Fiesta ST and Focus ST (the latter no longer features on Ford Australia’s website) leaves the Mustang as not only the sole performance car in the local range but also the sole car, with the rest of Ford's Australian lineup consisting of SUVs, utes and light commercials.

Once the remaining stock of Festa STs in showrooms are gone, no more will be coming, but Ford Australia has secured an additional 40 units of the Focus ST, which given the 5 August announcement, are likely to sell out soon.