It has been quite some time since a domestic automaker had a player in the compact performance game. Ford's decision to import the Ford Focus ST hatchback from Europe (although the North American edition will actually be built in Detroit) indicates just how serious the Blue Oval is about luring fans of small, affordable, and fun cars away from the Japanese and German brands that have long dominated the segment.
The Ford Focus ST is a car that American enthusiasts have been clamoring for for quite some time, and when we were given the chance to spend some time behind the wheel of a pre-production model this past month we leapt at the opportunity. The car we drove was an almost-ready-for-prime-time edition that had a few rough edges but was still more than capable of giving us a good idea of what the Focus ST will be like when it hits dealerships later this summer.