Dynamic duo

JOST Capito, for those in the know, was once a familiar figure in the Formula One paddock sporting the name badge of chief operating officer of the Sauber Petronas Formula One team. Also, as well as making cars for racing drivers, he helped create the successful Porsche Supercup racing series that supports many of the F1 Grand Prix races.

But now all that has changed. Capito, aged 43, has joined Ford as the new director of special vehicle engineering, a development arm to produce Ford performance cars, such as those in the past that saw the arrival of the Sierra Cosworth and the Escort RS Cosworth, both that to this day still excite rally fans world-wide.

And the first fruits of Mr Capito's new role can be found in the arrival of new models sporting the Ford ST badge, one on the Focus, the other on the Mondeo.

However, although they carry the same ST badge, we are looking at two very different cars.

The Focus ST 170 builds on the model's reputation as a sporting and refined performer, while the Mondeo ST220 combines premium sports saloon with luxury grand tourer finish.

Ford unveiled its blue oval-badged sporty performers to the world's motoring press in southern France, near Nice, but chose for the test routes fast motorways that eventually led to the ever-so curvy and twisting narrow roads of the slopes of the Alps.

It provided the chance to work the cars hard, to give the short-throw six-speed gearbox a thorough work out and to press the engines for speed, overtaking ability and pulling the cars up through the tight mountain bends before a much faster descent.

Interestingly, about a quarter of all sales in the small family car market last year were performance or sporting derivatives, so the Focus ST170 is seen by Ford as a very important car.

The entry-level £15,995 version is powered by a highly-tuned 170 PS Duratec ST engine (hence being badged the ST170) and without a doubt is the sportiest Focus on the road.

In fact the engine is a standard 130PS 2.0-litre but tuned to produce 170PS, enabling a standard start to 60mph timing of under eight seconds (beaten only by Honda's Civic Type R and SEAT's Leon VT Cupra, but faster than the Audi A3 1.8T, the Volkswagen Golf V5 and the Vauxhall Astra SRi), and a top speed well above the limit. Maximum power is produced at 7000rpm, with its 195Nm of torque available from 2500rpm for a strong performance feel.

Although people buy horsepower, what counts in the real motoring world is torque, how well the engine pulls, and the ST170 has plenty of this.

A great deal of new and bewildering technology has been fed into the engine design, new aluminium cylinder head with enlarged intake ports, larger intake valves, an electronically controlled fuel pump, as well as variable valve timing technology which boosts emission efficiency, all matched to electro-mechanical this and thats. And then there is the close-ratio performance gearbox designed to make the most of the car's torque and horsepower, and which also breaks with tradition by providing a unique combination of six-speeds in a transmission box of a size built for five.

With such power available, ride performance depends on an uprated suspension, and the ST170 has just that, together with new springs and dampers, control arms and larger stabiliser bars, together with revised and positively responsive power steering.

The car rides on low-profile tyres fitted to 17-inch alloy wheels, while essential braking performance is aided by larger-diameter brake discs, front and back. In fact the ST170 can stop from 60mph in 34.1-metres, backed by ABS anti-lock brakes and traction control. An electronic stability programme is available but as an option for the United Kingdom market. The test car, designed for Germany, had the system as a standard fitting

Economy driving is not really expected with the ST170, but Ford's own figures show an urban rate of 22.8mpg, an extra urban figure of 39.2mpg and a combined figure of 31.0mpg which is certainly acceptable for such a high performer. The exhaust emission figure is recorded as 218g/km.

The new car is available in three or five-door form (with an estate planned for later this year), and carries with it a number of subtle design features inside and out to differentiate it from other Focus models.

For example, the radiator grille is bolder, with large-honeycomb-mesh, while the bumper grille also carries the projector-style fog lamps. The headlamps have been restyled, to include the indicator, and there are body-coloured side mouldings, door handles and tailgate moulding to add to the changes.

It is a nice car to sit in, with the driver faced by a unique instrument panel, silver-faced gauges and dials including red-lined tachometer, speedo and analogue gauges for oil temperature and pressure.

Seats, front and back, are leather trimmed and bolstered for lateral support, but for those who prefer real sporting support, Recaro seats are an option, as are all-leather seats. The driver's seat is six-way power adjustable.

With much of the car's emphasis on sport, there are drilled-style metallic pedal covers, with the metal theme continued through leather gear lever and handbrake release knob, door handles and door sills

The Mondeo 220, which will have to face up to competition such as Volvo's S60 T5, Honda Accord Type R, Alfa Romeo's V6 Veloce, Volkswagen's Passat 4 Motion and also BMW's 330i, is still awaiting a price ticket for its May sale date, although Ford maintains that it will be under that of the outgoing ST200, so we are looking at around £22,000.

Mondeo has never really been seen as a car with great sporty ambitions, so has been denied RS or Cosworth treatment. But the ST220 changes that although much emphasis is placed on its grand touring design rather than on performance. Mind you it is not short on power, its 3.0-litre V6 engine, producing 226PS at 6000rpm and 275Nm torque at 4750rpm. It is also capable of shooting to 60mph in 6.8-seconds.

Despite these high performance returns, the combined economy fuel return is 27.7mpg. Around town it is 19.8mpg, but on the open road returns 325.8mpg.

Like the Focus ST, the Mondeo carries a few subtle styling changes including a sports grille, front and rear bumpers and twin stainless steel exhaust pipes. Interior comfort is helped by Recaro full leather heated front seats with power adjustment, and electronic automatic temperature controls.

Options available include a voice-activated telematics system, providing traffic information, emergency and operator services as well as a hands-free phone, together with a satellite navigation system.

It also carries with it a high level of safety equipment including anti-lock braking, electronic stability control, emergency brake assist, as well as airbags front, side and curtain bags.

The test route once again took the car on to twisting mountain roads, which its 3.0-litre engine took in its stride, the power driven to the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox, again specially designed for close ratio change, although there was a lot more gear changing than experienced in the Focus.

Despite the power available, the Mondeo ST took a little more time to negotiate the bends, its size proving a bit of a handicap, particularly through the extra tight bends, but otherwise its steering and suspension ensured a good ride.

When the ST220 goes on sale it will feature four-door, five-door and estate versions.

Updated: 12:08 Friday, April 05, 2002