These are the first spy shots of the upcoming hotter derivative of the new Ford Focus, also known as the Focus ST.

The test car was spotted at the Nurburgring during some high-speed testing and wearing a dizzying wrap in a bid to hide its more aggressive body kit that includes the traditionally redesigned pair of bumpers, deeper side sills and a more prominent roof spoiler.

The rear end also features a dual exhaust layout while the larger alloys fill in nicely the wheel wells and accommodate the beefier brakes.

The most interesting part of the new Ford Focus ST comes under the engine, as the company is reportedly going to replace the existing 2.0-liter petrol engine with a revised 1.5-liter turbo unit that, get this, will produce as much as 275hp in a bid to offer more power than the existing model.

If that’s true, then the petrol engine of the Focus ST will be one of the most heavily turbocharged engines in the hot hatch segment and it will be interesting to see what tricks Ford will apply to deal with issues like turbo lag and throttle response.

Ford is also expected to continue offering the Focus ST with a diesel engine and more bodystyles in regions like Europe, where the existing diesel variant holds a significant chunk of the model’s sales.

Ford is also working on the next Focus RS model, which will reportedly be powered by a new electrified powertrain with around 400hp.

As for when we’re going to see the new Ford Focus ST, chances are that the model will debut later this year but won’t arrive in the market until late 2019 or early 2020 in the case of the US market.

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Image Credits: CarPix, S. Baldauf/SB-Medien for CarScoops