The all-new Ford Focus may have only been with us for a scant few months but Ford is already going through the final testing phases with its hotter, and significantly more a version, the ST. We’ve seen the new ST testing at the Nürburgring before but it now carries significantly less in the way of disguise and we can glean some more details about the car’s design.

It’ll need to be good as the new ST is up against some tough rivals from the likes of the next generation Golf GTI (expected in 2020), the Peugeot Sport 308 GTi and more recent rivals such as the Hyundai i30 N. The new Focus certainly has an entertaining chassis in the more powerful models thanks to its multi-link rear suspension set up and the firmer ST-Line models have already demonstrated it can be a fine steer. With more power on tap in the full-fat ST and a chassis that has been further revised and enhanced it should put the Focus back on the performance hatch map until the daddy, the all-new Focus RS, arrives.

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> Click here for our review of the Hyundai i30 N

As far as the new ST’s styling is concerned there appear to be no body in white changes but the front apron has a more aggressive design with more scoops and ducting to bring cooling air to the engine and brakes. The sill extensions look to be the same as those fitted to the ST-Line models but at the rear there’s a more aggressive rear spoiler while the rear diffuser is a new design and features twin-exit exhausts – one either side – rather than the old ST’s centre exit set up.