It appears Ford is working up another surprise for its Focus compact car. Recently caught roaming around Germany's Nürburgring track was a Ford Focus ST test mule hinting at a possible new variant to slot between the Focus ST and the Focus RS.

The obvious giveaways are at the front of the vehicle where a few aerodynamic modifications have been added. For starters, there appears to be a thin front spoiler, while taped-on aero canards are found near the front wheel wells.

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A sizable gap exists between the Focus ST and RS, so a new performance variant could be a logical addition. The Focus ST, for example, makes 252 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque from its 2.0-liter turbo-four, while the RS benefits from all-wheel drive and 350 hp and 350 lb-ft from its 2.3-liter turbocharged I-4. That said, this new variant could roll off the line making between 270 to 280 hp.

The treatment could be similar to the Ford Fiesta ST200, which made its debut at this year's Geneva auto show back in February. That car benefits from revised engine tuning that boosts the 1.6-liter EcoBoost I-4's power to 197 hp and 214 lb-ft (212 hp and 236 lb-ft in overboost mode) and a shorter final drive ratio to improve acceleration.

With the next-generation Focus just around the corner, this new Focus ST variant could arrive sooner than later wearing Focus ST270 or ST280 badges.

Photo Source: CarPix