Ford Focus ST in Film Star Role at the Festival of Speed

Goodwood, West Sussex, 29th June, 2012 – After shining in media reviews, Ford's new Focus ST is previewing its starring role in the new British film blockbuster The Sweeney at the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Stunt drivers are taking the place of famous Flying Squad detectives Jack Regan and George Carter as their black Ford Focus ST is pitted against a Jaguar XFR up the famous Goodwood hillclimb in an exciting chase sequence to whet the appetite ahead of the film’s release in September.

The new Ford Focus ST is equipped with a 250PS, 2.0-litre turbocharged EcoBoost engine, expected to achieve 0-62mph in 6.5sec and a top speed of 154mph. This uncompromising performance is complemented by enhanced dynamics and a comprehensive range of driver assistance features.  Using a tuned Ford EcoBoost engine, the Focus ST can return up to 39mpg and CO2 emissions of 169 g/km; a 20 per cent improvement over the previous Focus ST model.

Ford Focus ST takes centre stage
In October 2011, special Ford Focus ST prototypes were secretly delivered to The Sweeney set, joining Ford Mondeo, Galaxy and Transit models also being used by the cast as unmarked Flying Squad vehicles.

Director and co-writer, Nick Love, whose prior films include The Football Factory and The Firm, said:  "It was important for me to collaborate with Ford on The Sweeney as their legacy with the original TV show is so strong – they're the perfect partner.  I like the Ford Focus ST so much, I want one!"

Ford's strong link with the 1970s Sweeney TV series saw Regan, Carter and their Flying Squad colleagues using a string of Ford Granada, Consul and Cortina models to make the streets of London a safer place.

Production Companies Vertigo and Embargo Films, used six Ford Focus ST models during filming.  Set in modern day Britain, The Sweeney stars Ray Winstone as Jack Regan and Ben Drew (aka Plan B) as George Carter and also features Hayley Atwell (from Captain America), Damian Lewis (Homeland), Steven Mackintosh (Underworld: The Rise of the Lycans) and Paul Anderson (The Firm).

The Sweeney will be released in the UK in September.

Ford at the Goodwood Festival of Speed
Ford has been a major sponsor of the Goodwood Festival of Speed since its inception in 1993.  Ford's motorsport heritage is unparalleled: there were successful Model Ts in motor racing in the 1920s, Ford V8s won the Monte Carlo rally in the 1930s, and since the 1950s Ford has always been prominent in racing and rallying, often with specially-developed cars like the Le Mans winning GT40s, the Escort RS1600 and RS1800, the RS200, the Sierra RS500 Cosworth, and racing Mondeos. 

Ford-powered cars from all around the world are reflecting this heritage at the Festival of Speed.  Prominent among these will be the iconic Zakspeed Capri, driven by multiple Le mans winner Klaus Ludwig, and Ford’s most powerful Mustang ever, the Shelby GT500.

Visitors to the Festival can see a wide variety of famous Fords, including those located on the Ford stands at the entrance to the festival and on the main Ford exhibition site inside the hillclimb track, which features a strong Sweeney theme.  Prominent in these displays, as well as on the Goodwood hillclimb, will be the Ford Focus ST with its powerful 2.0-litre 250PS four-cylinder EcoBoost engine.

Ford Focus ST price and specifications
The new Ford Focus ST is on sale now, for deliveries in September. All ST customers will be able to specify the ‘Performance Pack’ which offers the wheels in grey black with a high contrast red finish on the performance brake calipers, plus the ‘Driver Assistance Pack’, with an array of Ford safety features.