As every automaker in the US, Ford is not averse to package itself in Old Glory, if you want to sell more product to patriotic ‘Muricans. That’s why Ford F-150 ads are the kind of voice-over gravel, Clint Eastwood sound somewhat effeminate and usually contain more than all Montana Cowgirl to do. But despite the call Michigan home for over 100 years, will continue in its home market for Ford denied much of its range global models. And if we really care if cars like the EcoSport and the B-Max is not, sometimes abandoning really hurts, damn.

As here, it is sold with the diesel version of the Focus ST in Europe and other parts of the world where a compression ignition taken seriously. To make matters worse, some of them, the TDCi engine is also available as a combination. These can illuminate not at the same level decision so long, we deny the Escort Cosworth, but it is fair to say that a performance car with a diesel of 182 horsepower and a shift lever engine quite busy all matter bingo card that we want but can not get. So we took the first opportunity to get behind the wheel during a trip to Germany.

The view from the driver’s seat is almost identical to that in the US-spec Focus ST five-door. They sit in the same Recaro sport seats mega-grippy, holds the same thickness wheel, the same lever feeling gearshift pleasantly bulbous, so you can view the same dashboard, with the same trio stuck additional dials oil and increasing the pressure and oil temperature. The only real clue that something is different, different from the Euro-spec km / h, a bar and Celsius scales for implementation, is the fact that the red tachometer shortly after the number “5”.

The engine is a slightly revised version of the Ford-Euro-spec 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel, and even (with a maximum of 182 horsepower reaches a low 3,500 rpm) for 60 PS residue on your brother petrol , which actually project more Tighten 295 Nm at 2,000 rpm. The paper performance figures are expected to be low, with a time of zero to 60 miles per hour, an estimated 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 135 mph (in our test, the US gas ST 60 attacks in about six seconds The top speed of 150 mph), but against the whole, the official TDCi “combined” fuel-economic speed corresponding to 56 mpg on the Euro cycle test optimistic. If the car were to be executed by the EPA Ringer, we thought it might be 40 mpg highway in the previous cycle.

It’s no surprise that the diesel lumps can not match the enthusiasm of the gasoline engine. He lacks the enthusiasm of her sister ignition for speed and torque-despite having much less torque steer in slow corners. But it is very soft and fleshy bottom, which means that changing gear about half as often. A confidential Autobahn route confirmed that no point in trying, the engine of 4,000 rpm mark, which seems to push hit a patch of molasses. But high gear, results almost exactly as claimed top speed in sixth saw an indicated 220 kmh (137 mph), with the ST feel stable and comfortable when driving flat. Motor hums and thrums when I worked hard, with a sound Symposer repeal most harmonic sound at low speeds.

Although slower than the gasoline ST Ford has not softened the diesel Volkswagen Golf GTD version. This means that the fixed settings and dampers did an excellent job keeping the body under control when asked, make frequent changes of direction to do. Also give a hard ride on rough surfaces, especially at high speeds. Shares of electrically assisted steering quick rack ST gasoline and provides similar responses sharp front-end (less than on understeer) and the manual transmission is as smooth as in gasoline.

In fact, our test car of the car body probably made a greater difference at high speed dynamic performance car like the diesel engine. Ford numbers say the car is 53 pounds heavier than the gasoline engine, but also the relatively modest increase in mass in the back of the car is obvious, so much less willing to tighten their stranglehold on a simplified line. Or, in other words, a little less fun. The positive side is an award to the cavernous 33 cubic meters of cargo space with the rear seats in place, 53 cubic feet with the Crusaders.

Based on the versatility and fuel efficiency of the vehicle, we describe the Kombi diesel Focus ST performance car as sensitive in the world. Or rather, in parts of the world who are authorized to buy another car compelling; we have no doubt that the United States sales of a manual displacement diesel cars would be limited, but it would be good to at least the offered option.