• 2.5-litre turbo five-cylinder Duratec ST engine
• Develops 166kW of power and 320Nm of torque
• Exceptional handling, road-holding and braking
• Agile and powerful, Focus XR5 Turbo remains refined and practical

Sydney's 2005 Australian International Motor Show sees Ford Australia reveal its latest performance vehicle – the five cylinder Focus XR5 Turbo, equipped with a slick-operating six-speed manual gearbox and boasting acceleration that will be the envy of many larger car drivers.

Performance is matched with practicality – the Focus XR5 Turbo is available with five doors – and the exotic colour range which includes Performance Blue, Panther Black, Colorado Red, Sea Grey and an eye-catching Electric Orange will ensure that there is no mistaking the Focus XR5 Turbo for a standard family hatch.

"As a brand, Focus offers many possibilities," said Vice President of Marketing and Sales, Mark Winslow.

"Focus XR5 Turbo builds on this further – it is a practical and functional vehicle, with very definite sport underpinnings. The new XR5 Turbo offers usability and versatility just as its siblings do, with additional power and performance in tribute to its rally bred origins.

The Focus chassis has been modified and stiffened for the XR5 Turbo as well as being lowered by 25mm. Handling has been refined through stiffening of the front and rear springs and an increased anti-roll bar.

The brakes have been upgraded to 320mm x 28 mm front ventilated discs that are fitted with large calipers and pads to provide better initial bite.

Safety features include a rigid passenger cell, footwell protection, collapsible steering column and pedals and side impact protection door beams. Among the passive safety systems are pyrotechnic belt pre-tensioners, and driver and front seat passenger front and side airbags.

Inside the passenger cabin, the Focus XR5 Turbo includes a unique additional instrument pod, covering turbocharger boost pressure, oil temperature and oil pressure.

On the outside, the front bumper has been emphasised to give the Focus XR5 Turbo a lowered look incorporating an aggressive inverted-trapezoid lower grille. Flanking the top of the lower grille, fog lamp openings are trimmed in brushed aluminium.

"Focus XR5 Turbo will be a superb addition to the Australian market, where the popularity of hot hatches is on the rise," said Mr. Winslow.

"Ford now has a new competitor in this exciting segment in the form of the XR5 Turbo, and it will be a halo vehicle for all Focus models in the range."

Ford Australia will reveal pricing and final specification closer to the new model's launch, which is expected to be early 2006.

Honda's Diversity on Show in Sydney
17th October, 2005
Attractions on Honda's stand at Sydney's Motor Show include the 30th Anniversary Accord and CR-V Special Edition, the all-new Legend ..... more

New Baby quattro for Audi
16th October, 2005
The 2005 Australian International Motor Show (AIMS) marks the local introduction of Audi's smallest quattro model – the A3 Sportback 2.0 TFSI quattro ..... more

S3X From Daewoo For Holden
16th October, 2005
Holden is showing the striking S3X concept SUV at Sydney's Australian International Motor Show, as the preview for a Daewoo-sourced seven-seater Holden destined for Australia next year ..... more

Mazda's Diesel Car Push
16th October, 2005
Mazda announced at the Australian International Motor Show, in Sydney, that they plan to launch a diesel Mazda 6 next year ..... more

New Subaru Liberty GT
16th October, 2005
Subaru Australia is adding a new turbocharged Liberty GT to its performance stable with the introduction of a variant tuned by Subaru Tecnica International (STI) ..... more

Nissan Previews 2006 350Z Roadster in Sydney
14th October, 2005
Nissan's iconic 36-year-old flagship sports car, the 350Z, goes on show at the Australian Motor Show with new features ..... more

New Peugeot 307 Debuts In Sydney
14th October, 2005
A new look and new features for the new Peugeot 307, which has been launched at the 2005 Australian International Motor Show ..... more

Mitsubishi's Completely New Look for Motor Show
14th October, 2005
Mitsubishi Motors’ stand has a completely new look for this year’s 2005 Australian International Motor Show, and it is not only due to the newly released and exciting Mitsubishi 380 ..... more

New Volkswagen Beetle Face Lift and TDI
14th October, 2005
The New Beetle receives a subtle re-styling in both the hardtop and the cabriolet models for summer. In addition New Beetle also receives the option of a TDI (diesel) engine for the first time ..... more

Saab 9-3 SportCombi Shows Its Face
14th October, 2005
Saab has launched into the premium, mid-size wagon market with the unveiling of the 9-3 SportCombi for the first time in Australia ..... more

The New Volkswagen Caddy Life
14th October, 2005
With up to seven seats and two sliding doors, the Volkswagen Caddy Life opens up a whole new world of practical and exciting people moving innovation in the compact van class ..... more

Maybach Exelero Show Car in Sydney
14th October, 2005
The Maybach show car "Exelero" is on display at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney ..... more

Holden's Wild Hot Rod Brings FJ Back to Life
13th October, 2005
A wild 21st Century hot rod reinventing one of Australia ’s most famous cars, the FJ Holden, was unveiled today at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney ..... more

New Audi A4 2.0 TDI Now Available
13th October, 2005
The 2005 Australian International Motor Show will mark the Australian launch of Audi's latest hi-tech turbo diesel engine for the best-selling A4 ..... more

New Audi S4 Makes Its Australian Premiere
13th October, 2005
Audi's new S4 will be unveiled for the first time in Australia at the Australian International Motor Show, ahead of its mid-November 2005 launch ..... more

Audi Q7 Breaks Cover
12th October, 2005
Audi’s long-awaited Q7 SUV will make its Australian debut at Sydney's Motor Show on Friday, just weeks after its international unveiling in Frankfurt ..... more

Maserati Quattroporte GTs For Sydney
12th October, 2005
Maserati has announced that two new versions of the Maserati Quattroporte, the Sport GT and the Executive GT, will be displayed at Sydney's Motor Show ..... more

Mitsubishi Grandis Gets Luxury Treatment
12th October, 2005
Mitsubishi’s Grandis people-mover has had a luxury make-over as part of a model upgrade, and now offers even better value for money in its new guise ..... more