There is a lot of information in here! Feel free to pick a section about a certain part you're interested in or read the entire blog if you're interested in the whole build. This is meant to show you what we did to give you some ideas, show what's is possible with the car, and tell you what we think about each modification we made to the car. Feel free to ask us any questions you want!
In April of 2013, we just had to see what the Ford Focus ST was all about. The car is not even a year into the market at this point and is making some decent waves in the sport compact market with a lot of chatter about it's out of the box performance. We wanted to see for ourselves and given that we already have a 2009 Mazdaspeed 3, it was a natural platform for us to hop right into. We're glad we did because this really is one of the best front wheel drive performance cars that we can ever remember.
Overall, here's what we like about the car as it sits from the factory.
Styling
I don't think you can say it doesn't look good. It's not a Ferrari but that's not what we're all after with this. For a hatchback especially, the lines are aggressive, well defined, and sporty. It looks like it's begging to be lowered on a sport suspension and given some power. I think most cars do that to us but this one, especially.
Powertrain and Drivetrain
This is what we care the most about over here at Edge Autosport. The car delivers power very well for a turbo car. The turbo spool is next to instant in any gear, even from a stop in 1st gear. It has crazy torque and boosts pretty high in the mid range from the factory. All the while, the chassis seems to handle the torque much better than what we're all used to in high powered FWD cars with lots of torque steer. The gearing is spot on. The gears allow for long pulls in 2nd through 4th gear. Less shifting is better to us, as long as there is power in the mid range in between them, and this car does that perfectly, in our opinion. We're excited to tap into the potential of the engine and drivetrain on this one.
Chassis
I sometimes don't believe the car is FWD by how it acts in corners. Ford seems to have gotten it right with the torque vectoring ability of the ECU and corresponding systems. When you turn in, the car really TURNS IN instead of the typical front engine, front wheel drive slide-straight-through-a-corner feel. The power is managed well coming out of a turn and doesn't feel too controlled by computers like many cars today. It still lets you have fun, even when all the traction and safety systems are left in the on position. Even more fun can be had with the stability control in the Sport Mode or fully disengaged.
Overall, we're pretty stoked to have the opportunity to modify this car and have fun with it. Hopefully, you enjoy keeping up with what we do and we hope to provide some good information to help you modify your own car or just for some good automotive entertainment.
(We started writing this article much later than when we actually modified the car. We'll take you through each part that we put on the car and tell you what it is, why we did it, and what we like about it.)
With our experience in the Mazdaspeed 3 and 6 platforms, we didn't need to be convinced that this is the route we should take with our ECU tuning. The AccessPort is one of the coolest devices ever. Especially with the new V3 (version 3), we couldn't NOT do this. Cobb Tuning hopped on the Ford ST EcoBoost platform immediately after release of the car and quickly released the first version of their AccessPort software tuning through the AccessPort device. We're glad they did because once we bought the car, we could immediately throw an off the shelf map on the car and have a few more smiles per gallon right off the bat. We paired the AccessPort with a nice A-Pillar mount that Cobb Tuning also offers and this puts it in a perfect position to view while driving, not in the way and not out of the way.
What it is - The Cobb AP is an ECU flashing device. This means that you can reprogram your factory ECU with it. It allows you to use one of the OTS maps, short for "off-the-shelf", to reprogram the ECU settings, allowing for more torque, power, and a more fun driving experience. Cobb stays well within a safe range of power for their preloaded ECU calibrations and anytime they make an update to a map or add one for different modifications, you can download them for free through cobbtuning.com. In addition, you or a professional tuner can use their custom tuning software to custom tune the vehicle to dial in an even more specific map based on your modifications on the car or what you're trying to do with it. The AccessPort is extrememly flexible. Check it out for the Ford Focus ST ecoboost right here.
Why we did it - This is easy. With what we have planned for the car, we absolutely need to be able to change the ECU settings to coincide with the parts going on the car. All new road vehicles these days feature highly advanced fuel injection systems, including the Focus ST. That is managed exclusively by the ECU. It is extremely sensistive to changes happening in the engine and not only from modifications but changes in altitude, humidity, air temperature, etc. With modifications, we'll need to change it's ability to recognize what's going on after we put them on.
What we like about it - Aside from the ability to customize the ECU settings, we love the ease of use. You plug it in the OBD2 port from inside the car and flash maps. It's that simple. The AccessPort is powerful so it flashes fast which is nice. You don't need it plugged in when you drive if you don't want it to be. While it is plugged in though, you can see up to 6 different functions which we absolutely love. We monitor boost, afr (air to fuel ratio), knock, and other things depending on what we're doing at the time. It comes with 2 different color faceplates to suit your style. Once you go AP, you don't go back.
What it is - The CPE intake is a very complete intake. It seems there are many intakes these days that come out in the form of some piping with a filter on it. Sometimes this works, most of the time it takes a little more engineering though. That's what CPE is good for. The pipe is a full, mandrel bent aluminum piece that features the proper sensor flange and also has a small welded tube for the valve cover vent. The best part of the whole system is the airbox. This is going to give you plenty of heat resistance to the engine bay heat and with a clear plexiglass cover, it doesn't look boring in the engine bay. This is probably the best looking, fully functional performance intake on the market for this car.
Why we did it - If you haven't noticed already, we sort of like CP-E parts. The quality is high, the design is unique and functional, and the finish is great. The intake isn't too hard to choose from but this one certainly looks amazing, along with being extremely functional.
What we like about it - The fit is perfect. It fits very well and we love the way it looks in the engine bay. We ended up powder coating our intake pipe orange and the box changed to wrinkle black. We're very happy with the quality of this intake.
CP-E Stage 2 Rear Engine Mount
What it is - This is the engine mount located on the lower, back side of the engine compartment and connects the transmission to the chassis of the vehicle. From the factory, motor mounts are typically soft in order to absorb vibration and noise so that the car is comfortable to drive on a daily basis. In the case of the ST, it actually already has too much power for this mount and this can be proven when you floor it and shift gears aggressively at the top of the rpm range. You can hear and feel the motor mount being pushed to its maximum which negatively effects the function and feel of the car in a spirited driving scenario.
Why we did it - The CP-E rear mount COMPLETELY changes the way the car acts and feels. We'll always tell you that this mod is one of the best "bang-for-the-buck" mods you can make to the ST. In order to put more power to the ground, the engine needs to stay as still as possible. That's basically the reason why this is necessary. With the power we plan to make, this is another must have mod.
What we like about it - The car does not experience any more wheel hop which is what happens when the motor is allowed to move too much when power is being delivered. The wheels will move up and down violently and this next to eliminates that action. It actually pulls straighter now than before and feels more comfortable moving forward. The motor mount actually makes you feel more in control of the car and gives you more feedback as to what the car is doing while delivering power. This is such a simple modification and it's VERY noticeable. That's what we love when we modifiy, that we can FEEL the changes being made. This allows you to feel the change significantly.
Milltek 3" Exhaust System 304 Stainless Steel
What it is - The Milltek exhaust setup is a full 3" throughout, providing great flow characteristics and power potential for a 4 cylinder turbo like the FoST. It's made completely of 304 stainless steel which will help resist corrosion better than all non 304 SS systems on the market. The muffler section is actually rather large but this contributes to its amazing tone. The fitment of hte system is spot on. Milltek is an English brand and also made in England. They have a large presence in the European market and are especially popular among VW, Audi, BMW, Mercedes, and more.
Why we did it - When we modify, we like unique. Up to this point, there wasn't very many on the market and so we decided to make the call to go with a Milltek system. We actually didn't know much about it but we're glad we did it. The sound is probably the best part of this exhaust and the fact that there isn't any when there shouldn't be and great sound when there should be. It was a full 3" system which was our minimum requirement for the power we knew we were going to make. We also wanted a high quality system and it has proven to be such.
Why we like it - The fitment is perfect. The tips are really nice and high quality. They are somewhat maneuverable with how far they sit in or out from the bumper so you can tailor it to your personal style to some degree. The sound is the most special part of this system. With the stock turbo on, you can easily hear full throttle being applied through all of the rev range and it's smooth and crisp throughout. When you're at idle and cruising, you almost don't know you even have an aftermarket exhaust. In our opinion, it's the best mannered exhaust on the market for a street car in the FoST. You may like louder which is fine, but this is one you'll never get annoyed by or sick of. We don't like it, we love it. Since we've put the bigger turbo on the car, it has remained completely civil with just more growl at the top of the rpm range.
What it is - The CP-E downpipe replaces the factory downpipe which is the pipe that comes immediately after the turbocharger and has a catalytic converter present. You can also get the CP-E downpipe with a high flow catalytic converter if you need to for emissions purposes or to keep some back pressure up to prevent the turbo from spinning too aggressively. Either way, this is a full 3" piping construction which is necessary for making good power in a turbo car. It's made of media blasted 304 stainless steel for strength and durability. Overall, anyone can argue this is the nicest downpipe on the market for the FoST. It includes all hardware necessary for install and features an extra O2 bung in case you ever run an AFR (air-to-fuel ratio) gauge in the car. This will bolt right up to the factory or factory style aftermarket turbo and a factory or factory styled aftermarket exhaust system.
Why we did it - We've always liked CP-E's products. They are built right here in the USA, in Maryland to be specific. They engineer, design, and manufacture everything in house to high standards and exact specifications. They take a lot of pride in their work just like we do with our cars. It's a perfect fit, no pun intended.
Why we like it - CP-E's Titan finish on all their exhaust products is unlike any other. It's very unique and you won't ever see it on other systems. So we love the finish which is also a functional finish, not just for appearance but for added strength and durability. We love the fitment and the fact that it comes with all hardware necessary for any stock style setup. We love that they take the time to put a 3rd O2 bung in the pipe for extra O2 sensors for gauges or other devices needing AFR readings. Overall, it fits great, it's made well, and it performs as it should. You cannot go wrong with this exhaust.
CP-E Front Mount Intercooler and Piping
What it is - Available as 3 individual pieces, this is the front mount intercooler core assembly, the pre intercooler piping (hot pipe), and post intercooler piping (cold pipe). The FMIC is extremely necessary to make power with a FoST. Although the car comes with a FMIC already, it's extremely inefficient even with the stock setup. It does not do a great job at cooling the intake air which is its main purpose. In addition, we're planning on a larger turbo which means we'll need additional volume to be cooled through the intercooler. This is an absolute must for anyone that's serious about the performance of the FoST. We also upgraded the piping to allow for larger and smoother air paths in order to make room for the larger turbo. With the ATP Turbo kit we are planning on, we'll need to run the CP-E cold pipe with the blowoff valve provision since the factory turbo has the BOV built in and the Garrett turbo does not. So we added that here as well. We are actually doing the turbo at the same time as this intercooler but if you aren't, the CP-E cold pipe BOV specific kit comes with a blockoff plate for the BOV on the stock turbo.
Why we did it - This really isn't an option in our case. But with the CP-E FMIC specifically, it doesn't get much better. The end tanks are cast which promotes perfect fitment but mainly, it's very smooth flow as the high pressure air moves through the cooler. This prevents turbulence and pressure loss and it fits perfect. It has the factory fitment for the MAP sensor as well.
Why we like it - CP-E's FMIC is super thick so we knew it would hold all the volume of air that we needed it for and that it would do a great job cooling it which is most important. Keeping the air cool is critical when making more power than the factory intended. This is a big contributor to why our stock engine can hold a lot of power, because the intake temps are kept under control by the CP-E FMIC. The fitment is great, there's no custom work to be done. It looks great sitting in the front grill. It retains the stock position for the MAP sensor in the end tank. It is bar and plate construction which is much better than tube and fin for cooling and flow characteristics. It really is a great intercooler and we're extremely pleased with it. The piping is mandrel bent so it's smooth and all one piece and it's lightweight aluminum. No welds to stress and no fitment issues here either. The piping does it's job and looks good underneath the car.
ATP Turbo Garrett GTX2867R Turbo Kit
What is it - This is where it starts to get good! The GTX2867R turbo is rated at about 46 lb/min of airflow which is around 450 crank hp max. You should not plan on getting more than 400whp out of the ST with this turbo. This is the newest and most advanced style of turbo (GTX) produced by Garrett right now. It has a billet aluminum compressor wheel with a new, even more aerodynamic wheel than the GT style turbos. It is made to handle a higher pressure ratio (higher boost) without being choked off where the GT might not go quite as far. The compressor wheel is 67mm at the largest diameter (compressor exducer) and the GTX28 turbos feature a 53.9mm wheel at the largest diameter (turbine inducer). This makes for a quicker spooling and still very high flowing turbo package, perfect for a street driven 2.0L engine.
Why we did it - ATP was the first company to release a true bolt-on kit for the Focus ST. We wanted to be quick to get this on and start showing people what you can do. The GTX2867R is a great turbo for street use on any engine this size. It has quick spool characteristics and can meet the flow demand to create an easy 350whp which is around the power we were looking to get. In addition, the Garrett turbo is as quality as it gets. It's ultra reliable, stront, and performs really well. Garrett makes a really great turbo which is proven by how often you see them on race cars and even OEM cars.
Why we like it - We've been working with ATP Turbo a while now and we love their ability to create a powerful setup in a bolt-on package. Sometimes, it's difficult to make the most efficient and most powerful setup without turning the car into another animal with a custom build. ATP Turbo realizes that many people want great power but not at the cost of completely changing the factory functionality of the car. Since we're into showing our customers what they can do with the parts available through us, it was a no brainer to throw this on and officially turn the car into beast mode. With a custom cast turbine housing from ATP built around a solid Garrett turbo, it was really a no brainer.
At this point we had plenty of power modifications to keep us happy for a while so we got busy on the what's underneath it all. We knew we wanted coilovers at the least, lowering springs weren't going to accomplish all that we wanted. We knew we wanted to put a meaty tire on a nice wheel and make it sit nicely in the fender. Along with the major parts, we also put on some supporting suspension modifications to aid the full suspension replacement.
What is it - The KW Suspensions Variant 3 Coilovers are as close to a fully adjustable track coilover you can get for any given street car. They feature individual rebound and compression adjustments which helps us be able to fine tune the shocks for whatever situtation we are using the car in. They have stainless steel shock bodies which are super durable. The height is adjustable through the lower spring perch on the front shocks and the separated lower perch on the rears. Overall, the quality is on point. The brackets are thick, the hardware is nice, they even have brackets for brake line and sensor placement where as many others do not have this feature.
Why we did it - Previously, we used a set of KSport Coilovers on our Mazdaspeed 3 project. Although we enjoyed those, we knew there were nicer setups out there and we wanted to try them and experience the difference for ourselves. KW is made in Germany so we knew the quality would be there and they have a rich heritage in performance and racing specifically. We knew they would be an excellent choice.
Why we like it - The car handles amazing now and all without sacrificing comfort. You can drive down ANY public road and hardly feel a difference from stock comfort level on a medium setting. But when you turn in and ask the car to change direction, it responds almost instantly and holds its integrity so well. The height adjustment is very easy and we honestly can't get over how nice these feel and the construction quality compared to a typical $1000 range set of coilovers. The difference is definitely noticeable in every way and we're glad we went with these. If we didn't care about fine tuning the shock as much, we'd rock a set of Variant 1's without hesitation. We just wanted to go all out.
SPC Rear Camber Arms and ST Suspensions Rear Sway Bar
What is it - The SPC Rear Cambers Arms aren't always a necessity but with how low we planned to take our car, we needed to be able to adustable camber. These arms have an adjustable locking nut that allows you to change the camber further than what the car came with. This is perfect for cars that don't have enough room to correct the excessive negative camber that occurs when you lower your car. These help correct this problem by having more positive camber movement than stock settings allow.
The ST Suspensions Rear Sway Bar tightens up the rear of the chassis over what the stock sway bar can do. This helps the chassis maintain it's lateral position when cornering. With front wheel drive cars, typically you want to stiffen up the rear so that the car doesn't bite quite as hard in the rear when cornering. This lets the rear end free up a little bit and helps turn the car better.
Why we did it - As explained before, we needed the camber arms to correct the negative camber after lowering our ST. If you don't use these and you lower your car enough, you won't be able to properly align the car. In addition, these are a little bit stronger than the factory arms which are a thinner metal. The stock arm isn't bad, it's just not designed for adjustment and abusive performance for the long term.
The rear sway bar is popular in many front wheel drive cars for reasons mentioned above. This bars allows us to compliment the new suspension with a stiffer anti-roll mechanism. The car now stays more planted going to turns.
Why we like it - We like the SPC camber arms because they are adjustable while on the vehicle (some other kits aren't) and they are thicker and stronger than stock. Other than that, they do what we need them to do! The ST sway bar is nice because it has 2 points of adjustability to mount the rear end link to. This allows us to fine tune how the rear of the car performs just that much more. We'll be pushing the car harder than typical street use so the hardware needs to follow suit.