Let’s make the Honda Civic Type R funeral a joint one, as the Ford Focus ST has just joined the hot hatchback casualty list for not being clean enough for Europe. Like the British built Honda’s high revving 2.0-litre four pot, the Ford’s 2.5-litre turbo five-cylinder does not meet Euro 5 emission standards, which will come into force for all new cars in next year.
According to Autocar UK, who broke the news, other engines that are facing the chop for the same reason includes Alfa’s tuneful 3.2-litre V6, the Mazda RX-8’s rotary engine and the VW Group’s 5.0-litre V10 TDI engine. This will affect models like the Alfa Brera/Spider and the VW Touareg. I remember Wald selling the V10 TDI Touareg here a couple of years ago.
The Focus ST, which sits below the Focus RS in pecking order, will get a new engine at the upcoming Paris show. It’s likely that Ford will drop in a modern direct injection four-cylinder Ecoboost in there.
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AI-generated Summary ✨
Comments highlight the shift to cleaner engines driven by regulation changes, especially in Europe, affecting models like the Ford Focus ST and Mazda RX-8. Some discuss the environmental impact of different engine types, emissions standards, and the move towards eco-friendly technology. Several express disappointment over discontinued models like the Focus ST and RX-8, while others debate the relevance of strict standards given other pollution sources. Overall, there’s support for environmentally conscious automotive advancements, despite nostalgia for performance cars.