- Ford executives are eager to revive the ST and RS variants as part of the brand’s EV lineup.
- A sportier Puma Gen-E will “definitely” come, either in the current or in the next generation.
- Ford will phase out hot hatches with the upcoming demise of the Focus ST later this year.
Ford has discontinued the Fiesta ST and is getting ready to drop the Focus ST as well from its lineup, but the company is not done with performance-focused variants of its models. High-ranking officials want the ST and RS badges to make a comeback in the future, only this time they will adorn electric vehicles.
The only models currently wearing the ST badge are the Explorer in the US, plus the Puma along with the Focus in Europe. As for the RS, this made its last appearance in the previous-gen Focus that bowed out of production in 2018 with the Heritage Edition.
More: Jim Farley Wants Ford To Be The “Porsche Of Off-Road”
Luckily for fans of Ford Performance, the company doesn’t plan on abandoning the aforementioned emblems. Jan Herzog, Ford’s European Product Marketing Chief, told Auto Express that the automaker “would love an ST or RS variant” of its fully electric models.
While Herzog clarified there are no plans to launch such an offering yet, he said that a sportier version of the Puma Gen-E is “definitely coming”, either in the current or the next generation.
The Puma Gen-E is exclusively available with a single electric motor generating 166 hp (124 kW) and 290 Nm (214 lb-ft) of torque, which is 2 hp less and 42 Nm more than the mild-hybrid Puma ST. A more potent version would certainly best that figure, likely combined with chassis upgrades for even sharper driving dynamics.
Still, the little Puma is far from being Ford’s hottest production EV. This title belongs to the Mustang Mach-E GT with dual electric motors producing 480 hp (358 kW), alongside a stiffer suspension and beefier brakes. As for the VW-based Capri EV and Explorer EV, their dual-motor versions are good for 335 hp (250 kW), although they don’t feature other upgrades over lesser trims.
More: Peugeot Is Bringing Back The GTI To Make Electric Cars Fun Again
This is not the first time we hear promising words about the future of the Ford Performance division. Last year, Amko Leenarts, Ford of Europe design director, told Autocar that there is “definitely” a future for fast Fords.
“If you look at Ford Performance, we’ve been bigger than ever: Formula 1, Dakar, WRC, Pikes Peak, Nascar”, he said. “I can’t think of another brand that is present everywhere, so that must have an influence on our daily cars. If we’re not doing that, we are making the wrong investments. So it’s got to transition to our normal car lines globally.”
Hopefully, the next generation of ST or RS models from Ford will arrive soon, giving the electric Mini JCWs and the upcoming VW GTIs and Peugeot GTIs something to worry about.
