Ford Australia has confirmed that it will cull its full hot hatch line-up, with time now ticking before the Fiesta ST, Focus ST, and Focus ST X disappear from dealerships by the end of the year.
In a release issued late Friday, the brand confirmed that those with outstanding orders for the updated Fiesta ST will have their orders honoured. But once those orders are honoured the pint-sized hatch will disappear from dealerships.
A total of 40 Focus ST and Focus ST X models are on their way to Australia, with reports that around 50 Fiesta STs are en route, too.
Ford Australia chief executive Andrew Birkic says that the decision to cull the model stems from talks around supply shortages and a desire to focus on SUVs, utes, and electric vehicles instead.
The hatchet has been taken to the hatchback segment of late. Ford had already phased out the non-hot-hatch Fiesta several years ago amid the surge in customer interest in SUVs at the expense of hatchbacks.
Both the Fiesta and the Focus have been on sale in Australia since the early 2000s. The news marks the end of the road for the Fiesta, while the Focus will continue to be available in its ST-Line and Active grades.
“Both the Focus ST and Fiesta ST have been segment-defining hot hatches for Ford Australia and have put smiles on the faces of enthusiasts across the country, and we want to thank those fans for their passion,” says Birkic.
“But with semi-conductor-related supply shortages and our focus on emerging areas of growth, we’ve made the difficult decision to call time on these iconic hot hatches in Australia. We look forward to sharing more about the next era of our performance vehicle line-up soon.”
