The Ford Focus ST and Fiesta ST performance hatchbacks are selling better than projected, which is having Ford to adjust production of the vehicles at their respective assembly plants. “We were a little conservative on planning on both products, so we’re working to dial-up production,” Sarah Rock, Focus and Fiesta GT brand manager. “They currently are experiencing some of the highest turn rates in Ford North America and European showrooms.” Ford says both models are turning twice as fast as the base models. The performance models account for about 8% of the Focus and Fiesta ST model mix, but that is expected to trend upward as production adjustments are made.
For decades, the hot-hatch segment was dominated by the iconic VW GTI. The German automaker expects a bigger boost from the recent introduction of an all-new 7th generation model. Neither model has required much marketing, as most customers learn about them through social media. They also have received a boost from rally driver Ken Block, who frequently races high-performance Focus and Fiesta vehicles.
“Three-fourths of our customers are active on social media, so it’s a key way to reach them,” Ford says. “We have 230,000 Facebook fans, and the GTI, which has been in this segment, has half the number of fans.”
