Can anybody tell me if the Focus ST has a launch control system? I found that if you hold down the clutch in 1st gear then floor the throttle the revs won't rise above 3500rpm thus giving a fairly nippy start. I can't find any in magazines, brochures or my manual. Even my dealer couldn't tell me any thing about this.

Not that I know of. I've not heard of this before and not sure why it has it. The Evo VIII 260 has a 5k rpm limit when in 1st and clutch depressed but it is not launch control. Probably because it would get too close to the 276bhp Evo 0-60 time.

Both my Lancer Evos had launch control.
It was called 4WD!

I dont think the ST has launch control. I think the ecu will only allow you to dial the revs upto 3500 in 1st gear so that you don't break something when you dump the clutch.BTW that's a great motor you have. I think top dog in the current crop of hot hatches.

In the larger HH sector it's the best all-rounder.

I've seen a couple of modded ones recently. One white and one blue but both have a chequered flag type transfer with 285 written on it, i'm assuming 285bhp . The blue one put his foot down and was very quick and sounded awesome too.

350 bhp is the most i have heard of from an ST, which is lots!

Focus 385 - Any coincidence that the boot capacity in a Focus is 385 litres?

I don't think it's bhp!

Is it?

I remembered to check this out yesterday in my Focus ST and, yes, it's the same. Clutch depressed and in 1st gear it won't rev over 3500rpm. Also the same in 2nd, presumably in any gear. Never noticed it before as it's not a car you need to rev the nuts off to get rapid progress. I suppose it is a form of launch control, maybe to prevent the the T5 engine from shredding the tyres.

I could do with it on the Westy!
380 bhp arriving quite suddenly is a right handful!

Same thing happens in the Integra R's, limited to 5000rpm in 1st gear while idling.

5,000 rpm whilst idling?

Sorry, whilst at a standstill!

Just kiddin'!