Last month, we shared with you some important info about the new Ford Focus ST, namely: pricing and specs. What we couldn't tell you, at the time, is whether or not it would be as fun to drive as it seemed. But, now we can tell you: it most definitely is.

One might worry that it just looks fast and fun, and that $24,495 starting price is simply for the sport seats and...

It's almost here! The 2013 Ford Focus ST, that is, with a 2.0-liter turbocharged, direct-injected EcoBoost four-cylinder engine. That's 252 ponies of power and 270 lb-ft of torque, and a fun-to-pilot six-speed manual transmission. How do we know it'll be here shortly? Well, Ford just announced pricing.

Yup, it'll start at $24,495, loaded with all of the things you'd expect a hot hatch to have. This includes a...