I get exactly the same feelin Hugh!
Only last week I walked into King Ford in Stoke to ask on eof the New Car Sales team when they are likely to get the Fiesta ST in the showroom, his response...
"Fiesta ST?"
In Bristol Street Ford in Stafford, theres a young woman who works there and is a proper petrol head (well at least seems to know her stuff) and was giving me quite alot of details about the Fiesta ST and this was in Novemeber last year! And she was right!
Doesnt give you much faith in them though!