Another vehicle US performance enthusiasts will almost certainly never get to drive
Another vehicle US performance enthusiasts will almost certainly never get to drive is the iconic Ford Focus RS. Yet European drivers are about to enjoy the arrival of the second-generation of this powerful, dynamic FWD hot hatchback.Boasting 300hp, a Quaife Automatic Torque Biasing limited-slip differential and innovative `RevoKnuckle' for assured handling and traction, the Focus RS promises to live up to the legend.
The new Focus RS will go on sale in early 2009 and has been created by a small team of dedicated engineers, under the direction of Jost Capito, Ford of Europe's Vehicle Line Director for Performance Vehicles.
We previewed its arrival in an earlier news story at www.eurotuner.com And for European performance enthusiasts, the new model marks a welcome return for the Ford RS badge. This is the second Focus to carry the RS mantle and promises another exciting chapter in an exciting 40-year history that began in Germany in the late 1960s and gained momentum across Europe with the launch of the 1970 Escort RS1600.
"We want the new Focus RS to be a serious high performance car - as much a car for driving enthusiasts as the one before it and classic Ford RS models of the past." Capito said. "We're staying true to the core RS principles of an exciting, yet affordable performance road car you can live with every day."
Before it even turns a wheel, the new Focus RS exudes the presence, style and mean appearance expected of a genuine Ford RS. Overt performance styling details mix with subtle revisions to create a planted, powerful stance and the promise of an exciting drive.
The vehicle in the photos is finished in a special bright green paint with metallic flake, a striking interpretation of the 1970s Le Mans Green of Europe's Ford Escort RS1600 era.
The vibrant exterior color is contrasted with a number of performance styling details highlighted in gloss `piano black', including the strip at the leading edge of the hood, the deep housings for the front foglamps and door mirrors with integrated indicators.
Front and rear quarter panels have been revised to incorporate wider wheel arches and a wider track, complemented by deeper side skirts. In another visual reminder of the car's performance potential, triangular, RS-badged vents sit behind the front wheel arches. Two classic-style hood louvers are both a styling hint at the power beneath and a practical requirement, maintaining underhood temperatures.
The new front bumper design incorporates a deep front air dam with a large, lower mesh grille in an extended trapezoid. Stylish and practical, this prominent feature represents the latest Ford 'kinetic design' face and also is in piano black. Above, chromed xenon headlamps are framed by matte-black housings with unique vents running underneath. At the rear, a deep rear bumper incorporates a large venturi tunnel to its lower edge, with small vents at each corner of the bumper. Two chromed exhaust tailpipes sit either side of the venturi, creating a purposeful rear view.Above it, a twin-element, black RS spoiler sits at the roofline, echoing both RS models of the past and the World Rally-winning Focus WRC that has been its inspiration.
"We believe it's vitally important this car looks like both a Focus and an RS - it needs to be individual, distinctive and overt in its performance styling, but also needs to show a clear progression from the Focus ST", said Stefan Lamm, Chief Exterior Designer, Ford of Europe.
High performance interiorInside, this theme continues, dominated by bespoke, sculpted Recaro sports seats. Each is color-matched to the exterior, with ebony leather accents plus `RS' and `Recaro' logos stitched into each backrest.
Elsewhere, color brings new excitement to the Focus interior, building on the sporty interior theme of Focus ST with more use of accents matched to the exterior color, brushed aluminum highlights and overt performance styling. Even the rear seats feature higher side bolsters and a microfibre finish to echo the front seats.
The centre console is finished in gloss, carbon-look trim and metallic highlights abound, from air vents, door grab handles, switchgear and gearshift surround, to unique RS-branded scuff plates on the door sills. These highlights contrast with a black-trimmed headliner.
The driver is reminded this is a special Focus at every touch, with a sporty, three-spoke steering wheel, finished with `Ford' and `RS' logos, and even aluminum foot pedals.
The performance driving environment is completed by three additional gauges from the Focus ST, including turbo pressure, sitting atop the centre console.At the heart of the all-new Focus RS is a specially developed, turbocharged version of the Duratec 2.5 liter five cylinder engine. Significantly revised for performance, the powerplant has an impressive 300hp, contributing to an excellent power-to-weight ratio.