2016 Focus RS - latest on power, price or launch date?

[Dal3D]

TimewarpUK said:

Same here. They're the two cars at the top of my list, even though they're very different beasts. Would be interested in the Mustang 2.3 too (same engine as RS, although heavier of course).

The Focus 2.3 engine has been reworked quite a bit to get 350PS out of it compared to the 305PS from the Mustang. New turbo, greater cooling and a Cosworth designed head amongst other things.

Today's news:

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Ford of Britain chairman and MD Andy Barratt expects the UK to remain the biggest market in the world for the new Focus RS, despite the £29,995, 350hp hot hatch now being a global Ford Performance car.
Speaking as he pulled the covers off the very first early-build production-spec car, Barrett said the UK will “without doubt take the lion’s share of production” – and confirmed that the firm already has almost 2,000 orders for the new five-door RS.
“Without the UK, Ford wouldn’t have produced the Focus RS. We’re the dominant market for it – it was Britain that took two-thirds of volumes for the old five-cylinder RS, so it was much easier to make a business case for it.”
Barratt expects to sell around 4,000-4,500 new Focus RS in Britain during the car’s lifetime, and says it will be very hard to secure extra units for the UK, such is the expected global demand for the car. “We’re almost at daily production capacity already, and that’s before anyone’s seen or sat in a production-spec car.”


http://www.motoringresearch.com/car-news/uk-remain...

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So there may not be as many on the UK roads as first thought.

[Legacywr]

They have a LHD blue car in Hendy Southampton at the mo, looks great!

[Dal3D]

I posted this elsewhere and may be useful for people here wanting to see a Nitrous Blue LHD Focus RS in the next month or so:

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Confirmed by Ford but probably wise to confirm / double check with dealers directly before a long journey as to when it'll be on show.

Birchwood Ford,
St Leonards-on-Sea
http://www.birchwoodgroup.co.uk/ford/
1st > 6th December 2015

Hendy Ford Eastleigh
Eastleigh
http://www.hendy.co....dEastleigh.aspx
8th > 13th December 2015

Allen Ford Swindon
Swindon
http://www.allenford...don-drakes-way/
15th > 17th December 2015

Fordthorne Cardiff
Cardiff
http://www.fordthorn...ark.co.uk/ford/
19th > 27th December 2015

CEM Days of Swansea
Swansea
http://www.days.co.uk/ford/
28th December > 3rd January 2016

The tour does continue into March but as locations and dates are not confirmed, I can't comment on those.

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[RamboLambo]

God doesn't the mark 2 look so damn good in comparison to the mark 3.

New 5 dr does nothing for me and looks so ordinary, just like the golf R. Its now just like the rest of the range and hard to distinguish from a base model.
I'm sure it will drive great but far too stealth IMHO. Mark 2 is where its at and sure to be a future classic. No wonder their prices are strong and good unmolested ones are hard to find nowadays

[Legacywr]

RamboLambo said:

God doesn't the mark 2 look so damn good in comparison to the mark 3.

No, not in my eyes.

I like the whole 5 door thing as well, if I'd gone for a Golf R, it would have been a 5 door.

5 doors, is the new 3 door!

[MuscleSaloon]

RamboLambo said:

God doesn't the mark 2 look so damn good in comparison to the mark 3.

till you drive the 3 .. then you'll see it differently

[Selmer Mk6]

I wonder where this car is aimed. Is it against the Honda Type R, Renaultsport Megane, track focused or the Golf R i.e. 0-60 times, launch control, compromised etc.

On paper it looks promising. I think it will need to be fast on track to get the recognition.

[Legacywr]

Flugplatz said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thvmET3-H30&an...


Errrr... Ken Block cant make this car look fun

He is really struggling to get any action out of it.

?

[Dal3D]

Sarcasm perhaps?

[Vx1275]

Glad to see the RS getting great reviews and returning to the top. Excited to see one in the wild now. Those who queued early are no doubt chuffed!

[mdianuk]

Never considered this car until the recent reviews came out. Looking to change out my latest Golf GTI. Still need to retain a hatchback in the fleet (!) for the family, and was considering the Golf R once the all the lease cars saturate the market. Can anyone give me some brief details on when this car will be seen on the road in public hands and do dealers have display models yet? What is the deposit and lead time if ordering now, and is there a set run limit? Are the colour choices really limited to 5?

[London GT3]

I have a car on order. Ordered in Sep 2015 and I am told to expect a car in about May/June 2016.

There has been recent speculation about a stoppage in production due to problems and this may have delayed cars. Further rumour suggests that the dealer demo cars are now in build and will be at dealers showrooms in March with the first customer cars coming through in April. A car ordered now is probably for delivery in Q4 2016 or Q1 2017. I don't believe the car is limited production. The colour choice is indeed limited to 5 colours with Nitrous Blue accounting for over 50% of orders.

You have to order through Ford Stores who are nominated to deal in RS's and Mustangs.

I hope this helps.

[Dal3D]

It's only limiting factor is that it'll stop being produced when the Mk3 Focus production line gets turned into a Mk4 Focus line in 2017 or there-abouts.

[Ron240]

mdianuk said:

Are the colour choices really limited to 5?

Yes, how many would you like?
It is 2 more than was offered on the Mk.2 RS. The Mk.3 has 1 of those colours in common but the others are a little boring in comparison.

[mdianuk]

Ron240 said:

es, how many would you like?

Not many, trust me, I'm having enough trouble picking my GT4 colour; however, as said above, if the blue is accounting for around 50%, then everyone else has to go for white silver or black; not exactly inspiring and that comes from the guy that has a grey GTI

Thanks for the info guys, I made an enquiry with my local deal who said I'd need to deal with a dealer in their group some 50 miles away! They said £500 deposit and delivery in September which seems reasonable. They expect a demonstrator in late Feb, early March; might wait until then to check it out.

[Legacywr]

The blue is very similar to Riviera/Mexico in the Porsche range! Looks really good in the flesh

[VerySideways]

Mrs just put an order in.
Nitrous blue, every option except sunroof, delivery Sept/Oct.

[Legacywr]

Am I the only person getting a sunroof?

[Dal3D]

Changed mind on posting something.

Move on, nothing to see...

Edited by Dal3D on Saturday 13th February 21:18

[Ali_T]

Just so people are aware, if you put an order in now, current estimate for production (add a month for delivery) is 12 months, not the 7-8 months dealers are quoting. I might get my deposit back. I ordered a month ago and was told July-September. Now it looks like I'd get the keys in February next year when I then have to try and sell my own car when the market is dead, or accept a lousy trade in.

Edited by Ali_T on Sunday 14th February 13:08

Edited by Ali_T on Sunday 14th February 23:32