Tuesday 3rd March 2015

Ford - Geneva 2015

GT production numbers hinted at plus a 'Drift Mode' confirmed for the Focus RS

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Ford has plenty going on at the Geneva show, with both the Focus RS and the stuffing new GT sharing the stand, along with a tasty collection of models from the heritage collection. But stuff we didn't know? Not so much...

GT to be produced 'in the hundreds'

We've got some more information on the GT. Firstly that it will be produced 'in the hundreds rather than the thousands', meaning it's set to be far more rare than the last one, which Ford made over 4,000 of. It will be made by technical partner Multimatic in Canada, and there's still no official confirmation that it will also be competing at Le Mans, despite that being such a self-evidently good idea.

We also learned that the Focus RS will have a four switchable driving programmes, with one of them called 'Drift Mode'. Yes, really. We're also told that the clever twin-clutch rear axle system, which is made by GKN, is a faster and more extreme system than the one that's been fitted to the Land Rover Evoque, and that Ford's engineers broke it several times during development as they worked to make it as quick as possible...

Click here for the PH Geneva news hub!

[soad]

Drift Mode? Ken Block imitators will be a plenty...

[kambites]

The GT is a fabulous looking thing.

[soad]

kambites said:

The GT is a fabulous looking thing.

I prefer older models.

Retro metal looks swell too.

[Clivey]

OK, so they've got the original but where's the S550 Mustang?

[JulianHJ]

After several years of hating the look of the Mk3 Focus, particularly the rear lights, my opinions have been changed by the RS. The bodywork changes are enough to make me want one. A lot.

[British Beef]

Focus RS looks very tame compared to previous version. Trying to appeal to a more mature market perhaps??

The GT is a thing of beauty, but looks set to compete with P1s and the "ultra car" scene if they are only making 100s, which is a shame as it means we will see even fewer!!

[kambites]

JulianHJ said:

After several years of hating the look of the Mk3 Focus, particularly the rear lights, my opinions have been changed by the RS. The bodywork changes are enough to make me want one. A lot.

Hmm, the body-kit does nothing to make the mk3 Focus look any less vile to my eyes.

Comparison with the Civic however, makes it look fabulous.

[pjfamilyguy1]

really love that colour on the focus, shame its a one off, as I think other colours will have less visual impact (having never seen it a. in the flesh and b. in any other colours its a bold statement).

[allergictocheese]

Wow, compared to the last monstrosity the new RS really is a nice, toned down looking thing. At least the baseball-capped, 555-jacketed 30 and 40 somethings can trade their old ones in for the new Civic if they want to maintain 'the look'.

[Frimley111R]

I wanted to be Wowed by this but I am just not.

[CallorFold]

pjfamilyguy1 said:

really love that colour on the focus, shame its a one off, as I think other colours will have less visual impact (having never seen it a. in the flesh and b. in any other colours its a bold statement).

Yeah I couldn't believe this "Liquid Blue" wasn't going to make production - it's rather nice!

[jimjim150]

GT is stunning, just as all its previous iterations have been.

Focus. I'm not a big fan of the MK3 shape, but the RS does have some nice styling especially the front end which I think looks fantastic. However coupled with that rear end and I'm assuming it is 5 door only... My interest has quickly waned...

[pjfamilyguy1]

Frimley111R said:

I wanted to be Wowed by this but I am just not.

Personally I think they have hit a good balance between conservative and too... chavvy.

Hopefully the wow'ing will be in the driving experience.

[belleair302]

New Mustang or Focus? This could be a tough decision. Prefer both over the Honda. Not an Audi fan nor a Golf fan and Renaults leave me cold. The Peugeot may however be well worth a look finally.

[Oddball RS]

I just don't get on with the look of this model Focus and the RS adds nothing, 'its got a gopping big Carp mouth' - so fill it with black plastic it will give us somewhere to put the badge, and the rear bumper is just odd, its looks far to big, heavy and rearward, its just a pudding.

[ColinM]

The official press release etc is here - http://geneva2015.fordpresskits.com/

Not a lot of new info but there is some.

"Focus RS features 350 mm ventilated front discs and lightweight aluminium Brembo four-piston monoblock callipers"

The driver can select four different Drive Modes to configure the vehicle to deliver optimum
performance in road or circuit driving conditions – with Normal, Sport or Track settings – or a
special Drift Mode.

Each mode can be selected using a carefully-located switch alongside the gear lever, and has
specific settings for the all-wheel-drive (AWD) system, damper controls, Electronic Stability
Control system, steering and engine responses, and exhaust sound.

The Drift Mode features a specially developed calibration for the AWD system which modifies
the torque distribution to help the driver achieve controlled oversteer drifts under circuit
conditions.

For ultimate performance off the start-line, Launch Control configures the vehicle’s chassis and
powertrain systems to deliver the fastest possible acceleration, whatever the track conditions.
The driver selects Launch Control from the cluster menu, engages first gear, applies full throttle
and then releases the clutch. The vehicle then delivers optimum drive – including distributing
torque through the AWD system, maintaining maximum torque using turbo overboost function,
managing the traction control system, and setting the dampers."

[loose cannon]

Well it sounds very promising shame it still has those rear lights but it's better looking than the civic which is not particularly difficult. When is it officially for sale does anybody no ?

[Pingman]

Prefer the look of that Sierra!

[loose cannon]

You can still get the Sierra it's about 15k for a well used welded up 15 times had 33 engine rebuilds stter or about £50k for a really nice example that's only been welded once and had 14 engine rebuilds

[aehmt]

I am really curios about reliability of this car with 4wd and drift mode. I guess time will tell.