RE: New Focus RS confirmed

RE: New Focus RS confirmed

Thursday 11th December 2014

New Focus RS confirmed

Confirmed in name at least - details remain subject of speculation, which we invite right here!



The countdown to launch begins. Ford has finally announced the car we all knew was coming: the third-generation Focus RS. It has also confirmed that the RS will be a 'world' car that'll make its way to the American and Asian markets, meaning it's not just a European toy for the first time. It's likely to arrive here at the beginning of 2016.

First RS had detractors when new; now respected
First RS had detractors when new; now respected
Unfortunately what Ford hasn't done is clear up any of the uncertainty about what engine will power the car or how its output will be transmitted to the road.

Back in 2012 we speculatedthat it would gain the four-cylinder 2.3-litre turbocharged EcoBoost coming to the Mustang. Now that the engine is now in the Mustang making a healthy 310hp and suiting the heavier car pretty well, according to our drive, then it looks a dead cert Ford will flip it transversely into the Focus and possibly even hike that power. It should also be a lot more economical than the 305hp 2.5-litre Mk2 RS.

But will Ford hook the engine up to the rear wheels as well? The RS's main rival will be the 300hp VW Golf R, and to a lesser extent the 360hp Mercedes A45 AMG and the forthcoming Audi RS3, likely to have 350hp. As we know, all three are four-wheel drive.

And Ford is on a four-wheel drive kick at the moment, inserting it not just into SUVs but also cars like the new Mondeo and forthcoming S-Max people mover. On the other hand another rival mentioned by one Ford insider to us (possibly to throw us off the scent) is the upcoming 280hp Honda Civic Type-R, which stays front-wheel-drive.

Last one brought muscle car values to hot hatches
Last one brought muscle car values to hot hatches
If the power is sent solely to the front that means a trick diff. Back in 2012 the then powertrain engineering manager of European performance division Team RS, Len Urwin, mentioned that an active diff was being considered. This is heavier but smarter than a passive system like the helical Quaife set-up in the previous RS and could transform the car and quell the torque steer of the old car and the current Focus ST.

And the gearbox? Autocar thinks it'll come with a six-speed manual and we agree. After all that's all the Focus ST comes with and while there might be the option of an auto to appeal to those to the west and far east of us (as comes with the 2.3 Mustang), we'll definitely be able to select our own ratios we'll wager. What there won't be is a three-door variant, mainly because Ford doesn't make a three-door Focus anywhere.

But how will it drive? In the same announcement Ford has said it will bring all its sports models under the control of one, US-based outfit called Ford Performance headed by the Mustang chief engineer Dave Pericak. So no more Team RS here or SVT in the States.

Template therefore set for global RS?
Template therefore set for global RS?
An American developed Ford Focus RS? Will it have Mk1 and Mk2 RS owners denouncing the newcomer as a mere mini-Mustang? We know from various spy shots floating around that Ford has been developing the car partly in Europe, specifically the Nurburgring, as well as the States but whether it'll be too compromised to compete with the (European developed) Golf R remains to be seen.

It could all come down to the effectiveness of the front diff and the battle of the lease rates.

Seeing as Ford hasn't provided ANY details of the Focus RS, let's hear your thoughts on the perfect spec for the car.

[Sources: Autocar]

 

Author
Discussion

The1Driver

Original Poster:

727 posts

151 months

Thursday 11th December 2014
quotequote all
300bhp with AWD (okay FWD) and will cost between £30k and £35k

J4SON88

53 posts

138 months

Thursday 11th December 2014
quotequote all
I would like it to be RWD. But that will NEVER happen.

I'd take 280bhp 4WD manual. Anything more than that and it's a bonus.

Matt UK

17,649 posts

199 months

Thursday 11th December 2014
quotequote all
360bhp, Manual, 1000kgs, £18k, V8, RWD switchable to AWD, etc

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 11th December 2014
quotequote all
Well it will be FWD and perhaps 350bhp.

I still think the RS badge should be on the Fiesta rather than the Focus.

The WRC car is the Fiesta and is the road car had the same look as the WRC Fiesta it would sell by the bucket load.

Can only but dream.

kambites

67,462 posts

220 months

Thursday 11th December 2014
quotequote all
I didn't realise there was no three-door Focus these days.

Frimley111R

15,538 posts

233 months

Thursday 11th December 2014
quotequote all
The1Driver said:
300bhp with FWD and will cost between £30k and £35k
Yep, I agree.

celicawrc

3,343 posts

149 months

Thursday 11th December 2014
quotequote all
Yay!

Another chavvy, FWD, shopping trolley to get excited about...

Alex Langheck

835 posts

128 months

Thursday 11th December 2014
quotequote all
ELUSIVEJIM said:
Well it will be FWD and perhaps 350bhp.

I still think the RS badge should be on the Fiesta rather than the Focus.

The WRC car is the Fiesta and is the road car had the same look as the WRC Fiesta it would sell by the bucket load.

Can only but dream.
Agree. If it was a true RS, it would be a Fiesta with a 1.6T engine and 4WD. Don't understand the thinking. Has nothing in common with a Fiesta RS WRCar; engine, drivetrain, etc

I'm sure it will go well, but it's really a ST...

Japveesix

4,477 posts

167 months

Thursday 11th December 2014
quotequote all
580bhp 4WD V10 Turbo 8 speed manual convertible.

amusingduck

9,396 posts

135 months

Thursday 11th December 2014
quotequote all
The old one had 300hp didn't it? Can't see the new RS not having more power.

I'll guess at 350hp FWD with another fancy front suspension setup evolved from the revoknuckle mk2.

Caddyshack

10,605 posts

205 months

Thursday 11th December 2014
quotequote all
Wouldn't it be nice to have a car that stands out on a price for legendary power like the Sierra and Escort Cossies did back in the day....what would it need to be though? 350-500 bhp or easily tuned, trick 4wd, 6 speed or more and with some trick handling bits? Still would be matched by so much out there. 1000-1200 kg would be a nice staring point.

I also agree that the wrc fiesta or the road would be nice!

Then again i am building my own homage to group b rally cars with my 205 Cossie so I may be more biased to that sort of car?

zerovira

63 posts

130 months

Thursday 11th December 2014
quotequote all
Well, certainly it will be not "weaker" than the previous one for obvious willy-waving reasons, so I'll expect something around 350bhp.

Main question is if ford will expect everybody to keep swallowing with FWD with those enormous amount of power or if it will finally be AWD and put a light on all cosworth legacy fans. I am not sure about that, but for me FWD is not an option for ANYTHING that weights more than 1000 kg and has over 200 bhp, so I hope they will finally make the change.

I think something like that would be really enjoyable. IFIRC the focus is really heavy, so the main point would be to make it lighter.

Let's sum up: 350bhp AWD and a weight around 1300-1400kg, maybe? if they sell that for 30-35k I think it will be a very serious competitor for the psycho hatch of the year prize. I am thinking of something in the middleground between a mitsubishi evo and a mercedes a45 amg. I think it can be a sales success if they manage that.

On the other hand, I can't see how they can think on selling an overpowered fat-ass FWD monster... but who knows, people buy SUVs so I am clearly in a different ground of the mean car buyer.

okie592

2,711 posts

166 months

Thursday 11th December 2014
quotequote all
Confirmed to be awd. Old focus was 305 current mustang is 310 so I bet it will sit at about 330.

I'm going to put my name down for a build slot looking at how current Rs prices have hardly moved

WokkaWokka

698 posts

138 months

Thursday 11th December 2014
quotequote all
959bhp 6WD V12 Twin turbo automatic targa.

scarecrow

2,950 posts

234 months

Thursday 11th December 2014
quotequote all
Why not buck the trend.
Stick to 250-275hp front drive and go lightweight.

kambites

67,462 posts

220 months

Thursday 11th December 2014
quotequote all
scarecrow said:
Why not buck the trend.
Stick to 250-275hp front drive and go lightweight.
At the risk of stating the obvious, because it's not what they think their customers want.

Power figures sell. So do 'ring times but it's much easier to make a car faster by making it more powerful than by making it lighter without compromising it in other ways.

J4CKO

41,287 posts

199 months

Thursday 11th December 2014
quotequote all
It needs to be awd this time, the landscape has changed, fwd will never cut it nowadays however tricky the diff, they need it to have more power than before as well, we have the 400 bhp Golf coming as well. It either needs to be cheaper than the Golf R or at least as fast, preferably faster, his embarrassing for the RS faithful if it can't compete, don't care what power they say they can put through the front wheels, it needs 350 bhp and that is too much for front wheels only.

It just having an RS badge is not enough for a lot of punters any more.

Mastodon2

13,818 posts

164 months

Thursday 11th December 2014
quotequote all
Another Focus to cheapen the RS name even further.

Froomee

1,418 posts

168 months

Thursday 11th December 2014
quotequote all
330/340bhp, AWD (1550/1600kg) or FWD 1500kg, 3 door and sub £30k.

motor mad

473 posts

188 months

Thursday 11th December 2014
quotequote all
scarecrow said:
Why not buck the trend.
Stick to 250-275hp front drive and go lightweight.
It works for Renault