Monday 18th March 2013

Ford Focus RS: more details emerge

New hot Focus mooted to come with 335hp and cost around £34,000

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A new Focus RS is looking more and more likely if recent reports are anything to go by.

The latest news comes today from German magazine Auto Bild, which is suggesting that the new car will cost somewhere in the region of £34,000, if and when it comes to market in Europe.

Strong sales of Focus ST could spur sign-off

This follows news published in Autocar last month that the new RS will go on sale in 2015, and is likely to feature a circa-335hp version of the 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine that’ll also make it into the new Mustang. The new Focus looks set to be front-wheel-drive again, with an early proposal to use electric motors to drive the rear wheels too having reportedly been canned.

A spokesman from Ford wasn’t prepared to comment on the new car’s pricing or its drivetrain, and was keen to stress that nothing has been signed off as yet; however, Barb Samardzich, Ford Europe’s vice president of product development, has previously hinted that the new car is likely to see production. Last week’s news that the Focus ST is now Europe’s best-selling hot hatch will hopefully reinforce the business case for the new RS.

If it does, the likelihood we’ll see a Fiesta RS anytime soon appears slim. A hot version that’d continue the good work of the Fiesta ST had been mooted, but Roelant de Waard, Ford Europe’s head of marketing, told Autocar last week that he’d be “surprised if there was more than one [RS model] at the same time.” As any proposed Focus RS would be Ford’s priority, that suggests that the Fiesta won’t see the light of day.

Mk1 values could rise soon

Of course, if the new car doesn’t become a reality, the previous-generation Focus RSs are still great used buys. Mk1 values are holding steady around the £7,000 mark; this example is one of the cheapest in our classifieds and looks to be a solid, relatively unmolested RS. Values of these are unlikely to drop much further, and within a few years we reckon they’ll be on the rise again, so now could be a good time to buy. Or if you prefer the solid torque and five-pot burble of the Mk2, prices are now easily below the £20,000 mark. Here's one that looks remarkably cheap, though the advert’s suspiciously free from any of the important details; this Ultimate Green example, by comparison, is probably a safer bet, with two Lux packs and a full history.

[Sources:Auto Bild, Autocar]

[RX7]

How many more of these would sell if they were 4 or rwd and yes i realise the price would go up??

[Bear Phils]

I can't be the only person that thinks it's mental that a focus has the same horsepower as an E46 M3?

[MrKipling43]

Given that the entire run of both the Mk2 and Mk1 completely sold out, I reckon 'none' would be a pretty safe bet.

[threespires]

Impressive article.
Ford might or might not produce a car that might or might not have certain features, in the meantime check out our Classified section.

[mistergee]

Great car but i do hope they do it in 4 door version, as was rumoured. I want one but bugger me im not breaking my back trying to get children in and out of the thing.

[GroundEffect]

Heh.

[Rawwr]

I'd be very surprised if it wasn't a 5-door.

[V6Paul]

RX7 said:

How many more of these would sell if they were 4 or rwd and yes i realise the price would go up??

Wow, that didn't take long!

[LuS1fer]

I'm amazed people see past the ugliness of the ST, TBH. I wonder how much more garish it can be to achieve RS-ness. I will have some sunglasses handy.

[Uncle John]

I wouldn't say "easily" below 20k for a MK2, decent low mileage examples are in the 20k+ bracket all day long.

PH, this is lazy journalism, must do better and actually check some prices!

And the first one is a wanted ad!!

Edited by Uncle John on Monday 18th March 15:09

[LuS1fer]

currybum said:

It wouldn't be an RS unless it looked a bit like it was styled by your 10 year old self!

I'm not sure that is traditionally the case. The RS1600 had big rally arches (possibly not even on the road cars) and not much else, the RS1800 and RS2000 has some tasteful pinstripes and a boot spoiler plus nose-cone for the 2 litre (for the 70s, that was amazing restraint) and the Mk 1 Focus RS was the very model of classy execution.

It was largely the Sierra Cosworth and Escort Cosworth that gave the RS badge an overblown interpretation (the RS1600i, I accept, was a bit Essex but largely XR3i)so I would argue that tasteless excess should stay with the Cosworth legacy, not the RS one. After all, most modern hot hatches seem to be shying away from excessively lairy.

Edited by LuS1fer on Monday 18th March 13:23

[cboi23]

I'm sorry £34,000 ???? £9k over the mk2 price ! And no the Fiesta RS is not happening , everyone I know at Ford says its a no goer !

[Triumph Man]

mistergee said:

Great car but i do hope they do it in 4 door version, as was rumoured. I want one but bugger me im not breaking my back trying to get children in and out of the thing.

4 door? They are proposing a saloon?

[RX7]

MrKipling43 said:

Given that the entire run of both the Mk2 and Mk1 completely sold out, I reckon 'none' would be a pretty safe bet.

Bears no relation to whether a 4 or rwd would sell more

They certainly might have sold one more to me and i am sure i am not alone on that thought

[Rawwr]

I can't even be arsed to post the flow chart.

[sturney]

Its companies like that one selling the RS that Pistonheads have graciously listed in their advert giving that website a fantastic flood of looks and advertising... YET.... http://www.snippersgate.co.uk/used-cars/ford-focus...

The car is not on there it is not for sale it is a wanted add and these are the people ruining this fantastic website and its great classifieds!

Sorry Pistonheads not your fault but that was appalling and quite annoying...

Look forward to more news on the new RS always been a great hot hatch.

[loveice]

Triumph Man said:

4 door? They are proposing a saloon?

http://www.drivemileone.com/2013-ford-focus-with-up-to-40-mpg-the-all-new-ford-focus-is-more-than-a-car/

[TobesH]

V6Paul said:

RX7 said:

How many more of these would sell if they were 4 or rwd and yes i realise the price would go up??

Wow, that didn't take long!

Owned both... they don't need 4 or RWD... the MK2 in particular is a fantastic car

[TobesH]

loveice said:

Triumph Man said:

4 door? They are proposing a saloon?

http://www.drivemileone.com/2013-ford-focus-with-up-to-40-mpg-the-all-new-ford-focus-is-more-than-a-car/

I would assume it will be based on the standard 5-door shell. I'd be more than happy with that. The Sapphire Cosworth was a 4-door saloon, Audi built the RS3 as a 5-door only option...

[wab172uk]

I'm sorry but the Focus is far too big now, and far too ugly. Really, really ugly.

The new Fiesta looks like a mini People carrier, it's that tall.

Focus RS or Audi S3? S3 please.
Focus RS or BMW 135i? BMW Please.

Same with the Fiesta (if they built an RS)
Fiesta RS or Mini Coopper S works? MIni Please
Fiesta RS or Audi S1 (If Audi build that). Audi please.

Ford interiors are ugly, and made of cheap materials.

Ford once was default choice for lots and lots of petrolheads when it came to fast everyday cars, XR, RS etc, but not now. I owned a MK1 Focus RS, and I can honestly say I'd never buy a Ford again. The game has moved on, just no ones told Ford.