Ford RS models
Author
Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

83 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
I really do not understand Ford and their thinking.

The have a brand in the RS models but only release the RS at the end of the current model production which makes the RS already out of date.

With Fords heritage in the WRC and for Fiesta WRC to be in the championship why have they not got a Fiesta RS and a Focus RS out now in limited numbers?

Ok perhaps Audi go a bit over the top with their RS range but surely Ford a missing the boat by some margin.

Thoughts


a7x88

795 posts

177 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
So they can sell a load of ST versions first whilst claiming that there are no plans for an RS model?! Pretty sure something similar happened with the current fiesta albeit Zetec-s to ST?

jonnM

1,102 posts

168 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
RS models always sell out and then hold their value well on the secondhand market. You may not understand Ford and their thinking, but they're obviously doing something right!


F1GTRUeno

6,512 posts

247 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
A Fiesta with the WRC bodykit and wheels would look so damn good as a limited edition model.

Always was a shame that the first two Focus RS' were front wheel drive too but it wouldn't have made sense to develop a 4WD drivetrain.

s m

24,468 posts

232 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
ELUSIVEJIM said:
I really do not understand Ford and their thinking.

The have a brand in the RS models but only release the RS at the end of the current model production which makes the RS already out of date.

With Fords heritage in the WRC and for Fiesta WRC to be in the championship why have they not got a Fiesta RS and a Focus RS out now in limited numbers?

Ok perhaps Audi go a bit over the top with their RS range but surely Ford a missing the boat by some margin.

Thoughts
They often don't release an RS model until partway or towards the end of a production run. Not all the time, true, but quite often.

Just trying to think if they've ever had more than 3 RS models out at the same time in UK....

T66ORA

3,474 posts

286 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
s m said:
Just trying to think if they've ever had more than 3 RS models out at the same time in UK....
1992 biggrin

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

83 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/ford/fiesta/85091/ext...

January 2014 this year I read about the Fiesta RS.

Another point could be a limited edition RS+ or something like that with the WRC body kit but a higher price tag.

The Focus RS500 was another success so there is huge scope.


Uncle John

5,340 posts

220 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
Ford always have a couple of facelifts previous to any RS so I think being the final model means all the bells and whistles and that all the problems have been ironed out.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

83 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
T66ORA said:
1992 biggrin
Yes spot on.

Strange as it was around the time of the joyriding epidemic.

Ford's timing is fantastic laugh

s m

24,468 posts

232 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
T66ORA said:
s m said:
Just trying to think if they've ever had more than 3 RS models out at the same time in UK....
1992 biggrin
I see what you did there wink .... As the Escort RS Cos wasn't really an Escort body and the RS2000 was.

I should have said more than 3 distinct model ranges

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

83 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
Uncle John said:
Ford always have a couple of facelifts previous to any RS so I think being the final model means all the bells and whistles and that all the problems have been ironed out.
Yes good point also regarding the facelifts

In my view just facelift the RS also. idea

T66ORA

3,474 posts

286 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
s m said:
I see what you did there wink .... As the Escort RS Cos wasn't really an Escort body and the RS2000 was.

I should have said more than 3 distinct model ranges
No mate, i was working at Ford in 1992, You could work into a RS dealer and buy a Fiesta RS Turbo/RS1800, Escort RS2000, Escort RS Cosworth and Sapphire RS Cosworth.

Dave Hedgehog

16,314 posts

233 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
Ecurie Ecosse said:
Audi used to do the same with their RS models, only one model produced at a time, and only in the last 2 years of that model's life.
With audi it depends if it's a stock production line model or a skunkworks car (ie taken off the line half built and modified to shoehorn bits in like the b5 rs4 and rs3)


Tickle

6,447 posts

233 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
T66ORA said:
No mate, i was working at Ford in 1992, You could work into a RS dealer and buy a Fiesta RS Turbo/RS1800, Escort RS2000, Escort RS Cosworth and Sapphire RS Cosworth.
Great era of cars thumbup

rallycross

13,749 posts

266 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
RS does not really mean anything these days, a Chaved up Focus with no Motorsport background whatsoever ever.

s m

24,468 posts

232 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
T66ORA said:
s m said:
I see what you did there wink .... As the Escort RS Cos wasn't really an Escort body and the RS2000 was.

I should have said more than 3 distinct model ranges
No mate, i was working at Ford in 1992, You could work into a RS dealer and buy a Fiesta RS Turbo/RS1800, Escort RS2000, Escort RS Cosworth and Sapphire RS Cosworth.
Were the Fiesta RS Turbo and RS1800 both listed new in the catalogues at the same time or was it just the runout of one against the intro of the other?

I remember back in the early 80s a local Ford dealer had a new Mk2 RS2000 and the new XR3 in at the same time but I can't remember them being listed new at the same time

ging84

9,548 posts

175 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
it's called a halo model
manufacturers generally do it at the end of a vehicles life, when the public knows the new one is due out soon, so sales are obviously light, it shifts a few extra units while creating a bit of a buzz ready for the next one


RWD cossie wil

4,382 posts

202 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
rallycross said:
RS does not really mean anything these days, a Chaved up Focus with no Motorsport background whatsoever ever.
To be fair, despite the lack of Motorsport pedigree, the Focus RS is a cracking motor, great fun to drive despite being wrong wheel drive. Really, what Motorsport these days is representative of what you can buy from a dealer?

Tuvra

7,926 posts

254 months

Thursday 22nd May 2014
quotequote all
F1GTRUeno said:
A Fiesta with the WRC bodykit and wheels would look so damn good as a limited edition model.

Always was a shame that the first two Focus RS' were front wheel drive too but it wouldn't have made sense to develop a 4WD drivetrain.
They could of used the 4x4 system from the Kuga, the problem wasn't the development costs, Ford claimed adding the 4x4 system added too much weight and would ruin the car.

I haven't driven the MKI but the MKII was a superb steer. The only complaint I would make is that it should of come from the factory in standard MP350 form.

Something tells me you haven't driven either? Comments like "it should of been 4x4" or "Its FWD, its crap" usually come from people who haven't experienced them. The way they are holding their value is a testament to how good they are and how well received they were/are. You could get a brand new FRS for £22k at one point, it would take £22k to buy you a nice example today which would be 4 year old with 25k miles on the clock.

Baryonyx

18,280 posts

188 months

Thursday 22nd May 2014
quotequote all
T66ORA said:
1992 biggrin
Would that be overlap between the Sierra RS Cosworth, the Escort RS Cosworth and the Fiesta RS?