The Ford Focus RS has been on our minds ever since the current generation made its debut in early 2010. The Blue Oval certainly took its time developing the ST, and now it seems the rally refugee is being developed as well.
For a while, it looked like the MkIII RS was never going to happen, Ford preferring to develop the Focus Electric instead. But green proved not to be the way of the future, as thousands upon thousands of orders for the ST make the EV look like a failure.
This is the very first test mule for the Focus RS, based on the ST body, and most importantly previewing a facelift for the normal Focus hatch, judging by that camouflaged front end.
Ford used to very important technologies to make the old RS special – RevoKnuckle for the suspension, to limit torque steer, and a Quaife limited slip differential to send the power where it should be.
Powering the beast is expected to be a four-cylinder, 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine which could produce as much as 350 horsepower, though current reports indcate 335 hp. Believe it or not, that is going to the front wheels, as the Focus RS is still not expected to get all-wheel drive. Ford had better think of a good way to keep the power manageable and still deliver plenty of performance, because that sounds like a recipe for a BTCC racer, not something to go to the shops in.
This is the very first test mule for the Focus RS, based on the ST body, and most importantly previewing a facelift for the normal Focus hatch, judging by that camouflaged front end.
Ford used to very important technologies to make the old RS special – RevoKnuckle for the suspension, to limit torque steer, and a Quaife limited slip differential to send the power where it should be.
Powering the beast is expected to be a four-cylinder, 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine which could produce as much as 350 horsepower, though current reports indcate 335 hp. Believe it or not, that is going to the front wheels, as the Focus RS is still not expected to get all-wheel drive. Ford had better think of a good way to keep the power manageable and still deliver plenty of performance, because that sounds like a recipe for a BTCC racer, not something to go to the shops in.