Ford has unveiled a whole load of new images and even a video of its most powerful Focus variant, the Ford Focus RS. 0 to 100km/h takes only 5.9 seconds, and it goes on to a top speed of 244km/h thanks to it being limited electronically.
The 2.5 litre turbocharged inline-5 (Volvo T5 engine) from the Focus ST is upped to 305 PS and a massive 440Nm of torque, but only sends it to the ground through the front wheels. No fancy 4WD system here, which ordinarily should mean an insane amount of torque steer whenever any form of boost kicks in, but Ford has attempted to tame this via a Quaife automatic torque biasing LSD.
The engine makes the additional power via a new camshaft design, a revised cylinder head and gasket, and a new intake and manifold system.
Other improvements include a wider track, strengthened driveshafts, a front suspension design that they call a “RevoKnuckle”, revised spring, damper and steering rack rates, a new rear anti-roll bar, and uprated discs in 336mm size at the front and 300mm at the rear. Styling is differentiated via its own bonnet, bumper and side skirt design, twin-bladed rear spoiler, and on the inside you have Recaro sports seats for both the front and the rear.
Look after the jump for a huge collection of photos as well as a video of the new Ford Focus RS.
PHOTO GALLERY: Ford Focus RS
Video: Ford Focus RS
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
lol, looks like a fatter version of the aston martin in the previous post :p
1st!
Wowww!! what a nice looking car!! Looks abit like the new Subary WRX,but this one looks bit tasety…Hope it will come to bolehland soon…
This baby look sporty and muscular… How about P1 Satrio Neo facelift.. Any spyshots..
mytouch said,
December 16, 2008 @ 11:43 am
Wowww!! what a nice looking car!! Looks abit like the new Subary WRX,but this one looks bit tasety…Hope it will come to bolehland soon…
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Agree!! But I think the RS looks ten times better than the new hatch Scooby man for my taste. They both may have the same displacement in cc (2.5 turbo except the cylinder) but the torque that this RS produced is craaaaaazy (over 30Nm than Scooby)!! 440Nm of “tame” torque for a FWD?!! Bloody hell, I want one….freaking cr@p…Ford, please bring this beauty over here la. Even Renault pun starting to bring their hot hatch here already. Sigh!
Pity our Ford selection here lah. We all really should deserve this!! I’m willing to trade my Celica for this pocket rocket!!
I’m loving it. The photo gallery is yummy!!
need 2 pity them…. definitely gonna b priced higher… so, sales wont be preety hot… which in turn means a low return…
Would really interested to see how the new Focus RS would fare against the default choices of Mitsu Evo & Scooby Impreza, when it comes to the ultimate B-Road weapons, especially since the Focus RS is a turbocharged 300bhp FWD car.Really interested to see how the Revoknuckle would cope with the turbo spike. Hopefully Autocar & Evo Mag will not miss out on the comparo hehehe..
Oh how far we’ve come, only 5 years ago I remember that anything above 220BHP on the front wheels was considered taboo because suspension and lsd technology were incapable of distributing power and eliminating understeer.
Good job Ford! and with the Volvo T5 engine even.
i think it will be a nice car…
awesome, the volkswagen r32 slayer.
Finally…a worthy successor to the last RS. Fans have been waiting for this car for ages…I definitely dig the radical ‘street tuner’ looks of the RS. The last one looked rather tame. Good job, Ford. Lets hope the company solves its financial turmoil fast enough to sustain the RS’s manufacturing.
WOOHOO! should do it up in the green paintjob like last time.
fierce looking ride.
It looks like a road legalized WRC ehh.
The side of the car is really boring, I thought retro feel only works on Aston Martin. If it’s not the head lamps and the double exhaust I’d reckon this is produced in year 2000.
High performance but looking so-so. Couldn’t convince myself to love it. Ah beng’s Celica add on spoiler can look much better than this. 2009 is at the corner but Ford is still at the 90′s. One of the easy ways to attract attention, generate interest, is by designing, and that is the first thing buyer will ever experience, thru their eyes.
Somehow I personally feel this car wouldn’t make an impact in Malaysia. It’s 2 doors, it has a delivery mini van look, it also has an overdone diffuser cum rear bumper, and it has no wow factor which local buyers have been seeking.
Target buyers would be:
[1] single, because no wife no kids no commitment but yet pocket have some money. 2 doors not convenient for kids, car design wouldn’t get him a girl friend too
[2] mid-aged, because Ford has been very active in WRC for around 20 years
[3] patriotic, insist not to use jap cars and products, even they are cheaper, possibly influenced by parents and grand parents
[4] this is slightly rare but still possible, he loves car, he is hardcore and he also has a girl friend too. But to drive at reasonable speed and to avoid other road users unfriendly honk, he needs a Focus RS, which is turbocharged to produce 300 bhp, because the girl friend weights 250 pounds!
Oops, no offense. Just for laugh. :-#
300hp…!! can this thing even turn around a corner with such massive power to the front wheel? iirc theoretical limit for FF car is 220hp only. Even that is pushing the limit already…
w_lighter said,
December 17, 2008 @ 9:29 am
300hp…!! can this thing even turn around a corner with such massive power to the front wheel? iirc theoretical limit for FF car is 220hp only. Even that is pushing the limit already…
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limits are for pussies
Topgear has a video where it beats the Civic Type-R and even the 4WD Subaru Impreza in the track
300hp ff is still ok laa… cause u not at 6000rpm through corner maa. the torque will give you lots of grip.
think get a subaru better laa.
subaru interior damn ugly