Ford has revealed more information on the powerplant in the Ford Focus RS engine bay. The inline-5 “Duratec RS” engine puts out 305 PS between 6,500rpm to 7,050rpm (redline) and a massive 440Nm of torque between 2,300 and 4,500rpm, a good 40Nm more at the peak than the BMW M3. I believe one of the intentions of the press release are to dispel any talk that Ford simply took the easy way out and “rechipped” the Duratec ST engine to produce more power, as many had expected something more exciting such as maybe a twin turbo version with all-wheel drive.
“There was never an intention to try to ‘chip’ the ST engine. We evaluated several approaches using the ST engine and none gave us the combination of power delivery, character and durability that we wanted, so we opted to create an RS Duratec, using the ST unit as our base,” said Ford Team RS powertrain manager Len Urwin.
The engine gets a revised cylinder head gasket, metal-sprayed cylinder bores that are more durable, new pistons and a bespoke camshaft profile and conrods which allows bigger small-end bearings. The turbo has been uprated to a Borg Warner K16 that peaks out at 1.4 bar, double that of the Focus ST’s 0.7 bar boost. Ford says the turbo size was carefully picked to match the “bottom end responsiveness” of the Focus ST. The integration of the turbo to the exhaust manifold had to be strategically configured to optimise crash performance and minimize revisions to other components such as exhaust system, and oil and water pipes. It also has to take into account the car’s 20mm lower subframe.The engine’s larger intercooler can reduce air temperatures from 160 degrees Celsius at the compressor, to a maximum of 60 degrees Celsius at the intercooler outlet, in ambient temperatures of up to 38 degrees Celsius.
Urwin adds that Ford wanted to prevent the engine from feeling like it runs out of steam at the top end, something that turbo-ed engines with very flat torque curves sometimes exhibit. There is just so much of rush right from the start that you don’t feel the momentum of things picking up all the way until the end. Ford wanted to “reward” drivers who took the Duratec RS to the redline. In addition, the car’s rev needles can bounce up to 7,050rpm for about 3 seconds before it is rev-limited to 6,500rpm.
The 6-speed manual shares the same ratios as the Focus ST but has modifications to the bearing and clutch housing as well as had its differential strengthened to take the extra power and torque. The overall gearing is 1% longer than the ST thanks to the car’s larger tyres (larger rolling circumference), and this results in the RS being able to touch 100km/h in 2nd gear. To help manage 440Nm to the front wheels which also have to steer the car, Ford has employed the use of a Quaife helical LSD. This LSD is based on the one in the original 5-speed Focus RS from the year 2002, but revised for the new 6-speed 2009 Ford Focus RS. It now has a sixth planet gear and is stronger, with a more subtle intervention and torque transfer.
I’m sure when you look at the RS, you’ll notice the large gaping front bumper intake. This is actually part of the cooling requirement, in fact 80% of the engine’s external cooling is thanks to this front grille aperture, even down to the mesh density. The car also gets a 25% larger radiator, anda lso has a larger 14 plate engine-mounted water-cooled oil cooler. The bonnet louvres are also there for a reason, to help idle cooling especially after a high-speed run.
At the front, Ford uses a RevoKnuckle suspension. While regular suspension knuckles are a one-piece design; RevoKnuckle has instead two separate pieces. In place of the regular, inverted ‘L’-shaped lower suspension mount, RevoKnuckle features a ‘C’-shaped mount, connected to both the wheel hub, via two arms and to the strut, which is attached at its top. Apparently this allows greater flexibility in tuning suspension geometry to avoid torque steer. This is sort of a hybrid between a MacPherson strut and double wishbone design, which is good as it is cheaper than a double wishbone design.
Of course, you have to pay for performance not only in the price tag of a car, but naturally more power will burn more fuel so the Focus RS also has a larger fuel tank at 62 litres up from 55 litres in the Focus ST.
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.
1st to comment : ) Wow,what a nice car,surely will be one of the hottest car of 2009…
hot hatch!
another “dream-on” case for M’sia. sigh……….too expensive, too exotic for this market. PITY!!!
Sweet! This really reminds me of Stuart Pugh’s model of Total Design. Good job, Ford! Okay well maybe the front bumper grille could do with a slightly more aesthetic frame…
another Hot Stuff for 2009!!
bah….dated tail-lamps…..i like the front…but the dated tail lamps…makes the car more of a face lift then nething…
*yawn*
cam.shaft
i’m only interested to see how it drives, with that much power!
whutever the comments, this car will not be here legally… so dream on… hehehe
Will this car be a genuine contender to the two Japanese super saloons (at least in standard form) ?
droll said,
January 29, 2009 @ 5:31 am
another “dream-on” case for M’sia. sigh……….too expensive, too exotic for this market. PITY!!!
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why is it a dream on case? if you can afford it, and like it, a person can buy it. its not like the car is banned in malaysia.. and there are certainly many many very expensive and exotic cars on our roads today.
to be honest, in our market..even if this Focus RS is priced the same as an EVO, or Sti, i’m pretty sure many of the people in the market for a car like this will end up opting for the japanese cars.
hmmm…… wonder why ford dont made it a AWD car. ie Subaru & Mitsu to their STI & EVO…?? may be cost to high for a AWD car?
anyway it will be hot car for 2009.
BanyakMasukWorkshop said,
January 29, 2009 @ 11:09 am
droll said,
January 29, 2009 @ 5:31 am
another “dream-on” case for M’sia. sigh……….too expensive, too exotic for this market. PITY!!!
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why is it a dream on case? if you can afford it, and like it, a person can buy it. its not like the car is banned in malaysia.. and there are certainly many many very expensive and exotic cars on our roads today.
to be honest, in our market..even if this Focus RS is priced the same as an EVO, or Sti, i’m pretty sure many of the people in the market for a car like this will end up opting for the japanese cars.
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mainly because they can’t afford this car
Sex is wonderful, but it’s like champagne.If you’re forced to have four glasses at every meal you start to fantasize about water. said,
mainly because they can’t afford this car
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im sure u can afford it
point well taken
wow, 100km in 2nd gear. no need shift alot huh.
kick ass car!
Hot hot hatch but sadly like the previous Focus, wouldn’t enjoy encouraging sales. To increase sales, maybe put in a Jap engine with TX3 badge………?
dono why malaysians don like ford
Sex is wonderful, but it’s like champagne.If you’re forced to have four glasses at every meal you start to fantasize about water. said,
January 30, 2009 @ 6:08 pm
dono why malaysians don like ford
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duh..coz ford PR to dumb.dumb adds…dumb prices…u get the idea
nice looking !
how much that car cost in bolehland >??
hidrogentank said,
January 31, 2009 @ 2:20 am
Sex is wonderful, but it’s like champagne.If you’re forced to have four glasses at every meal you start to fantasize about water. said,
January 30, 2009 @ 6:08 pm
dono why malaysians don like ford
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duh..coz ford PR to dumb.dumb adds…dumb prices…u get the idea
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sime darby useless la, alfa romeo, land rover , ford all cannot manage.
ford is not as dumb as a “hidrogen” tank…..
don’t say a thing is dumb just because dumbass like u don’t know how to appreciate, or don’t know a damn thing about it…..
if people would buy a golf gti, i wonder if the ford focus st will sell as well
mitlanevo;
so tell me smart ass..what you know bout it ??
mitlanevo;
coz if ya cant tell the difference between something that is meant to be taken seriously or not,might as well go look at yourself properly in the mirror.cockface
mitlanevo;
oh..and by the way..appreciate what??
oh, u compare the Focus with what? a HIDROGEN tank?
Ford = dumb adds and dumb price? wow, that’s the most silly answer i ever heard…..
i don’t know much about Ford, or the awesome Focus, but certainly know much than u, a HIDROGEN tank…..
HIDROGEN tank pun pakai cermin ke??? pandai lawak pulak ni….
appreciate what? FORD FOCUS, dumbass…. so simple….
and definitely not a HIDROGEN tank…..
dude..if you were any smarter than me..you would learn to read properly……..who is comparing anything?..you still havnt answered my question yet?
..no point arguing with a real dumbass
ps; i agree with you on 1 thing yup, appreciate the “AWESOME” focus..so simple right, yah simple like your thinking.
yes mr.mitlanevo..AKA cockface..im refering to you on the above.
anyone have any idea if this car in malaysia market?
and does anyone know how much it cost?
if this car would cost less than rm300k then it'll be great!
i like ford focus rs pitty nope seem it on the road yet owh ford make me to mody my car like it