The 2016 Ford Focus RS has been revealed at a special preview event in Cologne ahead of its Geneva debut, but it’ll be a bit of a wait for those looking to bag one of these – production of the the third-generation RS is set to begin late this year, which pretty much means a 2016 market debut for the range-topping C346 Focus in many places.
Still, the patient RS aficionado will have much to look forward to. The new car – the 30th vehicle to wear the Rallye Sport moniker since it was introduced in 1968 – will feature all-wheel drive, for starters. It’ll be powered by a 2.3 litre EcoBoost engine, the same as found in the new S550 Mustang, but reworked for this application with a comprehensive package of design changes. It’ll be mated to a six-speed manual transmission.
No 350 hp as initially thought or the 330 hp as later rumoured, but power is still in excess of a decent 320 PS. Additions and changes include a new low-inertia, twin-scroll turbo with a larger compressor to deliver significantly increased air flow as well as a larger intercooler to maximise charge density. The car also gets improved cooling, aided by a larger radiator (the biggest ever stuffed into a Focus, so it goes) and improved materials for the cylinder head/block as well as the head gasket.
Also on, a less restrictive, newly designed intake to offer improved engine breathing and a large-bore high performance exhaust system, the latter featuring an electronically-controlled valve in the tailpipe to optimise the balance of back pressure and noise output, complete with distinctive burbles, pops and crackles. Looks like the Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG is set to have a raucous competitor in the output sound stakes.
The new Ford Performance AWD system with Dynamic Torque Vectoring is based on twin electronically-controlled clutch packs on each side of the rear drive unit. These manage the car’s front/rear torque split and are also able to control the side-to-side torque distribution on the rear axle.
The control unit in the rear drive unit – which monitors inputs from multiple vehicle sensors 100 times per second – continuously varies the front/rear and side-to-side torque distribution to suit the driving situation. A maximum of 70% of the drive torque can be diverted to the rear axle, and up to 100% of the available torque at the rear axle can be sent to each rear wheel.
When cornering, the rear drive unit diverts torque to the outer rear wheel immediately based on inputs (steering wheel angle, lateral acceleration, yaw as well as speed). This torque transfer has the effect of “driving” the car into the bend, translating to improved turn-in and stability.
Ford says the AWD system effectively eliminates understeer, and hoons will be pleased to know that it’ll offer the car the ability to achieve controlled oversteer drifts. Plenty in the way of grip, with the RS capable in excess of 1 g in lateral acceleration.
The new RS also gets a sports suspension featuring spring rates, bushes and anti-roll-bars stiffer than that found in the Focus ST – the dampers are two-mode switchable types, capable of offering a firmer setting if needed, say for track driving.
Design-wise, the RS gets a reworked front-end, with a new upper trapezoidal grille above the deep front splitter, incorporating the largest possible apertures for engine cooling. Large outboard openings on each side of the front house vertically-mounted fog lamps and also house the apertures of the brake cooling ducts.
At the back, there’s a large diffuser with twin round exhaust outlets – in European and Asian market models, this is where a clear central fog lamp will be found. There’s also a dedicated RS roof spoiler, replete with embossed RS logos on the sides.
A choice of multi-spoke 19-inch RS alloy wheels are available for the car, including a high-performance lightweight, forged design finished in low-gloss black – it’s stronger than the regular wheel, and lighter as well by a kilo per wheel. The wheels are wrapped with 235/35 Pilot Super Sport rubbers, though optional Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres are available for track-focused drivers.
The interior gets the facelifted Focus‘ redesigned dash and control layout, and heavily-bolstered partial-leather Recaro sports seats are standard issue – customers in Europe and Asia will be able to go for the optional RS Recaro shell seats that come dressed with authentic motorsport microfibre fabric panels.
Elsewhere, there’s a new, flat-bottomed steering wheel with a soft-feel leather covered rim, alloy foot pedals as well as unique instrument graphics within the main cluster. The blue theme is showcased through the stitching on the seats, steering wheel, floor mats and interior trim, a coloured graphic on the gear shifter and via the RS logo found on the seats, steering wheel and door scuff plates.
Tech bits include Adaptive Front Lighting for the standard fitment bi-Xenon HID headlamps and Active City Stop system, as well as SYNC connectivity and an eight-inch colour touchscreen. Like in the ST, there’s a triple gauge bank sitting above the centre console, and these display turbo boost pressure, oil temperature and oil pressure.
The Focus RS will be available in four exterior shades, these being Stealth Grey, Absolute Black, Frozen White and Nitrous Blue – the latter is a four-coat metallic finish exclusive to the car. The debutant in Cologne is dressed in the same unique Liquid Blue colour scheme seen on the new Ford GT in Detroit, so it won’t be available for series production cars.
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i just hope ford malaysia brings this in
RM250k anyone interested to buy?
Why so expensive? Thanks to Proton!
Proton principle: If they can’t deliver good car, they make sure no Malaysian can enjoy it neither.
Not this same (lorr) shit again!
100% AGREED MATE!~
Will buy if comes with auto box. Getting stuck in a jam is no joke here in Klang Valley.
You have the Golf R. This is for stick shifters only.
Nice ! Bring this to Malaysia !
Be very afraid Golf-R and Subie Sti
Scooby you mean. Scooby STi
Now my simple question:
Coming to Malaysia or not?
If not, how good or splendid also meaningless. Btw the Focus ST is damn good to drive! This RS baby will be “hardcore”….HELL YEAH baby…. Come to papa
indeed..the st was damn good. sadly only saw it a couple of time on the road..gti still the king here.
knowing that sdac will bring the new mustang in 2016, i’m sure they will feel obligated to bring this in as well..early 2017 perhaps? the price i reckon around 250k-300k
Bro, VW GTi offer DSG only and majority drivers now prefer/know Auto. Manual only for ol skol boyz to really appreciate joy of driving. Some might argue technology evolve but other markets such as UK, US or Aus still prefer stick. Anyway let’s cross finger it come & price competitively. Cheers ✌️
Looks great. Though it’d be even nicer if the black plastic up front were the same color as the car. Looks more aggressive that way, IMHO.
Not a fan of the grill, in fact not a fan of any of the Ford grills but thats beside the point…WAHT A CAR!!. With curtain call on Super fast Mitsubishi Lancers, it looks like this will be the new playmate for the Subaru WRX STI. 320hp+ mated to a manual that sends power to all four wheel, its definitely the anti-thesis of where the AMG A45 or the Golf R seats, judging by the set-up and design.
Hope this really is a game changer. THe new focus are a bit weak compared to the old ones (while the old one was strong at it’s time against the gti and such of that time).
Let the rs begins…
Oh don’t worry about the mere 320ps setup…just do a simple remap and you’ll get 350 or more without changing any other stuff.
This hardcore Focus has nothing to worry about and I believe only the A45 will be able to compete with its AWD.
As a subaru lover…..I’m totaly sold by this!!!!
OMG a hatchback look so good and feel much much more better compared to WRX STi….
Berapa harga dia? nak kumpul duit untuk beli lah…cincin tak mampu, ford boleh kut…
Proton wanted to built something like this Focus but end up building failed Suprima.
this design same level as suprima only..
hmm.. ok ok only exterior design, nothing special.
hopefully proton could come up similar like this for suprima model with cheaper price..6 speed manual,recaros,momos,tuning turbos,etc
Buy a base and go ah beng workshop tune it yourself la. Don’t put much hope on P1.
Or you can go for a Satria Neo Cusco Special
best looking Focus RS..this or subi sti or new civic type r or golf r or megane rs or a45 amg or 235i or s3 or myvi 1.5extreme ??
The Civic Type R (CTR) is FWD “only”. So, it will definitely lose out to the new AWD Focus RS around the twisties and probably straightline too. But nothing to stop them from putting the SH-AWD system from Acura into the CTR – perhaps in the near future.
Dayumm.. But I still love my 1st gen Impreza no matter what!
Dayum. But still no match for my TRD Vios no matter what!
Heard from the video that they would make this car global? Please bring it to Malaysia. Interesting 24 months ahead for the hot hatch fans – Civic Type R, New 135i and now the Ford RS, adding to the usual contenders from Renault, VW and Subaru.
Corvette Z06 1.12G, Dodge Viper SRT10 1.08G, Corvette ZR1 1.07G, Bugatti Veyron 1.00G, Nissan GTR 0.99G… Exceeding 1G is quite a significant achievement for the RS..
Guys, i know you guys are stoked for this coming to Malaysia. Me too. But i will say forget about the dream. Even the Mustang. Forget it. Why??
As long as the stupid Malaysian government is still in control, they will deface it , take out all the best features of it, ruined it, then only bring pass in the KASTAM as CBU or CKD. Forget it, unless we can buy it truely CBU from first world country like Singapore and bring it over, i will say, forget it.
Ford Malaysia has always been about sales and profit, never been about the enthusiast of cars and about keeping the customers happy about their purchase. Their moto will and forever be RIP OFF MALAYSIANS with MADE IN MALAYSIA PARTS in a CBU.
Enough said. Someone has to do something about this! By 2016! Please gulung tikar you the-brand-that-is-a-spoilt-brat-of-robber-parents-that-shall-not-be-named!!
I love the car tax. It makes cars like this unique in Malaysia. Imagine if everyone can afford this, then this car will be less special.
i rather more ppl can drive…parts will come in more often and cheaper…economies of scale….
I agree to a certain extend. Imagine ah beng in a porsche cayman instead of his cheapo TRD. That will make porsche nothing special
najib…reduce car prices by 60-80% and we leave you and rosmah to go shopping in peace…how bout that? shake hand??
Not this same (lorr) shit again!
the beast! redefined perfectly!
I love the Subaru WRX & its faster brother (STi), as both have a wicked permanent AWD system tuned for rallying. But now the mega hatch Focus has AWD too – and looks like it’ll be permanent AWD just like Subie’s, but with more torque to the front wheels by default. The STi still allows driver to select how much torque split he wants between front & rear. So one can have more torque to the rear if one so wishes. Bring on the AWD battles!
This is supposed to be a launching of a performance model, but no stunt driving, no explosive effects, and the jokes from the host thats not funny…
The launch is about as exciting as watching paint dry.
car looks nice, just waiting to read how it stacks up to their competitors.
The RS lineage speaks for itself.
It doesn’t need big explosions and gimicks.
The car would sell itself.
The difference between this and the STI is the STI allows the driver to select torque distribution between front and rear, this new RS let the computers do the split for you.
Anyway, this will be good.
Ford Focus RS vs Honda Civic Type R vs VW Golf R vs Renault Megane RS265 Cup vs Merc A45 AMG vs BMW M2 vs Audi RS3 vs Kia C’eed Sport vs Subaru WRX STi vs Mitsubishi EVO vs Mazda 3 MPS (new gen)
2 plus litre engine producing 300 plus horses in a reliable and sane manner….a few years ago, it would have been unthinkable.
proton iriz forever
very nice… badass Ford
is it available in malaysia?
grey import?
price?
hookups?