By Justin Berkowitz
April 7, 2008
The rumors around the rumor mill are that the next super-hot version of the Ford Focus – the RS – will get 4WD or AWD and 350 horsepower from a six cylinder engine. If you've been following the development of the RS (and as North Americans, you probably haven't), the story until now was that it would be 300 hp, from a highly tuned 5-cylinder engine, and front wheel drive with a trick diff to tame torque steer. But the latest info seems to take that a step further, with a blogger claiming he has actually seen the rear differential on the RS test car at the Nurburgring confirming its 4 wheel power. Yours truly still doubts the 6-cylinder engine for packaging and weight reasons, but only time, spy shots, and "accidental" PR leaks will tell the full story.
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POWERED
April 7th, 2008 at 7:25 am
Meanwhile in US we get the uglier Focus with the 10 year-old underpinnings. But at least we get SYNC. hurrah…
I understand its difficult for Ford to get its more interesting models stateside. But can they at least make them look like the more attactive models? The Focus handles great even if the chassis is 10 years old, but what an eyesore.
April 7th, 2008 at 8:01 am
You took the words right out of my mouth, John R.
April 7th, 2008 at 8:18 am
That front is painful to look at. Could the various departments responsible for the 1) Hood 2) Front lights 3) Grille 4) Skirt — please get together and coordinate their efforts?
At least make a token stab at it.
This looks like a Rally car thrown together from whatever was left in the parts bin.
April 7th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Stein,
Funny you should mention rally car. Ford campaigns that particular model in the WRC.
And yeah, the US got stuck with a 10 year old model while the rest of the world got the newer version a couple of years ago…and they wonder why their small car sales are swirling in the toilet.
April 7th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Which is correct….250 HP or 350 HP? You state one in the body of the article, and the other in the title of the article.
April 7th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Now thats a Ford I might actually buy…..I assume there is no chace we ever see that in the U.S…… so sad
April 7th, 2008 at 9:28 am
So he saw the rear diff, but did he actually see the 350hp six cylinder? No mention of how he knows it’s a six.
April 7th, 2008 at 9:59 am
So maybe ford is tired of watching everyone else bring outrageously overpowered small cars to market and will finally offer different versions of it’s econobox. At least in Europe.
April 7th, 2008 at 10:28 am
While the new Focus is indeed an eyesore, it’s sales are doing quite well – Up about 24% for March and YTD. Retail sales were up 36% in March.
http://media.ford.com/pdf/march08sales.pdf
April 7th, 2008 at 10:44 am
WHOAA super rally car potential.
April 7th, 2008 at 10:54 am
GS, they’ve been selling a hotted up Focus in Europe for years. Prior to the Focus they hopped up the Escort over there and sold it.
Ok, that came directly from Ford’s website – I’m taking that with a huge grain of salt…how many of those “retail” sales were dealer to fleet sales? The reason I ask is I’m not seeing any new Focus’ running around in Central Ohio without the little Enterprise “e” on the back of them. Not saying it isn’t happening, but I don’t believe it.
April 7th, 2008 at 11:30 am
they can probably fit the volvo I6 in there. It was designed to drop-in replace the I5. And it’s already go the plumbing for turbos.
April 7th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Yet another great European Ford we will never get. Thank you again, Billy Ford.
And this has been going on for years and years: http://www.drivingenthusiast.net/sec-ford/fmc-products/model-focus/euro-escort/