Focus RS500: 345 HP, FWD And One Blurry Blue Oval

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

Here’s some encouragement for the folks freaking out about BMW’s front wheel drive heresy. Ford has found a way to make 345 horsepower work in an FWD chassis, shattering the conventional wisdom that 250 hp marks the reasonable limit for front-drive performance. Well, at least until the 500 lucky owners of this limited-edition mega-hatch start adding up their tire bills in a few years. According to Ford, the RS500 should be looking at a 5.6 second 0-60 time and a top speed of 163 mph. And no, you can’t order one at your Ford dealer in the US.


Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Ott Ott on Mar 29, 2010

    Beat me to it Silvy. 345 HP and only capable of mustering 0-60 in 5.6 seconds? That seems awefully slow. But, since we won't see it here, why worry about it? I'll just keep enjoying my Cobalt SS...

    • See 2 previous
    • MBella MBella on Mar 30, 2010

      For one, this car is FWD. Second, I don't get this AWD launch penalty myth people talk about. In an example of AWD vs. 2WD in otherwise identical cars, the AWD car, driven correctly will always beat the other during the launch. The AWD will always be able to put down more power at first. Why do you think an STI and EVO can put down super-car like 0-60 times, and this Focus can't.If an AWD car bogs down during the launch, it means the driver didn't give it enough power.

  • Jkross22 Jkross22 on Mar 30, 2010

    AWESOME engine note! I love it.

  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
  • ToolGuy Ford is good at drifting all right... 😉
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