All Photos Courtesy of Ford Motor Company
When you think of a Ford Focus, you're probably picturing some run of the mill grocery getter that's not much more than a better designed Taurus. The slightly sportier Focus took over as their top selling vehicle and has won over the hearts of Moms and First New Car owners everywhere. If you didn't own one yourself, chances are you knew a handful of people who did. And they all were silver or navy blue... but maybe that's just me.
Ford is taking their big hit and expanding the market. Instead of going after their obvious market, they're pushing the pedal towards a new crowd... the crowd that likes to go fast in a pretty car.The new Ford Focus RS is designed like a rally car, with sport tuning and all wheel drive that will appeal to a broad audience.
To set it apart from the traditional Focus, the Focus RS will be modeled after the Focus hatchback, but will trade the chrome finishing for a sportier matte black finish. The more aggressive looking front grille will allow for better air intake and the larger rear spoiler will be standard. The vehicle will come standard with 19-inch tires wrapped around gorgeous wheels.
The interior will also see some improvements. The instrument cluster will change and there will be a supplementary bank of gauges. The steering wheel will get a flat bottom, which is typical of performance cars. They're also planning alloy pedal covers to maintain the rally look and feel.
The upgrades aren't solely aesthetic. The chassis will be lighter and the finely-tuned turbocharger promises to be responsive. The body takes on some subtle upgrades for improved aerodynamics. Ford anticipates an EcoBoost tuned 2.3 liter high compression 4-cylinder engine release. It's expected to have a 315HP output with a larger intercooler. A six-speed manual transmission is also expected.
The all-wheel drive is probably one of the most exciting aspects. The performance driving is smartly designed. It can add or remove power from a set of wheels to give it a traditional rear-wheel drive feel. When you're cutting around tight turns, it can force power to one side of the car to help with handling. This type of performance will be particularly beneficial for Ford's rally car team, which this vehicle is sure to join. After all, the vehicle got its name from the team.
The Ford Focus has done well globally because of its low entry price and sporty stylings so Ford is expecting the RS to be a success. Ford plans to add the car to the low end of its sports car offerings for release in 2016. The vehicle won't be officially unveiled until March 2nd at the Geneva Auto Show but is expected to start at $45,000.
Does it pique your interest or does it lack the excitement you're after in a sports car?