The new Ford Focus ST with its 250HP 2.0-liter turbo'd four might be nice and dandy, but the Blue Oval has another surprise for hot-hatch aficionados under its sleeves: a replacement to the much acclaimed Focus RS.
Last summer, Ford green-lighted the third generation of the RS, though details remained sketchy. Now, CAR magazine has more information on the hottest production Focus yet, which is scheduled for production in 2014.
According to the publication, the new Focus RS will be powered by a new 2.3-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost engine that is currently under development in North America and which is also tipped to power the next-generation of the Mustang as well - though this is something that has yet to be confirmed.
“The 2.3 is coming, but it’s not in use yet”, said an unnamed Ford source. In case you just scowled at the thought of a 2.3-liter four-cylinder powering the Mustang, then the news that its output will be 350-horses should bring your pulse back to normal.
Despite the increase in output and unlike rival VW, which has adopted four-wheel drive for its 270HP Golf R, Ford is sticking with front-wheel drive for the Focus RS.
“I’m not sure it would deliver a better car”, commented the Ford source. “It’s a significant weight increase, it impacts on the platform, and you can’t recover the additional cost of all-wheel drive in the list price.”
Ford’s engineers figure that the RevoKnuckle front suspension will be able to handle the 350HP, having already performed the same task with the RS500 limited edition that was available in the UK and had the exact same output.
If the fact that the ST was presented in both hatchback and station wagon body styles came as a surprise, then so will the news from the report that the third-generation RS will be available for the first time as a five-door model as well.
17 Comments:
[“I’m not sure it would deliver a better car”, commented the Ford source.]
One of the things that people in the car business do better than anyone else, it looked you in the eye and lie. That's what that statement is, an outright lie. Though I wouldn't put it past the people at Ford to actually install a really crappy all-wheel drive system in one of their cars, in order to prove their point. And then say, 'see look it doesn't work any better.' Which might actually work, if it wasn't for companies like Mitsubishi and Nissan who have already proven this Ford spokesman statement to be a lie.
What the Ford source won't say is, the real reason Ford GM and other manufacturers continue to resist offering all-wheel drive, especially in performance cars like the focus which was designed for it on the drawing board, is that they know once the buying public gets their hands on a superior all-wheel-drive system, they'll never settle for anything else ever again.
Not producing this car in all wheel drive, means that they can pocket hundreds of billions over the next 10 years, by overcharging customers for front wheel and rear wheel drive vehicles that are technologically inferior, it's that simple, it's all about profit margins and putting money in their pockets. The profit motive continues to retard technological developments specifically in the mechanical area, which has historically been the case in the car business.
Why give them a better drive system when they'll settle for being able to connect their iPod and check their e-mail, which costs virtually nothing. It seems the American car manufacturers especially collude among themselves to prevent all-wheel-drive from becoming an across-the-board option for everyone of their vehicles. All those Americans who won't buy anything but an American car, don't know what they're missing, and the managing boards which control the American car manufacturers want to keep it that way. They've always been shortsighted, always more concerned short-term profits today, instead of thinking about the future viability of their company tomorrow. The primary reason they had to be bailed out, and don't give me that crap about Ford never taken to bail out, please. Ford benefited enormously from special deals for decades, they just played it closer to the vest than some of the others. Someone should do a study on how many lives would be saved, how much property damage would be prevented if all-wheel drive systems were available in every model of car, simply by checking a box on an invoice. Doubtless it would be billions in preventable costs to consumers, and hundreds if not thousands of lives saved every year in the US.
It's an embarrassment, and an insult to the designers who created this car, the car buying public, performance enthusiasts, you name it, everyone, to make these kind of statements. This Ford spokesman insults our intelligence, and at the same time reveals the company's true motives when they spout this BS.
I'll keep it short....
I like this car. I think it'll sell like crazy.
That is all.
Ummmm, that picture is of a Fiesta ST...... hello proof reader!!!!
350 hp with only ffront wheel drive??? That is STUPID!!! Sounds to me like Ford is being cheap and lazy!
lol I have a feeling the last reason was the most important for Ford, anything with 350hp and front wheel drive is going to be ridiculous the impossible engineering it would take to attempt to dial out the torque steer im sure would be more than slapping an awd system on it. All of its key rivals are awd why not be competitive...thats Ford for you. As far as the mustang having a turbo 4,,I see no issue with that the classic Mustang SVO was a turbo 4 and during its time it was the most expensive and highest performing Mustang you can buy. I think if they position the SVO somewhere between the V6 and the GT (around $26,000 to $30,000) instead of more than the GT like the original was I think it will sell.
350 on a FWD is way too much. Taking a turn and accelerating through it can cause the wheels to bounce. For non rally drivers who don't use their e-brakes through turns, this car will be a dangerous nightmare.
FWD only? Not interested. Bummer.
“It’s a significant weight increase,
it impacts on the platform, and you can’t recover the additional cost
of all-wheel drive in the list price.”
Really stupid.
I thought the Focus RS 500 that traversed the Nurburgring in 8 min 26 seconds was front wheel drive.
All the arm chair engineers seem sceptical.
http://www.egmcartech.com/2010/06/01/video-mikko-hirvonen-drive-the-2011-ford-focus-rs500-around-nurburgring/
Can't believe you're not a Republican.....you constantly bull shit, spout nonesence you don't understand, make up statistics, live in a bubble.......and hate the American auto industry.
For being so long-winded you sure are ignorant. You want to know why they don't offer AWD in their sport hatches? The answer is simple: cost. The ST would be in the range of EVO costs and that would kill their market. They are competing with the MS3, GTI, MCS and other similar performance cars that are sub 30k, not the STI/EVO. The RS breaks the pattern and is a low 30k car but that's because it offers 350HP. If they added AWD it would be well past the price point of a base model STI/EVO MR. I'm not against a AWD RS. I think it'd be sweet, who cares about drive train loss if you're putting all your power to the ground. However, it just isn't going to result in as profitable a car if they had to offer it at 40k base versus low 30s. If you're seriously so naive to believe that profit isn't the number one driver for any company then you need to grow up a little before claiming to understand the world. Yes, you want to make your customers as happy as possible, but if it doesn't result in enough profit, you're out of the game.
The Ford insider is right: AWD WOULD add weight and cost and make the car more thirsty to boot.. That being said, everyone who's driven the Focus RS so far has pronounced it a real handful, IIRC. I love REVOknuckle but 350bhp? Sounds like a wrecker driver's dream and an insurace agent's nightmare. Now, I'm not sure who would complain about this engine in a Mustang. After all, the 1979- Fox Mustangs had 2.3 liter fours in them and the turbo was faster than the wheezing 255cid V8s.
Notice the anonymous Ford apologists are out in force here, since they don't have the guts to put their name and face behind their words, you know just how much weight to give them… none. They can't put their name and face behind their words because if they did someone might track down the checks they're getting from auto manufacturers, and call them out for their conflicted interests.
Gutless cowards, the world is full of them.
The people in the corporate are the lowest form of human life on earth, far worse than common criminals, their lack of ethics and morality, their willingness to sell themselves into economic bondage, in order to take care of themselves and their families at the expense of everyone else's, has helped create a world where profit margins are more important than people, more important than all our lives.
This is a direct consequence of releasing this world from all responsibility or accountability, it allows them to use people like these to justify what all of us who still have a functioning conscience, know to be outright mendacity. We can't afford to pity them, because the world that they are creating is killing all of us. Do yourself and the world a favor, out them at every opportunity.
You really are a hipocrite........you work for Nissan and you accuse people of working for other auto companies.
You are a wacko who thinks bullshit baffles brains......eveyone can see right through you.
Why exactly are you "not interested"? "It's FWD" isn't a reason.
The Focus ST and RS are both sensational cars to drive, just two of many awesome FWD cars on the market.
I would take a BMW m3 over an Audi Qatro any day, I'm not that sold on FWD OR AWD for a performance car
I like this car. It is very compact and flexible. Its color and design is super and attractive.Cheap Holden For
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