New Focus RS
The latest – and possibly greatest? – addition to the blue oval’s stable.
What better way to kick off our fast Fords special than with the latest – and possibly greatest? – addition to the blue oval’s stable. Due to hit showrooms early next year, the all-new Focus RS promises to be one of the quickest-ever Fords.
If the looks are anything to go by, then it won’t disappoint. The muscular wheelarches, deep grille, bonnet vents and large rear wing all take their cues from the famous Escort and Sierra RS Cosworths.
Inside, the cabin gets heavily bolstered sports seats, a chunky steering wheel and bank of extra dials mounted on the dash top.
But it’s what’s under the skin that really matters. The RS uses a tweaked version of the Focus ST’s 2.5-litre turbo motor, producing 296bhp. To cope with such incredible pace, the front-drive chassis has been extensively revised. The biggest news is a front suspension set-up that’s designed to reduce torque steer, which will help the Focus take the fight to four-wheel-drive rivals from Mitsubishi and Subaru.
We won’t know until next year how good the Focus RS really is. In the meantime, Auto Express has taken a trip through Ford’s history to discover which model is the reigning performance champion.
Vote for your favourite fast Ford here, in our exclusive reader survey
Details
Model tested: Focus RS
