Feb. 03--Ford continues to flex its performance muscle, even in its smallest cars.
Ford announced today that the third generation Ford Focus RS (Rallye Sport) will debut for the first time in the U.S. in 2016.
Following the global launch of the 2015 Ford Mustang, the Focus RS will be available in major markets around the world. The hot hatch furthers Ford's commitment to performance, which was renewed at the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit with the launch of the Ford GT supercar, the ttrack-ready Ford Mustang GT350 R and the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor. The Focus subcompact broadens this disparate line called Ford Performance, which will bring a total of 12 new performance vehicles to market by 2020.
It's all built on the back of the EcoBoost direct-injection, turbo-charged engine design.
"With technologies such as EcoBoost, we are able to demonstrate how an innovation that powers almost every car in our range can also be the heartbeat of our finest performance cars," Jim Farley, president of Ford's Europe, Middle East and Africa divisions, said in a statement.
The all-wheel-drive RS will have an all-aluminum 2.3-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost engine producing "in excess" of 315 horsepower. Enhancements include a twin-scroll turbocharger to eliminate lag. The all-wheel-drive system with dynamic torque vectoring can deliver 70 percent of the drive torque to the rear axle, helping to eliminate undesteer and making boomeranging in and out of corners a promised blast, especially since its a race step up from the ST line in the Fiesta and Focus.
"The Focus ST and Fiesta ST showed that we can achieve sporty steering feel with an electric power-assisted steering system, and the RS raises the bar," said Dave Pericak, who was charged with leading the newly created Ford Performance division in December, 2014.
It gets a six-speed manual with a short stick and Michelin's grippy Pilot Super Sport tires come standard. Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires are optional for the track. A choice of 19-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels will be offered. There will be SYNC and stuff on the inside but all attention will be behind the wheel.
Pricing has not been announced but expect the $30,000 range.
rduffer@tribpub.com
@DufferRobert
