Ford Focus RS Production to End in April With a Juicy Special Edition

[GTPNewsWire]

This is the discussion thread for a recent post on GTPlanet:

Ford Focus RS Production to End in April With a Juicy Special Edition

This article was published by Andrew Evans (@Famine) on February 14th, 2018 in the Automotive News category.

 

[cally-dave]

Shmee will be all over this no doubt.....

 

[breyzipp]

Hmmm how come production ends so soon?

 

[Famine]

Hmmm how come production ends so soon?

The Focus RS production line plucks shells off the Focus production line. With a new Focus coming soon, Ford will need the line to produce the next car.

 

[@nndr3w]

Best part of 40k for what is theoretically a Focus.

 

[Double Ayyys]

Best part of 40k for what is theoretically a Focus.

I payed 21k for my 2014 Focus ST (Front Wheel Drive) but still has the 6 speed manual with 21lbs of boost stock pushing 250hp and 272tq and is the most nimble and responsive car I've ever owned and run autocross events with. Where I'm located in the midwest I can get my hands on the standard edition RS for about 35k. Have a few acquaintances that own them and they don't complain one bit about the fun per dollar.

 

[Famine]

Have a few acquaintances that own them and they don't complain one bit about the fun per dollar.

Is that because they're unable to communicate, thanks to the ride shattering every bone in their body?

 

[Double Ayyys]

In the states there aren't many cars that pack all that the RS offers into 35k.

I can't even name one at the moment.

RS offers, AWD, 4 doors in case you have kids (such as I do), 300+hp 300+tq, good gas mileage if you can stay out of boost, and has a look that suits my tastes (can't speak for others). My friend gets around in the snow with no problems and can track his car stock no problem. It's pretty well balanced for 35k.

And for those that are in the market for a 35k or above sports car. If the ride is bothersome I'd think you could shell out a little to get a nice set of coilovers with dampening control. Heck, I spent 7k modding on an old Integra.... because Honda, lol. One upgrade was a nice set of coilovers and I was much faster in the corners and shaved time off my autocross runs and it wasn't a jarring ride.

 

[ApexDrift123]

So the car is coming back and just ended for this generation of the focus, or is it not coming back at all in any new focus ?

 

[Famine]

So the car is coming back and just ended for this generation of the focus, or is it not coming back at all in any new focus ?

Ford's been making the Focus RS alongside the Mk3 Focus since the Focus RS launch in 2015. Production of the Mk3 Focus is ending because the Mk4 Focus is coming soon, and that means the Focus RS has to end as well - so Ford is doing a little celebratory final run.

No-one knows if there will be a Focus RS on the Mk4 Focus. But it's pretty likely, because there's been a Focus RS in every Focus generation so far.

 

[GT Kelv]

This color and the red color is cool but the blue calipers with these colors is an eye sore. The four standard colors offered in 2016 and 2017 work with the blue calipers. I’ll be looking into getting a Nitrous Blue RS in a few months. I think Ford should’ve offered more of them without sunroofs in the US because most of them have them. I also feel that Ford should’ve offered black and red calipers as an option.

 

[ZHPbimmer]

I payed 21k for my 2014 Focus ST (Front Wheel Drive) but still has the 6 speed manual with 21lbs of boost stock pushing 250hp and 272tq and is the most nimble and responsive car I've ever owned and run autocross events with. Where I'm located in the midwest I can get my hands on the standard edition RS for about 35k. Have a few acquaintances that own them and they don't complain one bit about the fun per dollar.

Same. I got a base ‘17 ST1 Focus ST for $21,500 after a $3500 dealer rebate in the LA area where I live. I had a 2006 Mini Cooper S years ago and even though the mini felt nimbler and had a factory LSD, the focus is more fun to drive. More power, lift off oversteer, just as responsive and quick steering, real stiff ride but not overly stiff like the mini, good sound from the engine, the best shifter feel of any car I’ve owned, comfy seats, etc.

I loooove taking this car on canyon roads.

 

[breyzipp]

The Focus RS production line plucks shells off the Focus production line. With a new Focus coming soon, Ford will need the line to produce the next car.

Auwww sad to hear a lovely hot hatch that got such great reviews and price/quality rating got so short lived because of a production line needing to be changed. I drive a 2014 Frozen White Mk3 Focus Titanium TDCi with 115 bhp myself (bought the car brand new with a 25% discount at the dealership because the Mk3 was to get the front bumper facelift 2 months later) and I’m absolutely loving the car. I can only imagine what joy 4WD and more bhp would bring.

 

[Famine]

This color and the red color is cool but the blue calipers with these colors is an eye sore.

Actually, I reckon the blue calipers would work with the orange - blue and orange are complementary colours.

Nevertheless, both the red RS Edition and the orange RS Heritage Edition use grey calipers.

 

[SPhilli911]

Not digging the color, but I like those specs. Oh well, just another car we won't see in America, but that's alright I suppose because the standard RS is already a pretty damn good car for the money. Despite those head gasket issues.

 

[@nndr3w]

I payed 21k for my 2014 Focus ST (Front Wheel Drive) but still has the 6 speed manual with 21lbs of boost stock pushing 250hp and 272tq and is the most nimble and responsive car I've ever owned and run autocross events with. Where I'm located in the midwest I can get my hands on the standard edition RS for about 35k. Have a few acquaintances that own them and they don't complain one bit about the fun per dollar.

Its £40K which is more like $55K!

 

[Double Ayyys]

Its £40K which is more like $55K!

Awww, yes currency conversion. I too often just see the amount and think in 'Merica terms and translate it to simply 40k USD.

 

[Epic B]

So the car is coming back and just ended for this generation of the focus, or is it not coming back at all in any new focus ?

This special edition seems to just be sending off the current gen Focus RS, as there is an all new Focus on the horizon. I imagine a new Focus RS will be happening sometime after the Focus gets redesigned.

 

[GT Kelv]

Actually, I reckon the blue calipers would work with the orange - blue and orange are complementary colours.

Nevertheless, both the red RS Edition and the orange RS Heritage Edition use grey calipers.

You’re right the orange would pull off the blue calipers better than the red would, but gray is still better. The Red RS models here in the U.S. have the blue calipers on them. Where did you see a Red RS with gray calipers?, that would look a lot better in my opinion opposed to the blue with red.

 

[Famine]

Where did you see a Red RS with gray calipers?

The 500-car run of RS Edition cars is red, with the same grey calipers, black mirrors and black spoiler as the RS Heritage Edition.

 

[Dennisch]

Its £40K which is more like $55K!

$67k here for the Base RS.

 

[GT Kelv]

Not digging the color, but I like those specs. Oh well, just another car we won't see in America, but that's alright I suppose because the standard RS is already a pretty damn good car for the money. Despite those head gasket issues.

That’s why I’d stay away from the 2016 and early 2017 models. A dealership had near me had 2 RSs. A 2018 LE andca 2016, both blue. They ended up selling the 2018 and called me back to see if I wanted to test drive the 2016. They were finishing up the new engine install because the engine blew the gasket. So who ever buys will be getting a 2016 with a brand new 2017 or 2018 engine.

The 500-car run of RS Edition cars is red, with the same grey calipers, black mirrors and black spoiler as the RS Heritage Edition.

Oh ok. I thought that all 50 models were gonna be “Deep Orange” only.

 

[Famine]

Oh ok. I thought that all 50 models were gonna be “Deep Orange” only.

The RS Heritage Edition will be, yes. The RS Edition is a different car.

If you want to be even more confused, they both have the Quaife LSD too (the original Focus RS doesn't) - but only the RS Heritage Edition is orange and has the Mountune upgrade.

 

[GTboyz]

They should have just release the RS with the Liquid Blue color as the final run version.

 

[@nndr3w]

$67k here for the Base RS.

I do like the RS but i'm sure there's a hell of a lot you could buy at 3 years old with low mileage at that price.

 

[GT Kelv]

The RS Heritage Edition will be, yes. The RS Edition is a different car.

If you want to be even more confused, they both have the Quaife LSD too (the original Focus RS doesn't) - but only the RS Heritage Edition is orange and has the Mountune upgrade.

I referred to the 500 production run cars you refer to as “RS Editions” as RS Limited Editions. Those are the ones only on blue and red with the front LSD, black mirrors/roof/spoiler, and carbon interior trims. Ford made 1000 LE’s here for the U.S. market and 500 for the Canadian market. I don’t know how many “Limited Editions”or as you say “RS Editions” they made for the European market though. My guess is what you said, 500. I was confused because you call them RS Editions, now I’m on the same page. Just a difference in reference I guess.

The standard RS models haven’t dropped in price enough to go for one of them opposed to a RS LE. Besides, the only reason I’m going for an 2018 over a 2017 is because of the front diff.