**Focus RS**

[alex_gt]

Well anyone who's got GTC will have driven this beauty

:ford: has put the Focus RS into production in an attempt to be Competive in the Hot-Hatch :fire: Market Competing with the likes of :honda: Civic Type :r:, :vw:'s Golf GTI/V6/GT TDi, :toyota: Corolla...

So what's everone think of it?

Ford Focus RS

'RS' is back - is it enough to restore Ford's street cred?

Inspired by the Ford Focus WRC contender and carrying the evocative RS badge, the Ford Focus is coming back into the hot hatch market with intent. It's taken far longer to hit the streets than was intended but it's sure to be a hit nevertheless.

Strong yet not overpowering styling, uprated suspension, uprated brakes and a 210bhp engine should make this a very desirable car amongst those a street car with a racing pedigree. Ford have used many of the same suppliers to kit out the RS as they did for the Colin McRae WRC Focus. They include Sparco (seats), Garrett Technologies (turbocharger), O.Z. Racing (wheels), Brembo (brakes), Sachs Racing (dampers), Quaife (differential) and AP Racing (clutch).

Powering the Focus RS is a turbocharged, 2.0-litre, Duratec RS engine derived from the Duratec 16v Focus engine. It's been hotted up but should still retain durability and the tune has resulted in a useful 310Nm (228 ft-lb) of torque at 3,500 rpm. This gives acceleration from 0-60 mph in 6.4 seconds; 60-100 mph in 9.8 seconds and a top speed of 144 mph.

Ford used to have a very strong following in the UK amongst petrolheads which has waned in recent years thanks to a bunch of lacklustre performance hatches - this car is sure to reverse that trend.

 

[Rossell]

***dribbles***

 

[Ryan2]

Mmm..

 

[alex_gt]

And here's the rear >>

 

[vat_man]

So are they still talking about it, or are they actually going to release it?

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Have you been reading SniffPetrol?!

They want to release it, but I think they've been having 'issues' with the design/production.

Like it doesn't work.

I know the guy who designed the RS lettering. Well, actually, he's my wife's cousin's husband.

 

[alex_gt]

There's no doubt about the :ford: Focus RS going into production, it's been on a Test Drive with some TV Car programmes

GG if you know the badge designer does he know the Interior Designer?

 

[Talentless]

focus has serious safety questions surrounding it

 

[Giancarlo]

I like it.

 

[SaleenASL]

a couple questions.

is the RS the same as the SVT Focus.

is the RS going to be released in the states

is Bhp the same as HP. because the RS has 210 BHP and the SVT focus has 170 HP. so if they arent the same value, that would answer my first question.

To talentless....what were the safety concerns you spoke of.

on another note, i might wanna get a used focus as my daily driver. just thought i would share. i would find any input interesting.

 

[SaleenASL]

Originally posted by SaleenASL
on another note, i might wanna get a used focus as my daily driver. just thought i would share. i would find any input interesting.

i would want the ZTS coupe or hatch. and definately the 2.0 Zetec.

and in alexy2k's post, he said it had a 2.0 L Duratec. i guess its not the same as the SVT, because it has a Zetec engine.

 

[Talentless]

i think reports of wheels coming off, fires and doors coming off or something.

 

[SaleenASL]

i thought u had something more concrete. let me know if u come across that article again.

 

[SaleenASL]

any idea on my other questions?

 

[Hooligan]

Originally posted by SaleenASL
is the RS the same as the SVT Focus.

No. The SVT is still normally aspirated, 170HP, front-wheel drive only, and the interior is basically standard Focus. The RS is a turbocharged 210HP (resulting, I'm sure, in a flatter torque curve), all-wheel-drive, stronger gearbox & drivetrain, much more "sporty" interior -- as seen above. Very different cars.

is the RS going to be released in the states

Not any time soon. Judging by the right-hand-drive photos, it seems the UK gets it first. Since the SVT was just released to the US, I'd give it at least another year before the RS lands on American soil.

is Bhp the same as HP. because the RS has 210 BHP and the SVT focus has 170 HP. so if they arent the same value, that would answer my first question.

As far as I know, yes, they are the same. The 'b' stands for 'brake', as in the dyno method used. In both Europe and the US, the RS will be called the RS. However, in Europe the SVT Focus is called the Focus ST170.

To talentless....what were the safety concerns you spoke of.

Yes, I'd be interested in knowing that, too. I can't imagine Ford having much trouble here. I would guess that there could be crash-test problems (similar to the Lancer EVO), but I don't think that drivability would be an issue.

 

[Talentless]

it was in the syndicated car talk column

 

[Talentless]

i can't find anything on that damn cartalk site. i just know that they said that the gov is looking into it and that they do not feel comfortable recommending the focus

 

[StevieMo]

I've heard about lots of the same stuff as you talentless.. all that and a whole lot of recalls.

 

[SaleenASL]

Hooligan, you are the dude! thanks for answering my questions.

once i get out of college, im gonna stack that cheese and buy a Focus RS. get myself into some rally action across the states.

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Hooligan, the RS is FF, not 4WD.

Talentless, I'm not aware of any issues with the Focus over here, and there are heaps of them about. Also, the car has just won the German TUV reliability test, so it's no shed. Certainly there haven't been reports here of any of the symptoms you mention.

SaleenASL: I was close to buying a Focus at one point, but didn't because of other issues. However, I had custody of one for five days and loved it. I would definitely get one. Just make sure it's got aircon and ABS and you'll be fine. The Zetec engine is a peach.

 

[SaleenASL]

the first car i buy will probably be a "beater with a heater". something that doesnt exactly look good, but runs well.

then once i get out of college i might get a used focus, and save my money for something really sweet. if not, ill get one of the redesigned mustangs or a focus svt.

 

[Hooligan]

Originally posted by GilesGuthrie
Hooligan, the RS is FF, not 4WD.

Erm, right. I was confusing the RS (2001-spec, as in on-paper-only) with the [probably never released] Focus Cosworth.

Talentless, I'm not aware of any issues with the Focus over here, and there are heaps of them about. Also, the car has just won the German TUV reliability test, so it's no shed. Certainly there haven't been reports here of any of the symptoms you mention.

That would be referring to the standard Focus, which goes over pretty well here, too. The RS probably way too many changes to work here. [Once again, see "US Lancer EVO"...or not.]

 

[SaleenASL]

whats the deal with the us lancer evo VII. is one being release here? i saw some pics of what i was told was the US VII, and it looked ugly in the front end.

does it have 227hp?

 

[Hooligan]

Originally posted by SaleenASL
whats the deal with the us lancer evo VII. is one being release here? i saw some pics of what i was told was the US VII, and it looked ugly in the front end.

does it have 227hp?

Whether it comes here in v7 or v8 form, it will have more than 227HP, but most likely less than 276HP. Problems getting the front mount intercooler damage past insurance crash tests has held things up. Not that I think Mitsubishi is in a rush. They seem to think people are happy with the 125HP "Lancer" we have (and, unfortunately, they're right). But I'd look for the v8 -- with one intercooler or another -- in late 2003.

 

[Talentless]

http://consumeraffairs.com/news02/ford_focus.html

 

[Talentless]

http://www.autosafety.org/pressreleases/FordFocus.htm

 

[TVRKing]

I think it's somebody with a grudge against Ford. Not one recall has been announced over here, and as far a safety concerns, it got the highest mark of any car here until the Renault Laguna came along.

 

[alex_gt]

Strange that the :ford: Focus RS has safety concerns when all other models were ok ... Maybe it's due to the extra power then? :burnout:

Oh yea and here's the side angle :gcar::

 

[TVRKing]

 

[SaleenASL]

markko martin drives a focus RS. isnt his 4wd? how come the production focus RS isnt 4wd? that would be cool if it was.

i think im gonna get a used focus as my first car. they sure arent the fastest things on the planet, but i think they are cool. either that, or ill go with an '89 mustang 5.0 GT.