While we never saw it in North America, Ford is no stranger to offering the ridiculously fast Focus RS to European enthusiasts.
According to a new report, the Focus lineup will heat up considerably once again by 2016 with the introduction of an all-new RS. Barb Samardzich, Ford Europe’s chief operating officer, hinted to AutoExpress that there is “a strong desire” to build a halo car along the lines of a red-hot successor to the original Focus RS.
As if that’s not enough to whet the appetite of enthusiasts across the globe, a company spokesman says because of the company’s rich heritage for RS-badged cars, it isn’t “about to let any competitors overtake us in that respect. You can rest assured that Martin [Smith, director of design for Ford Europe] and his teams are fully focused on the future of our performance strategy.”
If the rumours hold true, the Focus RS will likely be powered by Ford’s new EcoBoost 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine, which will first appear in the 2015 Mustang, but tuned to match the 350 horsepower from the previous generation Focus RS500. In addition, the Focus RS will retain its front-wheel-drive setup in the name of weight and cost savings, but it will feature an electronic differential to curb torque steer and maximize traction.
If the project is green-lit, the RS should appear around the end of the current Focus’ life cycle in 2016.
