Ford Focus RS Concept

[turpija]

old RS was pretty good with FWD so maybe this one can do it again, AWD would be much better though

[Cutmore]

I like the sound of it all. The car looks great, well exept from it being in green. The RS has always been something that looks great, hopefully this car will follow its footsteps.

[Spiffu]

Nearly 300hp on a FWD, yeah...

Um torque steer much? Top gear already showed what happens in these kinds of setups.

You Tube

You Tube

[Daggernite]

Well it looks good I guess. But 280bhp should be for a AWD car really. I think we all knew it would never happen. I say just buy ST model with the quife diff and new ecu, and you basically have the RS. Wolf tunning will get your ST to 500bhp if you want, and no doubt it will be cheaper than the over priced RS (lets face it, they always are) A all wheel drive system which they could have borrowed from volvo would have made this car.

[pitfield]

Shame it wont be a 4x4. There has been a 4 wheel drive P1 car before in the shape of the early V50, the didn't sell very well though.

[pagani]

Their a couple ford focus st's out there whit 300 hp or more
Example

Focus ST3 GGR300 - YouTube

Focus ST3 GGR300 - YouTube

[HeilSvenska]

I'm sure Jost Capito knows what he's doing. He was the engineer behind the super-successful E30 M3 Touring Car.

[79TA]

sigh, I'll just keep hoping for an AWD version. At least some of the anti-torque steer technology has improved. Unfortunately, buyers in the fwd segment seem to measure hp by torque steer alone . . .

One would think Ford's excellent performance in WRC would give them the pieces necessary for a good awd evo/sti fighter.

[Mattk]

Looks very promising. FF hot hatches always have a soft spot in my car-lovin' heart.

[HeilSvenska]

July 23rd - British Motor Show

[acs power]

OFFICAL:

The new Ford Focus will be presented this year to Latin American and USA customers, but European clients will always be naturally ahead of the rest of the world. A pretty good example of that is the new Ford Focus RS, scheduled to be officially presented at the 2008 edition of the British Motor Show. Although we will have to wait until July 22 to see it in metal and wheels, its first official pictures have been released today.

Besides the striking looks of the new hot hatch, which you can see with your own eyes in these pictures, the Focus RS, the second Focus to be honoured with this badge, will have 300 bhp and 410 Nm under its bonnet. Since development is still ongoing, there may even be a few extra horses to push this beautiful piece of machinery.

Although apparently aesthetical, most changes in the car respond to functional needs, such as the two bonnet louvres, needed to keep the turbocharged Duratec 2.5-litre 5-cylinder engine in the right temperature, the wider wheel arches, for the 40 mm wider track, Recaro seats, for a better driving experience and so forth. The car is said to reach 100 km/h, from standstill, in under 6 s.

Since the car has kept its front wheel drive system, surely for cost reasons (although Ford claims the problem was the added weight), it had to count on some assistance to remain an obedient little car. That’s why Ford has equipped it with a Quaife Automatic Torque Biasing limited-slip differential, but this is just part of the package. The other part is what Ford calls “RevoKnuckle”, a new front suspension system that works with the Quaife differential in order to avoid torque steer.

If it has worked or not, in a 300 bhp front-wheel drive car, is something we will have to check for ourselves when the car is available for the press test-driving. After its introduction, the new Ford Focus RS will keep being developed to reach the streets, what will happen by the beginning of 2009. We only hope it will spread to other markets as well as the regular versions of the new Focus.

[CarlZ]

pretty car, I like it

[Shilder]

Beatifull car

[HeilSvenska]

Press release too long. I'll summarize.

The new Focus RS will go on sale in early 2009 and is being created by a small team of dedicated engineers, under the direction of Jost Capito, Ford of Europe's Vehicle Line Director for Performance Vehicles. The vehicle is finished in a special bright green paint with inlaid metallic flake, a striking, modern interpretation of the 1970s Le Mans Green of the Escort RS1600 era. Front and rear quarter panels have been revised to incorporate wider wheel arches and a wider track, complemented by revised, deeper side rocker mouldings. At the rear, a deep new rear bumper incorporates a large venturi tunnel to its lower edge with small vents at each corner of the bumper, emphasizing the car's width. Powerful RS heart At the heart of the all-new Focus RS is a specially developed, turbocharged version of the Duratec 2.5-litre 5-cylinder engine. Significantly revised for high performance, this powerplant is targeting an impressive power output of 300PS and over 410Nm of torque, contributing to an excellent power-to-weight ratio. Such significant increases are not simply the result of altering engine management or boost pressure: starting with the Duratec 2.5-litre block, Ford RS engineers developed unique camshafts, a revised cylinder head and gasket and revised intake and exhaust manifold system for the car. Although the car is still in development, prior to its launch in early 2009, early performance testing indicates a 0-100km/h (0-62mph) time of under six seconds. A traction 'Revo'-lution The new Ford Focus RS is equipped with an innovative front suspension system known as a 'RevoKnuckle', which is designed to reduce unwanted steering disturbance and torque steer, the impact of torque on steering in front-wheel driven vehicles. In Focus RS, the RevoKnuckle works in conjunction with a Quaife Automatic Torque Biasing limited-slip differential. Ford Team RS engineers have worked closely with Ford's Advanced Research Centre in Aachen, Germany to develop the RevoKnuckle technology specifically for the high performance Focus RS. It allows the simplicity of a traditional McPherson strut arrangement, but with geometry settings that minimize steering disturbances and torque steer, principally a reduction in steering offset. "As you would expect, we gave all-wheel-drive careful consideration, but by combining and tuning these elements and learning from Ford's expertise in industry-leading handling, we have managed to eliminate the weight of AWD from the car and still have been able to target a class-leading balance of traction, handling and performance. "The result is a lightweight set-up, that will deliver the right blend of traction and razor sharp controllability – in a way no one would have expected from front-wheel-drive, and we believe we have made the right choice," Capito concluded. Dynamic, agile and responsive Driving quality developments for Focus RS include a 40mm wider track, stronger, longer driveshafts, revised springs and dampers and a thicker, longer rear anti-roll bar. At the same time, the steering system has been retuned to provide an even sharper steering response and very precise feedback. Brakes also have been uprated, with 336mm ventilated front discs and 300mm rear discs generating vice-like stopping power on road or track. Large calipers peek out from behind unique 19-inch wheels, wrapped in 235/35 low profile Continental tyres. A special version of Ford's ESP system has also been developed for Focus RS, designed to allow a very sporty driving style before activating. Intensive work to refine the natural handling abilities of the car has allowed the ESP system to carry a full de-activation option for enthusiast drivers and especially for track use. "We are refining all the handling characteristics of Focus RS without ESP, to hone its natural responses, rather than use ESP to help its handling. In Focus RS, ESP is a pure safety device", explained Capito.

Full press release @ Ford
http://media.ford.com/article_displa...ticle_id=28566