sorry for lack of link, but Road and Track is now reporting this and hinting that the "performance oriented" AWD system may trickle into other models, possibly a 2.0L ecoboost fiesta?
Either way I welcome our new Cossie-quese overlords.
sorry for lack of link, but Road and Track is now reporting this and hinting that the "performance oriented" AWD system may trickle into other models, possibly a 2.0L ecoboost fiesta?
Either way I welcome our new Cossie-quese overlords.
http://www.roadandtrack.com/go/future-cars/2016-ford-focus-rs-first-details-exclusive-insider-info
I look forward to seeing these in the metal...
This is interesting. I do hope it happens.
I'm guessing mid-$30s on price?
That's about what a STI or EVO would cost, i'd assume they would charge the same.
Hoping for mid 300hps like the AMG A45 has. Tired of these kind of cars being stuck at 300
kanaric wrote: That's about what a STI or EVO would cost, i'd assume they would charge the same. Hoping for mid 300hps like the AMG A45 has. Tired of these kind of cars being stuck at 300
While I understand your point, there's not that much more that realistically could be gained. I think 300hp is going to be it for the 2.3l (this is specualtion on my part, not official information). That's a pretty reasonable target for that engine in the Mustang, and is right where it should be in the Explorer (which is actually the real reason for the 2.3l.).
The only part of an RS or performance small car that isn't on other cars is the trans- but the most expensive part is shared with a high volume car. The 1.6 is in the Escape and Fusion, the 2.0l is also in the Fusion, Escape, Explorer, Edge, and Linclon versions. The 2.3l IS in the MKC, should be in the Explorer, Mustang .
Anyway, you get the point- making 5000 special edition versions of basically a 300-500k annual motor is easy. Which makes both the ST's and this possible RS really possible for a long time.
Side note to show what it took to get the RS name out to the public. I watched this vid yesterday (doing some research on Mk1 Escorts and the like). Very cool history of the RS in Boreham up to the Focus RS. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MsAN0ETLss
Cool. That should be a fun package. I like it. I shopped for a Focus SVT back in 2005, but really wanted the Euro -only RS model.
I hope that they have this in full swing by the middle of next year. I might have to shop new for once.
That would be exciting if they actually did it. Some competition for Subaru with Mitsubishi petering out. Of all the turbo AWD cars of the last 15 years, we only saw greater than 2.0L displacement in the EJ25 family which obviously has a mixed reliability record.
Looks like the EB2.3 is a stroked EB2.0, 87.5 x 94 mm vs 87.5 x 83.1 mm. That's a longer stroke but nothing crazy like Nissan's crappy QR25 which was 100mm. Should be able to spin to ~7k without piston speed issues which is plenty. Maybe there will be a new STI powerplant by the time this thing is out.
I hope they put some mechanical differentials in this car if they do release it. I'll be pissed if it's all brake based wizardry that is great fun on the street and then overheats and falls on its face on the track.
When is this supposed to be released?
turtl631 wrote: I hope they put some mechanical differentials in this car if they do release it. I'll be pissed if it's all brake based wizardry that is great fun on the street and then overheats and falls on its face on the track.
This...
They used the term torque vectoring in the description, which screams to me, brake based wizardry.
Motorsports wise, it is an interesting possibility. On the rally/rallycross side of things, I wonder what ramifications it might have. It could be an interesting platform for super production in rally america. Wonder if ford would encourage supported rallycross teams to move to the focus platform from the fiesta platform, just for the marketing aspect. It would be a bigger chassis, which is not necessarily preferable.
Am I the only person to whom AWD has no appeal?
Burnouts are fun. Torque steer is fun. Working to drive the car well is fun. Granted, I don't live in a place with tons of snow.
Powar wrote: Am I the only person to whom AWD has no appeal? Burnouts are fun. Torque steer is fun. Working to drive the car well is fun. Granted, I don't live in a place with tons of snow.
I'd like the chance to drive a performance AWD car in anger before agreeing, but I tentatively concur.
In reply to Powar:
Funny you mention that, as between the Ford STs I prefer the lighter, more nimble, tossable Fiesta. But in AWD guise you lose a lot of the playful nature that makes the Fiesta St such a hoot to drive, more weight, heavier steering, not as eager to rotate, so if the AWD system trickles down to a Fiesta RS, as teased, I'd likely opt for the Focus in RS guise for the longer wheelbase and greater stability.
sachilles wrote: It would be a bigger chassis, which is not necessarily preferable.
About the same size as the old Focus WRC which looked ginormous. Also, look at the 2014 STi Higgins is racing, doesn't seem to slow him (or Antoine in the EVOX) down.
My main concern is the drivetrain. If its Haldex, game over. That thing is fine for the street, but sucks for rallying 
Powar wrote: Granted, I don't live in a place with tons of snow.
I would not buy an awd vehicle if I lived where it never snows. There is just no point. So you have a reasonable excuse.
There is snow 6+ months of the year on the ground here, so awd is amazing 
HiTempguy, I'm referring to rallycross for the size, and it would indeed be a big issue. You can't currently change the wheelbase for the fia or grc rallycross series. On the rally side you can pretty much do what you want in open class, so I don't think it would be a huge issue.
sachilles wrote: HiTempguy, I'm referring to rallycross for the size, and it would indeed be a big issue. You can't currently change the wheelbase for the fia or grc rallycross series. On the rally side you can pretty much do what you want in open class, so I don't think it would be a huge issue.
Oh for sure. Of course, the North American market is large enough to dictate its own vehicles. Subaru is doing fine (again, a larger car) in the rallycross segment. And VW is releasing the beetle GRC car because they don't sell the Polo in NA. So I could definitely see it being made into a rallycross car. Whether ford will bother is another question entirely.
Bad internet connection wiped out my post when I clicked "post" so here's what I remember 
The article mentions "high-performance AWD" system that is unrelated to the common vehicles, so HOPEFULLY it's legit. If it's a brake-based vectoring system, then no thanks. Same if the AWD is front-biased. If it's mechanical (or electro-mechanical) and it comes with 350 HP, then watch out, STI! (And this from an STI owner).
As far as AWD being only good for snow, you need to drive one on track. My two previous cars were an SR-swapped 240SX and a mostly-stock S2000, and there is no way on earth I could get on the power as early in those cars as I can with the STI, especially if they had the same power-to-weight (the STI has about 80% more power). It's like a freaking slingshot out of the corner. Stability on sweepers is better, too. Through the turn 14/15 section of Atlanta Motorsports Park, I could hang out around 50-65% throttle watching E46 M3s, C6 Vettes, etc in front of me - at the same speed - varying their yaw angles while metering out the power, while I'm just chilling out waiting for the point-by so I could squeeze the pedal down. Granted, with no traffic I still didn't go max effort around that section, because its fast and intimidating and I didn't get HPDE insurance for this event and I went on deployment a week later 
, but it was noticeable how much more stable I was through there under power. I don't like the nose-heaviness, but with a 35/65 torque split and some suspension tweaking it handles well enough that the early, and BIG, power application helps make up for it 
If that shakes out well I might have a V8 Mustang for sale...
sachilles wrote: They used the term torque vectoring in the description, which screams to me, brake based wizardry.
That's what it means - electronically controlled selective wheel braking to adjust the vehicle's yaw.
GameboyRMH wrote:sachilles wrote: They used the term torque vectoring in the description, which screams to me, brake based wizardry.That's what it means - electronically controlled selective wheel braking to adjust the vehicle's yaw.
Not always. The Evo and (most of) the torque-vectoring Audis use electronically-controlled diffs, not brakes. There's a difference between basic "yaw control" and real "torque vectoring".
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