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Focus RS Confirmed

178K views 2K replies 127 participants last post by  Focus112 
#1 ·
Ford Focus RS Forum

Autocar UK released an article confirming the next RS is happening, and will be sold in North America as well.



Engine will be the 2.3 EcoBoost with 330hp with higher then the previous RS 324 ft.lb tq, are numbers been mentioned.
And with a mechanical diff, and no AWD, and it is a 5 door.

Expected sometime in 2016

I tried to share Autocar's pdf file here but the site will not accept the file.
 
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#42 ·
You know the funny thing for me is... I'd be okay paying that for an RS Estate... That said, i think that for that, you'd probably be competing with the likes of the amg wagon... Idunno, I like ford, but i still think the MB is a major step up still, even at the same price...
 
#43 ·
They tried tacking on $5k to the ST when it first arrived, and many sat on lots because of it. Current incentives drop it down to around $24.5k fully-loaded, depending on where you live. I would like to think Ford learned the lesson of dealer-markup on the Focus platform, but I highly doubt it.

Assuming the RS to be at or below $35k, I would be willing to pay sticker in the first model-year, but not a penny more. You can get a whole lot more car in other brands for that price, and it is a relatively small market to begin with.

For an estate I would be willing to go a bit over $35k as well, but it better be optioned out. Americans don't really support wagons, so I think I have a better chance of scoring with Kate Upton than actually seeing one on our shores for purchase.
 
#44 ·
For an estate I would be willing to go a bit over $35k as well, but it better be optioned out. Americans don't really support wagons, so I think I have a better chance of scoring with Kate Upton than actually seeing one on our shores for purchase.
As much as my heart cries out "no, north Americans just don't want boring wagons", my brain says you are right and wagons just would not sell enough to make it feasible...

I do wonder tho, at the $35k mark, what vehicles would be in target area? And how many of those offer a wagon variant? Like, I know the CLA45 would be right in that area, but it doesn't offer a wagon... Any others you can think of?
 
#45 ·
Back on the AWD subject for a sec. I think we can all agree on the doubtful that the focus will ever get that option. With that being said, I saw several people say it would be better with out due to weight and mileage.

To be honest if your buy a higher end turbo4 and your worried about mileage your buying the wrong car. Your not gonna notice the weight with 300+ hp on tap.

I don't even notice the weight on my Subaru coupe. It's maybe 100hp, especially in the snow. It feels like a ATV with a roof. When we had -40 and 18 to 22 iinches of snow on the ground I was finding every excuse to just run to the store. The car was AMAZING in the snow, rivaling dry pavement.

I can't even imagine a STI or EVO. If and only if the soeed3 comes in AWD vs the Most likely cheaper RS. I would buy the speed in a heart beat. But I want a STI and my Mazda will be traded for one in the next year or so.
 
#50 ·
I think you're missing the point about mileage. I'm not saying that I would buy an RS for mileage-I'm saying that, especially where I'm at in NC that only sees a couple inches of snow for a few days a year, I don't want to pay the mileage penalty of having AWD. If I lived in Colorado I might feel differently about it, but even then a LSD addresses many of the issues a fwd platform has in adverse weather.

Is it faster at the strip and around the track? Sure. Is it better in poor weather? Sure. Do either of those situations apply in my life? Well, if I assume a bad year with seven days of bad weather, then I'm talking about 2% of the entire year. That doesn't meet my 90% criteria in which I buy vehicles and therefore has no real justification in my life.

On top of that, the 2% of the time that it would outperform fwd and justify itself-the city would basically be shut down anyways and I wouldn't have much of a need to go out anyways. If the RS magically became awd I would buy it anyways, but if Ford specifically gave me the option I just couldn't justify it.

Tl;dr-AWD had no real place in my life, but I have no intention of hyper-miling a RS.
 
#47 ·
Ford (And Jost Capito) have said in the past that the Focus is a FWD car and always will be. The handling characteristics we've all come to know and love would be ruined by an AWD system. If you want a hot AWD car, go buy one but don't ever expect it to be a Focus.
 
#48 ·
Heres the thing tho, as far as I know, the escape is built on the same chassis as the focus, which would make adding AWD to the focus relatively simple. True, its not a guarantee, but until they are sitting in dealerships, nothing is guaranteed...


Oh, and people can change their minds on things...
 
#49 ·
^transverse mount awd systems are virtually useless in high-performance applications for a multitude of reasons.

if ford wanted to be competitive with a 4wd sports car, they would basically have to redesign the whole car from the ground up. (which is why we will never see a 4wd RS)
 
#51 ·
My point was that ford already has a focus-sized chassis that can be equipped with an AWD system without needing a complete redesign. Whether they will or won't is still to be determined. Would it be a less than ideally perfect AWD system? Sure, but would it function correctly and provide the proper benefits to the majority of people who would drive it? You bet it would. Now, for all we know, it might end up as an option... The "base" RS gets FWD, the "lux" version gets AWD... Who knows
 
#53 ·
I think he means the fwd-biased active AWD systems (Mazdaspeed 6, etc) is inferior to the driver-adjustable systems installed in more serious performance cars (STi, etc.) because it only allows 50% of torque to be sent to the rear wheels. A simple, active system is likely the one that Ford would put in the RS, if they offered AWD.

I'd be fine with it, because while I don't race my cars, some extra grip at launch or when accelerating around corners would be great when you're putting down 250+ hp. I got my first taste of high-hp in a FWD car when I bought my 2002 Altima 3.5, and it sucks when you don't at least have an LSD. When I got the Mazdaspeed 6, I thought I'd died & gone to heaven. An LSD should tame the RS a little, but it won't do much to stop it from laying twin, expensive stripes on the road at launch.
 
#61 ·
An LSD should tame the RS a little, but it won't do much to stop it from laying twin, expensive stripes on the road at launch.
Launching your RS?
Stop acting like a teenage boy and learn how to drive it properly.

Limited traction from a standing start is a non-issue for the RS.

IMO, "launching" is something that you do with a Mustang GT on drag slicks.
 
#54 ·
My Saab is a transverse AWD system, Haldex Gen 4 to be exact. It's geared more for performance than weather-related traction issues, and I think it works pretty well. Can preemptively send torque to the rear, can split almost all torque between the front or rear, and is even available with a electronic rear LSD (original owner didn't tick that option on mine though..)

On the RS, I'm skeptical until proved otherwise as well. Either way I wouldn't be a buyer, the ST would fits my needs and bank account better.
 
#58 ·
I like that RonMaiden has backed down from his $40k price tag, and is now just saying "at least $35k" My harping must be working...
 
#59 ·
I'm still saying over $40k out the door if they are on a limited run plus this is all dependent on IF it even is sold here. $35k is still a bit steep considering it's competition in the price range. I still think the US will get snubbed again and the price will be a moot point.
 
#63 ·
Humorous, but even if an RS did sell in the US for 35k, that is competing with the STI, Evo, Chevy Camaro, Mustang GT convertible, Challenger R/T. Personally I would choose any of those over a fwd focus.
 
#64 ·
The RS might compete with the STi to an extent. (I think more the Golf R.) The Evo is gone soon, so no competition there, and most people that will look at the RS aren't cross shopping the Camaro, Mustang or Challenger. It's a hot hatch. Is it a niche? You bet, they aren't expecting to sell 20,000 of them...
 
#65 ·
Thank you for pointing out the Golf R, I always forget about that one.

I am not saying everyone needs to agree with me, but if you gave me $35k to spend on a sporty car, a fwd focus would certainly not be at the top of my list. Yes, the mustang/challenger/camaro are in a different class, but a consumer that is just looking for a fun ride might consider any of these options, and unless they are specifically looking for a hot hatch, I think it would be hard to walk away from some of the other options in this price range.

If someone came to you and said you could have any one of the above listed cars, which would you choose?
 
#70 ·
I would actually still choose the RS, mainly for the fact that I would be one of the few that would. It's kind of nice not seeing something like your car everywhere you go. I've owned my FiST for two months now and only seen another one driving three times. But that's just me, I have no real need/desire for racing or the absolute best performance for the dollar.
 
#82 ·
I would actually still choose the RS, mainly for the fact that I would be one of the few that would. It's kind of nice not seeing something like your car everywhere you go. I've owned my FiST for two months now and only seen another one driving three times. But that's just me, I have no real need/desire for racing or the absolute best performance for the dollar.
That's pretty much the only argument you could have (besides comfort & looks maybe).


Also keep in mind resale value. Fords dont exactly hold value well.
 
#67 ·
Focus RS or maybe Golf R (if they make the new one get better mpg.) I still think the RS will be less than $35k base, as I've pointed out before. The MK2 RS would have started at under $30k here, had the MK2 focus been sold here.

If I had the ability to have 2 cars, then a Mustang/Camaro/Challenger is a better option. I mountain bike, snowboard, etc, and a Focus RS is about the best do it all car there is. It'll likely get 30+mpg highway, (Something even the Golf R and STi can't touch.) It has hatchback functionality, and can seat 4 comfortably. There aren't many cars out there that can touch it.
 
#68 ·
See unless the RS becomes AWD and as stated multiple times in this thread, it's not. It would never compete with the sti and evo guys. Probably not the golf R either. Coming from someone who hangs out in the awd and subi forums. The focus ST isn't even a pigment in the imagination of those guys. The idea of a fwd anything is useless to them as well as most RWD cars.

I can count on one hand the amount of foci ever built that could even attempt to compete with some of those guys.
 
#69 ·
I agree to an extent. (I drive a Saabaru currently...) Quite a few guys here in MI in the Subi scene are former Focus guys, and quite a few of them know of/like the Focus ST. But you are correct, many don't even have it on their radar.
 
#71 ·
Nobody loves a realist but RS fans are so used to living in fantasy land for over a decade they can't remove themselves from it and be objective.
This tthread title amuses me every time I see it since nothing has been confirmed and still in speculative mode and is no different than the other threads on the RS.

ps, I love my Debbie Downer avatar. Hehehehe rofl
 
#72 ·
You can be a realist in saying this still isn't confirmed. I would argue my price speculation is more realist than your arbitrary guessing...
 
#73 ·
I'm going by what several car articles have stated and some were speculating at around $38k since the '09 RS would've been over $35k with regards to the euro and the pound. I'm not guessing.

You avatar fit you too since it looks like a guy who's panties are in a wad. Lol
 
#74 ·
I have pointed out numerous times the flaw in these articles logic. (As you very well know.) They simply took the UK pricing and converted it to US dollars. If we did that with the Focus ST, it would cost $36k here...

Link to it for the 10th time...

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5550825&postcount=57

I've read a few crap articles that said it would be $40k, and they did just what I quoted in my last post. They took the cost in the UK and did a conversion. (Which is stupid, as cars are FAR more expensive in the UK.) Let me drop some logic, again...


MK1 Focus ST170 price in the UK: £15,995
MK1 Focus RS price in the UK: £20,000
(The SVT Focus which is essentially the ST170 started at $17,995.)

So the MK1 RS base price was 25% higher than the base ST price.

MK2 Focus ST base price in the UK: £20,850
MK2 Focus RS base price in the UK: £24995

So the MK2 RS base price was 19% higher than the base ST price.

What some unintelligent/misinformed people will do is take the £24995 and convert it to U.S. dollars. ($41701.66 as of today.) But this is a very STUPID calculation, and I'll show you why:

2013 Focus ST base prices in the UK: £21,995

This converted to U.S. dollars is...

Wait for it...

$36696.46 in U.S. dollars.

But wait, you say the new Focus ST doesn't start at $36k and change here?

That's because cars are FAR more expensive in the UK (Are we learning?) Now let me get to a more realistic valuation of the next gen RS.

2013 Focus ST base prices in the U.S.: $24,495.

Option 1: Take this number and multiply it by 1.19 (based on the difference in price from a MK2 ST and MK2 RS in the UK.)

We get a base price for the RS of... $29,149.05

Think that's too conservative? I would possibly agree.

Option 2: Let's make the RS base price 38% more than the base ST price (Twice the price gap of the last generation and 13% more than the gap for the MK1 version.):

That's $24,495 * 1.38 = $33,803.10.

Arguing a $40k price for a base RS doesn't makes sense. That's a 63% increase over a base ST starting price.
 
#77 ·
Seeing all the price talks makes me want to point out - STs cost 35-38K here and they still sell well. 35K for an RS would be a bargain methinks.
 
#80 ·
Yea, i love that it explains the differences, but i take issue with expecting one tire to be able to propel a vehicle from a stop on a hill up an incline. Keep in mind, gearing would have also had an impact on the ability to move forward. I noticed that they didnt test jeep (the standard in 4wd) on that same test. Subaru handled it easily because they started with awd and added traction control after, the rest started with T/C and add awd (which is where the difficulty for the systems come in).
 
#81 ·
The point wasnt to test a jeep or other off-road type vehicles.Note that they didnt test any trucks either.

You are overthinking the gearing thing. It's not about how much power/gearing the car has, its about how it distributes that power. Non-symmetrical drivetrains are severely limited in this capability, which is why every car (besides the subaru) failed.
 
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