New Focus RS hot-hatch is go

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by Drivel

More power, still front-wheel drive for next-generation hero Focus, while XR5 Turbo replacement will be rebadged ST for Australia.

Ford has confirmed it is developing a new flagship, RS version of its latest-generation Focus small car.

The company’s global boss for small cars, Gunnar Herrmann, revealed to Drive that the third iteration of the hot-hatch was in the works at this week’s local launch of the all-new Focus.

The current RS was belatedly imported to Australia last year in limited numbers and a $59,990 price tag. It proved to be an impressive engineering feat by putting 224kW of power through the front wheels only, but Ford says the replacement will have more power and continue to ignore all-wheel drive.
“I think we stay with our two-wheel-drive strategy [for the new RS], which I think was well executed [for the previous version],” says Herrmann, Ford’s German vehicle line director for C-segment (small vehicle) platform.

“I think [more power for the next RS] is sustainable. With the limited edition RS500 [sold only in the UK] we went up to 350 horsepower [261kW] and some of our development units we have them up to 380hp [283kW]. And we even moved torque [upwards].

“And then you really get into engine durability. But [the car] can handle it.”

The new RS, expected in late 2013 or 2014, will continue to employ the so-called ‘Revoknuckle’ suspension that allowed Ford to put 224kW through the front wheels without creating excessive torque steer – the undesirable effect of sometimes violent steering wheel tugs when lots of power is fed through the same wheels trying to direct the car.

Herrmann’s comments suggest there’s no truth to one rumour in the UK that the new RS would become all-wheel-drive by adopting electric motors to power the rear axle.

Herrmann says the current RS’s Volvo-sourced 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo was a great engine for tuning to higher power levels, and admits Ford’s engineers are still working at extracting more power out of the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo that will initially power the ST with 184kW.

The ST, which for cost reasons won’t feature the RS’s clever front suspension when it goes on sale in 2012, will also retain its European badge for Australia, Ford has confirmed.

Ford rebadged the existing Focus ST as XR5 Turbo, but the replacement’s switch to a four-cylinder engine has upset the XR naming strategy – including cars such as the inline six-cylinder Falcon XR6 and V8-powered XR8 - that has been based on the cylinder count.

Ford Australia’s sales and marketing boss, Beth Donovan, says the ST badge also makes sense considering the company has changed all the trim level titles for the regular new Focus.

“We went to Titanium from Ghia for Territory and then on Focus, so nomenclature wise we’re not going to be CL, LX or Zetec anymore,” she says. “We’re now Ambiente, Trend, Sport and Titanium.

“And as we introduce new models of passenger cars, that stragety follows. So from a nomenclature perspective, if it’s well thought out... [it works]. The [Focus] RS is a good example of that. People knew what [the badge] was.

“So from our perspective if we’re going to bring it in it’s going to be ST.”
Ford Australia is likely to use the ST badge again for the Fiesta XR4 replacement that should appear later in 2012, but XR will remain for sporty Falcons.

“XR is an icon for Falcon,” says Donovan. “And I really think we can have both those [badges] in the same stable. Customers identity with XR and Falcon; it’s got really strong heritage.”

All kinda hearsay as its still very early. Im glad the will use the ST badge though.

[Bucknaked]

Interesting article. I do agree that the imported models which got the XR badge, never really seemed to be a logical fit. The Focus and Fiesta should have retained the ST badging and the RS leveraged from those models. Bit like Buying an XR8, when you really want a GT. Or XR6T and an F6.