15 Things You Need to Know About the 2017 Ford Focus RS

The Concentrate RS is finally here!

Right after a long wait—and one even longer in the U.S., where the vehicle has by no means been sold—a new Ford Focus RS is coming! Ford revealed the ultra-high-functionality Concentrate hatchback at a particular event in Cologne, Germany, where the automobile was created. But the company only spilled a mere trickle of info. C’;mon, Ford, we’;re talking about a 316-plus-hp (see? we don’;t even have final output figures), all-wheel-drive hot hatch here—we need to have all of the details! Fortunately, we cornered a few Ford people and pressed them for a lot more RS details—read on for the secrets they divulged.

1) Higher 5! We get the same car Europe does!

Ford insists that the U.S.-spec Focus RS will be totally identical to the one particular sold elsewhere, save for safety and homologation gear.

2) The Focus RS may go racing

When asked whether or not or not Ford was arranging on racing the Focus RS, Ford’;s chief of international performance vehicle development Jamal Hameedi answered that “it’;s an outstanding platform to go racing with.” It did not finish there when pressed, he added: “Amazing vehicles constantly go racing.” The takeaway? Appear for this auto in a racing or rally series of some type in the subsequent year.

3) No RevoKnuckle necessary

Ford’;s clever RevoKnuckle front suspension design, which it has employed on high-horsepower front-drive models like the last-generation Focus RS500 to tame torque steer, wasn’;t necessary on the new RS. Torque steer instead is quelled by the all-wheel-drive program and specific suspension tuning.

4) Mustang engine, RS tune

Considerably has been created of the RS engine’;s EcoBoost Mustang roots, but it is been comprehensively upgraded for Focus duty. In the RS, the 2.3-liter 4-cylinder wears a new turbocharger, a new cylinder head, and a completely distinctive cooling setup tailored to the Focus’;s transverse engine layout and differently shaped front finish. Official output figures are forthcoming, but we’;ve been told to anticipate “nicely in excess” of 316 horsepower. The EcoBoost Mustang, for reference, makes do with 310.

5) It won’;t have main carbon-fiber parts

As you probably currently surmised, the Concentrate RS will share its basic body with the normal Concentrate. It also will share that car’;s total lack of carbon-fiber physique panels.

6) It could be a Ford, but right here in the U.S., it’;ll be an import

Ford will assemble every single Concentrate RS it sells globally at its Saarlouis, Germany, assembly plant. The RS will be constructed alongside more pedestrian Foci there, and surely will make those normal Focuses really feel insecure.

7) Take a hike, Haldex—this AWD is Ford-only

Unlike its important competitor, the VW Golf R, the Focus RS utilizes an all-wheel-drive program that is said to have been developed completely in-house. Assuming the RS is traveling in a straight line with zero slip at any of its 4 tires, the all-wheel drive setup sends 25 % of the accessible power to the front axle. When slip is detected or if there is steering input, up to 70 percent of the obtainable power can be sent rearward.

8) Some percentage of the time, each rear wheel gets 100 percent of up to 70 % of offered torque

Like Sex Panther men’;s cologne, which 60 % of the time works each and every time, the Concentrate RS’;s rear axle is all about difficult percentages. The all-wheel-drive technique is capable of routing up to 70 % of the accessible torque to the rear axle. From there, it can be split evenly amongst each rear wheel, or, in extreme cases, the system’;s brain can instruct the rear-axle torque-vectoring mechanism’;s 2 clutches to direct 25 % of the rear-axle torque to a single rear wheel. Exciting-with-numbers time: 25 percent of 70 % of obtainable engine torque can be directed at a single rear wheel to aid rotate the car in corners. Dooorrriffftoooo!

9) That tricky differential is not the only factor capable of inducing rotation

While the brunt of the process of shoving the RS’;s ass end around corners falls on the rear-axle torque-vectoring mechanism, Ford tells us the hot hatch does get some aid from the brakes in corners. Operating mostly on the front axle, the car’;s brain can brake the inside wheel(s) when getting into and leaving a corner to induce a yaw event—otherwise recognized as understeer mitigation.

10) Speaking of the brakes . . .

Like virtually each other factory overall performance car these days, the Concentrate RS’;s brakes will be supplied by—you guessed it—Brembo.

11) Ford knows what is up when it comes to Saving the Manuals

Do not get us wrong, it makes us cringe to even think the words “automatic transmission” when discussing a vehicle like the Concentrate RS, but we had to ask Ford whether or not it planned to introduce an auto-equipped RS. We have been told that there are “no plans” for an automatic of any sort (dual-clutch or otherwise), followed with a hearty “You are welcome” from the company’;s chief engineer of global efficiency autos. Save the Manuals!

12) Ford could have gone gung-ho on the RS’;s top speed

In our testing, we’;ve found the 252-hp Focus ST loses its fight against aerodynamic drag at 150 mph—not far off of the highest quantity on the U.S.-spec speedometer, 160 mph. Hunting at Ford’;s photos of the 2017 RS, on the other hand, we can clearly make out that its speedometer runs all the way to 300 kph, or 186 mph. Ahead of you get as well excited, Ford slaps a 280-kph (174-mph) speedo on the European Concentrate ST. Suffice it to say, although, that we’;re hunting forward to personally verifying the car’;s Vmax.

13) Six speeds, a lot more than 1 drive mode

The RS will come standard with a 6-speed manual transmission, just like the Focus ST. Unlike the ST, the RS has a drive-mode button Ford hasn’;t told us however what modes there are, but are we crazy for hoping one riffs off of the Tesla P85D’;s “Insane Mode”? Possibly get in touch with it “Ludicrous Speed” or anything?

14) This is the not-messing-about rubber

Don’;t be shocked if the RS posts absolutely bonkers grip figures when we at some point test the car—its tires are that critical. Both ends of the car will ride on 19-inch 235/35 Michelin Pilot Super Sports. The front-drive Concentrate ST, on the other hand, wears Goodyear F1 Asymmetric 2 tires sized 235/40—and it posted .96 g on our skidpad. Yeah, the RS is going to be rad.

15) the one point we do not like about the Concentrate RS . . . ?

In spite of the number of hot Ford RS models more than the years to put on ultra-sweet stripe packages, Ford tells us there are no plans to provide stripe kits for the Concentrate RS. That’;s okay, though—we can cut vinyl just fine ourselves.

15 Things You Need to Know About the 2017 Ford Focus RS