Ford Focus RS

Push the start button and the 215-PS engine growls to life. Inspired by the Ford rs WRC and boasting impressive performance credentials of its own, the Ford rs RS is ready to take its place as the ultimate rs for the street, reinvigorating the legendary RS brand across Europe.
Conceived as a pure driver’s car, the new rs RS delivers a true performance edge with a harmonious balance of exhilarating power and acceleration, confident and precise dynamics and steering capabilities, impressive braking efficiency, aggressive exterior styling and a purposeful, driver-oriented interior.

Appropriately revised and engineered for everyday use versus the more expensive and torturous exclusivity of a WRC event, the new flagship road car incorporates some of the most respected names in motorsport. These include Sparco (seats), Garrett Technologies (turbocharger), O.Z. Racing (wheels), Brembo (brakes), Sachs Racing (dampers), Quaife (differential) and AP Racing (clutch).

Powering rs RS is a turbocharged, 2.0-litre, Duratec RS engine derived from the 130 PS, naturally aspirated, four-cylinder Duratec engine that leads the mainstream rs petrol range. Duratec RS delivers peak (homologated) horsepower of 215 PS (158 kW) at 5,500 rpm, an increase of 65 per cent. Torque output has been increased even more, by over 70 per cent, to a peak of 310 Nm (227 lb.ft.) at 3,500 rpm.

Impressive performance statistics for the new rs RS include:

· Acceleration from a standing start – rs RS powers from 0 – 60 mph in 6.4 seconds (0 – 100 kph in 6.7 seconds).

· In-gear acceleration – rs RS can accelerate from 60 – 100 mph in only 9.8 seconds in 4th gear (50 – 100 kph in 8.2 seconds).

· Top speed – rs RS achieves a ‘V-max’ of 144 mph (232 kph).

· Braking power – rs RS generates braking forces in excess of 1.0g, and can rapidly brake to a halt from 100 mph (160 kph) in only 93 metres or from 62 mph (100 kph) in 36 metres.

· Roadholding – rs RS achieves a steady-state lateral acceleration of 0.94g in skidpan testing. This is remarkable as the RS is derived from a family hatchback, yet exceeds the dynamic roadholding of many renowned purpose-built sports cars.

rs RS is fuel-economy rated, in litres per 100 kilometres (miles per gallon) at 14.2 (19.9 mpg) urban, 7.7 (36.7 mpg) extra urban and 10.1 (28 mpg) combined over the new European driving cycle. CO2 emissions are certified at 237 grams per kilometre.

Ford assembled a handpicked team of around 60 specialist engineers to create the new rs RS. Many of them had already played key roles in the development of the Ford rs, which debuted in 1998, was voted European Car of the Year 1999 and is still acclaimed by many as the benchmark in its class for dynamic capabilities and driving quality.

Rejuvenating the RS Brand

Its performance technology and exclusivity make rs RS the ideal vanguard to resurrect the Blue Oval’s legendary RS performance brand. Starting with the Escort RS1600 back in 1969, RS itself would become synonymous with "performance" as Ford established a line of more than 20 RS-badged derivatives in the Seventies, Eighties and early Nineties, including the Sierra RS Cosworth, the Ford RS200 and the Escort RS Cosworth.

The company also has rejuvenated its Special Vehicle Engineering (SVE) department, charged with taking the performance strategy forward, and led by Jost Capito, who joined Ford in October 2001 and was previously Chief Operating Officer at Swiss-based Formula 1 team Sauber Petronas..

Unique Wheels and Tyres
A key ingredient of the dynamic qualities of the rs RS is its unique wheel and tyre specification, ensuring extraordinary grip, superior traction and impressive stopping power.

The custom, 18-inch O.Z. Racing wheels are manufactured in light aluminium alloy in a design faithful to the magnesium wheels used in the world rally cars. The open-five-spoke, 8-inch-wide design provides motorsport-proven robustness without an unsprung-weight penalty.

Low-profile Michelin Pilot Sport 225/40R/18 tyres were developed specifically for the rs RS. These bespoke performance tyres feature a unique compound and tailored architecture for their high-performance application.

Text and photos courtesy of Ford Motor Company