When Ford debuted the 2016 Focus RS, it pulled off the same stunt with its horsepower rating as it did with the 2015 Mustang and the 2017 GT. Instead of giving us a firm output number, the automaker chose to play coy and say that it has “more than 315 horsepower.” Well, it looks like the cat is out of the bag, as two international Ford websites have listed the Focus RS at 350 CV, which converts to 345 horses in U.S. currency.

The first leak was uncovered by Auto Evolution, which received a tip and an image that showed Ford->ke31 of Ireland’s site listing the Focus RS’ output at 350 PS. Auto Evolution emailed Ford to confirm, and the automaker’s press department quickly tried to cram the toothpaste back in the tube by claiming the car is still in testing and it can only guarantee it has more than 315 horsepower.

The second leak came courtesy of Auto Evolution, which dug up a post on the Spanish Ford website that listed the power at 350 CV – CV is equal to PS.

I guess I could have taken Ford at its word on the first leak. Someone could have easily intended to type “320 PS” and mistakenly typed “350 PS,” but the second one is a trend. I am 99.9 percent certain that Ford knows the output of the Focus RS, but is keeping a lid on it to give our emotions time to stir up a bit.

Motor.es

A small hatchback with 345 horsepower is about as sick as they come, and one with an advanced all-wheel-drive system like the Focus RS has is downright incredible. The big question, however, will be how much torque it has. The only hot-hatch that comes close to the Focus RS in the U.S. is the Golf R, which has 292 horses and 280 pound-feet of torque – keep in mind that VW tends to understate the output of its cars, so these ratings are likely over 300 in reality.

In Europe, however, the Focus RS has a whole heap of hot-hatches to deal with, and the king of the hill is the 2015 Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG with its 2.0-liter that produces an insane 360 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. My guess is that the Focus RS will need to split the torque difference between the Golf R and the A45 AMG and land somewhere in the 325-pound-feet range to remain competitive, considering its anticipated price point.

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