Ford of Europe unveiled a new presentation video that shows how the special edition Focus RS500 is produced at the company’s Saarlouis plant in Germany. So, if you ever wondered how Ford creates a sports car then this would be the perfect video to watch and learn. Of course, we really doubt anyone cares, but they put forth the effort to make the video so we might as well watch it. Don’t worry, it’s less than two minutes long which is plenty of time to watch how a sold-out vehicle is made. Yes, the RS500 will be limited to only 500 units and all of them have already been sold.
The Focus RS500 is powered by an improved version of the 2.5L 20 V DOHC RS engine from the standard RS. The addition of an improved induction kit and a revised exhaust system will allow the engine to deliver a total of 345 hp (up from standard 300) and a peak torque of 339lb ft. The result is a sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds and a top speed of 163 mph.
The large car craze in the United States is at the end of its life cycle, at least we hope. Gas prices are still a bit high, but they will need to rise just a bit more in order to really bring the small car back into our thoughts again.
That being said, some of the most popular cars on the market today were once considered way too small to be safe. Take the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris for example. The three-door Yaris is a pretty popular car, but many still find it to be the size of a shoebox rather than the size of a proper car. The Fit is a little bigger, but Americans still find it a bit too small for their tastes. Maybe the seats just aren’t wide enough.
Modern safety laws and design have helped these small cars earn five-star safety ratings, but size still matters in some people’s minds. It’s going to take a few very special small cars, and even a few minivans and wagons, to shake America’s love with large, oversized vehicles. Here are the top ten cars that aren’t available in the United States.
Ford unveiled today a collection of just five Focus RS cars in unique color schemes, each paying tribute to the Ford cars which made
’blue oval’ history at the Le Mans 24 Hours. The five cars will be seen in action at the 2010 Le Mans Classic in July.
The list of five special Focus RS models will include: a black with silver stripes edition that pays tribute to a Ford Mk II, which was victorious in 1966; a red model with white stripes that is recalling the Mk IV which won in 1967; a white model with a thin blue center stripe surrounded by a red border that pays tribute to the beautiful Ford Mk IIB, entered by Ford France in the 1967 Le Mans 24-hours; a two-tone sky blue and orange edition reference to the modern GT40s which dominated Le Mans in 1968 and 1969 and a two-tone white and blue model representing the livery of the Capri RS 2600 which took the Touring category in 1972.
All models will feature a customized interior featuring Recaro seats upholstered in leather and diamond-quilted alcantara, front and back, with stitching that matches the bodywork. They will also feature a gearshift gaiter, hand brake handle, and central arm-rest all upholstered in real leather with a leather safety belt guide for the front seats. Each of the five cars will carry a personalized numbered plaque on the dashboard confirming its exclusivity as part of the collection.
The Ford Focus RS is getting ready for its swan song in the UK and it sure as heck is going out in a blaze of glory with the limited edition Focus RS that will celebrate the model’s end of production with World Rally Championship-style 19" wheels. The new set of wheels, which will be designed with white finished alloys, will be made available for the last few buyers of the Focus RS with an optional set package of £500 - somewhere around $750 in terms of Benjamins.
The Focus RS has been such a hot ticket in that part of the world that, according to David Calder, Ford of Britain’s product manager, the entire Focus RS allocation for the UK is close to being wiped due to the astronomical demand for the car.
"Thanks in a large part to this Focus RS continuing the proud tradition of combining high-performance with practicality and affordability," he said. "We expect demand to be high for these last cars and we’re giving customers the chance to personalize them with this exclusive option."
The Ford Focus RS is powered by a 2.5L 20 V DOHC RS engine mated to a six-speed Ford RS transmission. It develops 300 hp and 440 NM (325 lb-ft.) of torque. The Focus RS can sprint from 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds and can hit a top speed of 163mph.
So if you’re looking at making a Ford Focus RS purchase in that part of the world, you may want to hurry up before all the stocks go kapoot.
Just about anybody with a cognizant brain would die for an opportunity to sit behind the wheel of the Europe exclusive Ford Focus RS500 limited edition hatchback and take it out for a spin on Ford’s tab.
Unfortunately, that privilege comes with a few requirements of its own, not the least of which include being a high-profile professional race car driver. WRC driver Mikko Hirvonen fits that bill to a tee so, much to our behest, he was afforded the opportunity to take the RS500 for a drive, a treat that certainly doesn’t help in making us any less jealous of the guy.
In these two videos, the ever-so unflappable Hirvonen gives us a run-down on what it feels to drive the RS500. The first one shows the Finn rally driver taking the car for a tour around Germany’s Eifel region with matching commentary on the handling, performance, and pace of the car. Meanwhile, the second video takes us to the familiar surroundings of the Nurburgring where - you guessed it - Hirvonen is at it again with the RS500, this time blasting the car around the Green Hell with no worries of breaking any speed limits.
