For those enthusiasts looking for more than the run of the mill Ford Focus RS, we have some very good news for you. Apparently the blue oval is preparing an even hotter version of their hot hatch called the RS Clubsport, as well as an all new RS model based on the next generation Ford Focus that was unveiled in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show.
The future RS Clubsport will be limited to only 500 units and should start showing up in dealer’s showrooms by the end of this year. The car will feature an even more powerful version of the turbocharged 2.5 Liter five cylinder cranking out a total of 350 HP and will be able to sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in only 5 seconds and aside from the upgraded power plant, the RS Clubsport will also offer a stiffer, lower suspension and stickier tires for improved handling and a set of lightweight racing buckets to keep the occupants in place as well as an eye catching paintjob.
As great as a Clubsport model might sound, the big news is about the next generation RS. That is because the new car will feature a revolutionary hybrid power train system made up of a 2.0 Liter EcoBoost turbocharged direct injected engine combined with an electrically driven motor. The high performance hybrid drive train will increase the RS’s maximum output all the way up to 300 HP and bring the car’s 0 to 60 MPH sprint time down to five seconds flat while its top speed will be raised to 155 MPH.
Ford has some big plans for the next generation Focus, a car that is currently enjoyed by everyone from WRC enthusiasts in England to South American grandmothers looking for a fun little grocery getter. Sitting at the top of the Focus food chain is the almighty RS version with its wide arches and 300 HP turbocharged five cylinder engine straight from the factory, however aftermarket tuners like McChip feel that they can make the flagship Focus even better.
Leaving the Focus RS’s rally bred lines alone, the German computer specialists at McChip DKR are currently offering two different levels of increased performance for the Focus RS. The first is a simple ECU re flash that increases air pressure from the turbo and then adds tells the injectors to squirt just the right amount of fuel in order to keep everything running smoothly. The Stage 1 kit raises the engine’s output up to 345 HP and 384 lb-ft of torque while the RS’s top speed goes up to 168 MPH. If you are a little bit more daring, McChip offers their Stage 2 kit that comes with a similar modified ECU and then adds a new intercooler and free flowing exhaust system. This is good for a total of 401 HP and 451 lb-ft of torque out of the turbo Focus that is now able to do up to 172 MPH, given that there is enough room in front of it.
Press release after the jump.
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The Ford Focus RS is one of the most coveted cars not on U.S. because of its 300 HP turbocharged five cylinder engine and rally car styling, however the high performance specialists at Graham Goode Racing have given us another reason to lust after the hot hatch. The RS370FR package includes a new carbon fiber cold air induction system, a specially designed upgraded intercooler, a free flowing large diameter down pipe that feeds the spent gasses air from the turbo into a sport catalyst and then out the back of the Focus as well as a reprogrammed ECU that raises the Focus RS’s output up to 368 HP and 339 lb-ft of torque.
"It gives me great pleasure to launch this latest Focus RS upgrade, which builds upon the success and popularity of the 340 conversion, but raises performance to a new level. I am delighted with the outcome of the work undertaken by our technical team, because the RS370FR package is exceptionally fast, yet as usable and civilised as our numerous Focus RS customers expect" said sources at GGR who are ready to install the RS370FR package at their Leicester workshop for the mere sum of £3750.00. A small price to pay to improve upon perfection.
In what must have been some sort of twisted marketing ploy, the great American automaker Ford had an Ultimate Green Ford Focus RS sitting at the beginning of their display at the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Honestly, as you turned the corner expecting to see more Mustangs than you can shake a stick at, there it was, a 300 HP turbocharged lime green Focus wearing a set of wide arches, 19 inch multi spoke rally inspired RS wheels, vents in the fenders and hood as well as a wide mouth front bumper.
At first the neon paint acted like a magnet drawing in your eyes. As anyone who has ever been behind the wheel at speed can tell you, you end up going where your eyes are looking, and we weren’t alone. We literally had to shove through the crowds and hold back attendees just to get a clean shot of Ford of Europe’s greatest creation. Hopefully Ford’s marketing team were hiding behind the curtain somewhere like the wizard of Oz just so that they can understand just how much of a demand there is for this machine right here in the U.S. however we might just settle for an RS Fiesta.
The Ford Focus RS is one of the most coveted cars in all the land, after all there is nothing like a turbocharged sport compact that will smoke most modified rides in real world situations and plus it looks like the World Rally Car you see on TV. Even if the Focus RS is the most fun to drive blue oval branded vehicle on the planet, as is in the world of tuning there is no such thing as enough. So the team of engineers at WolfRacing feel that they can do the hot hatch one better with a few simple yet effective modifications tho the engine, drive train and suspension.
Starting out with a revised engine management program for the 2.5 Liter five cylinder engine that boosts engine output from the stock 305 HP and 324.5 lb-ft of torque up to a maximum of 360 HP and 412 lb-ft of moving force. WolfRacing’s tried and trusted competition experience has led them to understand that a well rounded car is about more then just big power figures. A locking differential makes the front wheel drive demon behave in a more civilized manor, giving the driver full use of the turbocharged engine’s power no matter whether you are accelerating full throttle or one wheel up on the rumble strip deep into a turn. Speaking of hitting apexes, WolfRacing also ensures that their version of the Focus RS will get more grip with a fully adjustable coil over suspension. Catering to the tastes of every automotive enthusiast. For the show car winners WolfRacing makes a set of 20 inch wheels to fill out the RS’s wide fenders and for the racing chaps, lightweight 18 and 19 inch forged alloys.
Press release after the jump.
Full story
