Just another bit of proof that Europe gets all the good cars, the 2009 Ford Focus RS has not even been launched yet, and the company already received 1000 orders for it. Ford previewed the Focus RS at the British International Motor Show in London in July.

The Focus RS is powered by a turbocharged version of the Duratec 2.5-liter 5-cylinder engine that delivers 300 hp. This kind of power gives the little Ford a 0 to 60 mph time in under six seconds.

Press release

Ford’s UK dealer network has been inundated with orders for the all-new high performance Ford Focus RS which was previewed at the British International Motor Show in London in July.

So far 1,000 customer orders have been placed. Although no details of available colours have been confirmed, around 40 per cent of the applicants requested the unique Electric Green shade of the London Show vehicle.  Other popular requests were Frozen White and Electric Blue.

Roelant de Waard, Chairman and Managing Director of Ford of Britain said: “We’re delighted by the reaction of performance car enthusiasts to the new Focus RS and that so many want to place orders even though it will not be available until early next year.”

At the heart of the new Ford Focus RS is a specially developed 300PS version of Ford’s Duratec 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbocharged engine.

The new model marks a welcome return for the Rallye Sport badge which has played such an important role in Ford’s rich motorsport heritage. This will be the second Focus model to carry the RS mantle since 2002 and heralds another chapter in an automotive story which began with the iconic Ford Escort RS1600 in 1970.