Ford Focus RS gets 404HP by BBR

[syr74]

Originally Posted by a_Username

That seems interesting. But if it was between an Evo X and this Focus, then Evo X all the way.

IMHO Evo X is a disaster, with the Evo IX having been a much more compelling ride. Ironically, I was one of those folks who complained about the everyday livability of the Evo IX, but the truth is that I still wanted one and, that lack of typical high performance sedan refinement aside, the IX was a very cool, unique, and fun car.

The X largely fixed the livability problems, but it also arguably ruined almost everything that made the IX worthwhile in the process. The X feels bigger than it is which is never good for a performance car. Ironically, the IX which was a meaningfully smaller car than the X, felt even smaller than it was when you drove it which was very nice. The X feels no faster in terms of acceleration than the IX was, and in actual fact really isn't any faster in stock trim. Worst of all, in the twisties, the X just isn't as much fun as the IX was. If I'm going to give up all that for a little civility I'll just skip the Evo altogether and get a 335i for close to the same money.

Originally Posted by Cowboy from Hell

Not sure if there will be anymore power.......... Ford are apparently looking at shaving a load of weight off of the next RS using carbon fibre.

Depends on who you ask. The current issue with the next RS is that what used to be Ford of Europe, who are the folks that get to design the next RS, want to keep their unique Ford of Europe take on this model and they have been fighting to be able to do just that. Unfortunately Ford....as in Mulally, Fields, Farley, etc.....want a car they can market globally if they so choose and when applied to European market cars 'global' is always code for, the U.S.

So, in effect, you have two thought processes here.

1: AWD, more power, and priced within the limits of what folks will actually pay for a car like this in the U.S. while turning a profit.

2: FWD, the revo knuckle from Hell, and a lot of carbon fiber, and a price tag that could make a minister mutter expletives.

Number 2, which is obviously what Ford Europe wants, would arguably be very cool but it probably wouldn't turn a profit even at exorbitant prices and it certainly wouldn't be marketable here. My money says you would be looking at a car that cost 40k+ U.S. at a minimum and which probably wouldn't even make money at that. Almost nobody on this side of the pond is ever going to seriously consider such a thing and neither Mulally, Farley, or Fields is ever going to approve a model that wont make money.

Still, you have to give Ford Europe credit as they have even lobbied for two distinct RS models in order to accommodate both continents, but given the current management at Ford that is not going to happen.

At the moment the smart money says that the next gen ST will pick up a lot of the cooler tidbits the existing RS uses, use a turbo I-4 not too far shy of the 300hp mark, be fwd exclusively, and morph those characteristics into a model which is reminiscent of the current RS but which is competitive with the base WRX and the VW GTi in the marketplace. The RS will be priced competitively with the WRX STi and Evo offering awd and a 300+hp turbo I-4.

Anything can change, but I would be very surprised if Ford would even be willing to give the go-ahead on a RS model not designed with US market intent from the outset.....and from the beginning the info trickling down has said that the marketing powers that be considers awd a must have for a US market RS.

[a_Username]

Originally Posted by syr74

IMHO Evo X is a disaster, with the Evo IX having been a much more compelling ride. Ironically, I was one of those folks who complained about the everyday livability of the Evo IX, but the truth is that I still wanted one and, that lack of typical high performance sedan refinement aside, the IX was a very cool, unique, and fun car.

The X largely fixed the livability problems, but it also arguably ruined almost everything that made the IX worthwhile in the process. The X feels bigger than it is which is never good for a performance car. Ironically, the IX which was a meaningfully smaller car than the X, felt even smaller than it was when you drove it which was very nice. The X feels no faster in terms of acceleration than the IX was, and in actual fact really isn't any faster in stock trim. Worst of all, in the twisties, the X just isn't as much fun as the IX was. If I'm going to give up all that for a little civility I'll just skip the Evo altogether and get a 335i for close to the same money.



Depends on who you ask. The current issue with the next RS is that what used to be Ford of Europe, who are the folks that get to design the next RS, want to keep their unique Ford of Europe take on this model and they have been fighting to be able to do just that. Unfortunately Ford....as in Mulally, Fields, Farley, etc.....want a car they can market globally if they so choose and when applied to European market cars 'global' is always code for, the U.S.

So, in effect, you have two thought processes here.

1: AWD, more power, and priced within the limits of what folks will actually pay for a car like this in the U.S. while turning a profit.

2: FWD, the revo knuckle from Hell, and a lot of carbon fiber, and a price tag that could make a minister mutter expletives.

Number 2, which is obviously what Ford Europe wants, would arguably be very cool but it probably wouldn't turn a profit even at exorbitant prices and it certainly wouldn't be marketable here. My money says you would be looking at a car that cost 40k+ U.S. at a minimum and which probably wouldn't even make money at that. Almost nobody on this side of the pond is ever going to seriously consider such a thing and neither Mulally, Farley, or Fields is ever going to approve a model that wont make money.

Still, you have to give Ford Europe credit as they have even lobbied for two distinct RS models in order to accommodate both continents, but given the current management at Ford that is not going to happen.

At the moment the smart money says that the next gen ST will pick up a lot of the cooler tidbits the existing RS uses, use a turbo I-4 not too far shy of the 300hp mark, be fwd exclusively, and morph those characteristics into a model which is reminiscent of the current RS but which is competitive with the base WRX and the VW GTi in the marketplace. The RS will be priced competitively with the WRX STi and Evo offering awd and a 300+hp turbo I-4.

Anything can change, but I would be very surprised if Ford would even be willing to give the go-ahead on a RS model not designed with US market intent from the outset.....and from the beginning the info trickling down has said that the marketing powers that be considers awd a must have for a US market RS.

I'm not saying you aren't right about the Evo X's problems, but I'd go with the Evolution X over the Focus RS strictly because I feel it's the better performance bargain... and is certainly better looking to me.