2016 Ford Focus RS

• All-Wheel Drive with Dynamic Torque Vectoring, industry-first drift mode, additional drive modes

• Third-generation high-performance hatch features specially engineered 2.3-liter EcoBoost® engine producing more than 315 horsepower, most powerful RS brake system ever with Brembo front calipers

• Ford Focus RS will be at dealerships in the United States in spring 2016

“Customers have begged for the Focus RS to come to the United States for years,” said Raj Nair, group vice president, Global Product Development, Ford Motor Company. “And now we can say that they are getting one of the most innovative, powerful and best-looking RS cars ever. That is special.

Innovative All-Wheel Drive

The Focus RS leverages an innovative All-Wheel Drive system with Dynamic Torque which should give it outstanding traction with unmatched agility and cornering speed.

The system is based on electronically controlled twin clutch packs on each side of the rear-drive unit. The control unit continuously varies front-to-rear and side-to-side torque distribution to suit the driving situation – monitoring inputs from multiple vehicle sensors 100 times per second. A maximum of 70 percent of the drive torque can be diverted to the rear axle. Up to 100 percent of available torque can be sent to each rear wheel delivering the torque-vectoring capability that has a dramatic impact on handling and cornering stability.

In cornering situations, the rear-drive unit pre-emptively diverts torque to the outer rear wheel based on steering wheel angle, lateral acceleration, yaw and speed. This torque transfer has the effect of “driving” the car into a bend – achieving improved turn-in and stability while virtually eliminating under- steer. Get it?

The new RS will have sports suspension with stiffer spring rates and more efficient bushes and anti-roll bars than those found in Focus ST, and two-mode switchable dampers, which offer a firmer setting for track use. Power steering is all electric and together with the optimized front suspension knuckle design and shorter link arms, will deliver responsive steering with outstanding feel.

Ford worked with Michelin to develop a choice of high-performance 235/35R-19 tires to complement the driving dynamics Focus RS offers – a standard Pilot Super Sport for everyday use and, for the first time, an optional Pilot Sport Cup 2 for enhanced dynamics at the track.

Driver Modes

The all-new Focus RS offers advanced performance and driver-assist technologies to help ensure its extreme driving capabilities are accessible and easy to use.

The driver can select from four different drive modes to configure the car for optimum performance in road or circuit driving conditions – normal, sport, track and a special drift mode.

Using a switch alongside the gear lever, the driver can choose settings for all-wheel drive, damper control, Electronic Stability Control, steering and engine response, as well as exhaust sound.

Industry-first drift mode is specially calibrated for all-wheel drive to modify torque distribution to help the driver achieve controlled over- steer drifts at the track. Yes!

Launch control configures the car’s chassis and powertrain systems to deliver the fastest possible acceleration. The driver will be able to select launch control from the cluster menu, engage first gear, apply full throttle and release the clutch. The car then delivers optimum drive – distributing torque through the all-wheel-drive system, maintaining maximum torque using the turbo overboost function, managing traction control and setting the dampers.

To achieve maximum acceleration through the gears, a performance shift light in the instrument cluster alerts the driver when the optimum upshift point of 5,900 rpm approaches, flashing if the engine hits the 6,800 rpm limit.

Brakes

For enhanced braking performance in hard driving at the track, Focus RS features 13.78-inch ventilated front discs – up from 13.23 inches on the previous model. Lightweight aluminum four-piston monobloc Brembo calipers are painted distinctive RS blue with a Brembo logo available.

To help minimize fade under sustained track use, brake cooling is maximized through dedicated cooling ducts fed from the front fascia, twin “jet tunnels” in the underbody and airflow guides on the lower suspension arms. The front discs feature aerodynamically optimized ventilation fins for enhanced cooling.

Power

Projected to deliver well in excess of 315 horsepower, the Focus RS 2.3-liter EcoBoost shares its fundamental structure with the all-aluminum four-cylinder engine in the all-new Mustang. What’s different is that the RS engine features a comprehensive package of design changes.

Increased output is generated by a new low-inertia twin-scroll turbocharger with larger compressor that delivers significantly greater airflow, along with a much bigger intercooler to maximize charge density. Engine breathing is enhanced through a less restrictive intake design, and a large-bore high-performance exhaust system with electronically controlled valve in the tailpipe helps optimize the balance of back pressure and noise output.

The six-speed manual is optimized for the enthusiast driver with a shorter gear shift and revised mechanism to deliver faster, more accurate shifts. Both transmission and clutch are upgraded with stronger components to cope with the engine’s increased torque output.

Interior

Inside the RS gets heavily bolstered, partial-leather Recaro sport seats as the centerpiece. A soft-feel flat-bottomed steering wheel, leather-covered rim, alloy pedals and unique instrument graphics in the main cluster reinforce the performance character. Gauges atop the center console display turbo boost pressure, oil temperature and oil pressure.

The distinctive blue RS theme is echoed throughout the cabin in the stitching on the seats, steering wheel, floor mats, interior trim, colored graphic on the gear shift and in the RS logo itself on the seats, steering wheel and door scuff plates.

The interior features the redesigned Focus control layout, with 8-inch capacitive touch screen with SYNC® 3 voice connectivity for audio, navigation, climate control and mobile phones.

Four striking colors for the exterior include Focus RS-exclusive Nitrous Blue, a vibrant four-coat metallic finish, as well as Stealth Gray, Shadow Black and Frozen White.