New Ford Focus RS
04/02/09 19:07 Filed in: News
Ford has unwrapped its latest offering
in the 40-year story of Ford RS, the much-awaited new Ford Focus
RS. It is the first RS for six years.
The new Focus RS is the only front-wheel-drive, high-performance car available today with a power output of more than 300PS available today.
“Front-wheel-drive was our preference all along,” says Team RS Chief Engineer, Dirk Densing. “All-wheel-drive systems add cost, weight, inertia and consequently, fuel consumption. Compensating for the significant weight of an all-wheel-drive system requires dynamic compromises we preferred not to make.”
Power for the Focus RS comes from a turbocharged Duratec RS 2.5-litre engine which delivers its peak power of 305PS (300 bhp) at 6,500 rpm and peak torque of 440Nm between 2,300 and 4,500 rpm.
With the turbo spinning, power arrives quickly. The 305PS peak is reached at 6,500 rpm and holds until the 7,050 rpm redline, to allow full use of the top of the power band. After three seconds at this redline, the engine management system recognises no gear shift and then limits revs to the car’s maximum continuous running rpm of 6,500.
The new Focus RS is the only front-wheel-drive, high-performance car available today with a power output of more than 300PS available today.
“Front-wheel-drive was our preference all along,” says Team RS Chief Engineer, Dirk Densing. “All-wheel-drive systems add cost, weight, inertia and consequently, fuel consumption. Compensating for the significant weight of an all-wheel-drive system requires dynamic compromises we preferred not to make.”
Power for the Focus RS comes from a turbocharged Duratec RS 2.5-litre engine which delivers its peak power of 305PS (300 bhp) at 6,500 rpm and peak torque of 440Nm between 2,300 and 4,500 rpm.
With the turbo spinning, power arrives quickly. The 305PS peak is reached at 6,500 rpm and holds until the 7,050 rpm redline, to allow full use of the top of the power band. After three seconds at this redline, the engine management system recognises no gear shift and then limits revs to the car’s maximum continuous running rpm of 6,500.