New Focus RS

Mc Love

Just saw this announced on instagram http://instagram.com/p/weSsvqpCR7/ and it looks amazing

http://m.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/new-ford-focus-rs-confirmed-production

[img][/img]http://m.autocar.co.uk/;m=is;f=webp;h=681;k=W0oW_TcBB36bnRtwtgcS6w;n;q=35;w=1026/http%3aimages.cdn.autocar.co.uk/sites/autocar.co.uk/files/ford-focus-rs-2015-01.jpg.



Doing this on phone so hopefully the above images will show

Senecio

Now that is a Ford I could own!

Mc Love

I hate to say it but i think it looks nicer than previous model and I think the previous model was beautiful

iano.p

God the car looks savage I wasn't that mad into the in told rs. The colour is nice

Supergurrier

Atleast it will push down mk2 RS prices abit, looks good too.

D16TURBO

It looks good but I doubt that is the finished article. Don't autocar always make up their own photoshops to go with articles like these? or am I confusing it with auto express.

Mc Love

D16TURBO wrote: »

It looks good but I doubt that is the finished article. Don't autocar always make up their own photoshops to go with articles like these? or am I confusing it with auto express.

If it is a mock up, the spy pictures look very like it

edburg

D16TURBO wrote: »

It looks good but I doubt that is the finished article. Don't autocar always make up their own photoshops to go with articles like these? or am I confusing it with auto express.

Thats what I was thinking, they normally make up there own photoshops which look better than real thing.

Think I prefer the 3dr set up of old one myself.

Odyssey 2005

They'll prob come up with an RS TDCI for the Irish palate !

Drummerboy08

Supergurrier wrote: »

Atleast it will push down mk2 RS prices abit, looks good too.

Doubt it will, anything with an RS badge always holds it value.

Mk1 RS Foci are still making 8k sterling plus and are only going one way.

Plug

On Tuesday Ford are releasing official specs. If its Awd I'll get one but I doubt it will be:(

Veloce

"According to latest indications, the third-generation Focus RS is again likely to be front-wheel drive."

Awful pity.

dr.fuzzenstein

Veloce wrote: »

"According to latest indications, the third-generation Focus RS is again likely to be front-wheel drive."

Awful pity.

Yeah, somewhere north of 200, it doesn't matter if it's 300, 400 or 1000 HP, the power can't be put down through the front wheels alone, so stuffing over 300 into it is a pure PR exercise, "look at my massive HP figure!" kinda thing. So you're either going to drive along with the traction control doing overtime or disappearing in a cloud of smoke as the front wheels just spin wildly.

Henry Ford III

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Yeah, somewhere north of 200, it doesn't matter if it's 300, 400 or 1000 HP, the power can't be put down through the front wheels alone, so stuffing over 300 into it is a pure PR exercise, "look at my massive HP figure!" kinda thing. So you're either going to drive along with the traction control doing overtime or disappearing in a cloud of smoke as the front wheels just spin wildly.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/ford/focus/17823/ford-focus-rs500

The earth isn't flat either.

dr.fuzzenstein

OSI wrote: »

Don't think he said it wasn't doable, he said it was pointless. Which realistically, it is. The Mk7 Golf R has 45 less bhp but is 0.7 sec quicker to 60. An RS3 with 22 more bhp is 1.3 sec quicker!

Exactly that. Ever notice how a car squats down and the nose goes up on acceleration? So less weight over the wheels, less power to go down on the road. Unless you want to make it hugely nose-heavy and ruin the handling.
So over a certain threshold the power is wasted. You can mask the squirming and torque steer with trick diffs, but there is nothing that can get over the basic physics of it.
For the same reason RWD drives can get a lot more power on the road. FWD was a cheaper solution for manufacturing, that's why car manufacturers have adopted it. It simply does not lend itself to performance. A FWD performance car will always be a bit of a compromise, no matter how good it is. And there are some great ones out there, I do have a soft spot for old GTI's and fast Focuses and would definitely have one. But ultimately, it's the reason why there are no FWD Ferraris.

Henry Ford III

Rwd is handy for getting away from a dead stop. Fwd will struggle there due to the physics Dr. Fuzz mentioned.

I put up a video of a Fiesta ST in a timed flying lap against a Toyota GT86 and someone suggested the rwd Toyota was supposed to be fun not fast, and had low grip tyres fitted to allow more tail out and less nose ahead.

I agree fwd has to be a compromise but aside from a traffic lights its as good as rwd for normal quick driving, and actually quicker in some track battles.

By comparison here's a bad fwd setup with no traction that just understeers you into the ditch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ3IJfYgZog

Plug

Here are some leaked images to put ye on a downer for the day. Doesn't look as aggressive as the previous RS's. No official specs released yet but apparently its going to be AWD after all.

D16TURBO

That will be a very nice alternative to the golf R. I like it and the awd will make it.

Plug

Im trying to picture it in Ford ultimate green. mmm:D

Plug

www.gofurtherlive.com

Live unveiling now.

dar83

yay.... 5 door...

If the suspension setup is anything like the Mk2 RS, then it'll be fun for anyone willing to sit in the back of that!

Plug

Confirmed 2.3 turbo with at least 320 bhp and torque vectoring 4WD which means it can send 100% of its power to any one wheel when it wants. Yeap the Mustang idea is scraped now:p

Atomic Pineapple

Oh yes!

Supergurrier

Yay 4wd

yop

It could never handle my commute!

Caliden

Plug wrote: »

Confirmed 2.3 turbo with at least 320 bhp and torque vectoring 4WD which means it can send 100% of its power to any one wheel when it wants. Yeap the Mustang idea is scraped now:p

A 2.3 turbo in 2015? I thought big engine turbos were dead, good to see they're not.

iano.p

God if I had the money.

Tea 1000

I like it a lot. It's been a while since I said that about a Ford too! Looks like it's going to be a fantastic car. 4WD will be the making of it!

gallag

iano.p wrote: »

God if I had the money.

He dosent post here mate, jesus is on all the time though!

Cleveland Hot Pocket

Caliden wrote: »

A 2.3 turbo in 2015? I thought big engine turbos were dead, good to see they're not.

It's hardly a big engine to be fair. Slightly above average.

VeVeX

Plug wrote: »

Here are some leaked images to put ye on a downer for the day. Doesn't look as aggressive as the previous RS's. No official specs released yet but apparently its going to be AWD after all.

That's some slab of plastic.

Cleveland Hot Pocket

Tea 1000 wrote: »

I like it a lot. It's been a while since I said that about a Ford too! Looks like it's going to be a fantastic car. 4WD will be the making of it!

Glad to see they've changed it to AWD
Can't put the power down in a fwd car.

D16TURBO

The torque vectoring rear axle sounds really interesting. My golf has xds+ and allows it to bite very well exiting corners. This will make for a very entertaining package.

Would this be similar to the Mitsubishi EVO yaw control that was employed on their performance models?

Veloce

So fooking glad it's 4wd.

Gavman84

I like it too and awd is a big bonus! The big black part at the front for number plate doesn't look great but I guess you could colour code it or something!!

Leonard Hofstadter

So glad it's going to be 4WD. Needs to be with that amount of power. I can't wait to find out what journalists etc think it's like to drive!

Jesus.

iano.p wrote: »

God if I had the money.

gallag wrote: »

He dosent post here mate, jesus is on all the time though!

I'll have a word with the big man for ye Iano. Can't promise anything though.

Last time I asked him for a mountain bike he strung me up on a cross

Plug

VeVeX wrote: »

That's some slab of plastic.

Bad quality image, the Focus is far from plasticy.

mik_da_man

Really glad that's it's 4wd, defo on my possible list for my next change. Have been checking the Golf R and S3 but the RS would a nice choice.

Caliden

Cleveland Hot Pocket wrote: »

It's hardly a big engine to be fair. Slightly above average.

Average to what?

It's a big engine relative to the majority of cars on the road.

Tea 1000

LIGHTNING wrote: »

Something about Fast Fords that nearly everybody likes them. I mean if you dont like them you quite obviously suck :pac:

I like most of them, really like some of them, but there's an exception. I'm very luke-warm about the Escort Cosworth... I know, sacrelige... Never driven one, but there's something about the reviews on it make me fairly certain that it's not a car that I'd love. Can't see why they're so expensive.
There... I've said it!

dr.fuzzenstein

Cleveland Hot Pocket wrote: »

It's hardly a big engine to be fair. Slightly above average.

You know what he means, the current trend towards putting 1 liter engines into Mondeos and Galaxies.

gallag

Tea 1000 wrote: »

I like most of them, really like some of them, but there's an exception. I'm very luke-warm about the Escort Cosworth... I know, sacrelige... Never driven one, but there's something about the reviews on it make me fairly certain that it's not a car that I'd love. Can't see why they're so expensive.
There... I've said it!

Burn him with fireeeeeeeee! !!

Cleveland Hot Pocket

Caliden wrote: »

Average to what?

It's a big engine relative to the majority of cars on the road.

Most saloons/family cars in Ireland are 1.8 or 2.0 Diesels. 2.3 isnt that much more.

Cleveland Hot Pocket

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

You know what he means, the current trend towards putting 1 liter engines into Mondeos and Galaxies.

I can see it now, a 0.9tce engined renault safrane (or whatever the modern equivalent is):p

Senecio

My only concern is that Ford's hot hatches have always been revered for being the best handling front wheel drives out there. AWD performance is something that is relatively new to them. AWD done wrong can turn into an under steering mess.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad it's AWD. Just hope its implemented well.

mik_da_man

Senecio wrote: »

My only concern is that Ford's hot hatches have always been revered for being the best handling front wheel drives out there. AWD performance is something that is relatively new to them. AWD done wrong can turn into an under steering mess.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad it's AWD. Just hope its implemented well.

New to them?
What about the rally cars?

R.O.R

mik_da_man wrote: »

New to them?
What about the rally cars?

And th Sierra and Escort Cosworth's.

And the XR4x4i.

Senecio

I said relatively new. You both identified cars that haven't been in production for years.

Tea 1000

Senecio wrote: »

I said relatively new. You both identified cars that haven't been in production for years.

Relative to the Mk 1 Focus RS or relative to the Anglia?

mik_da_man

Senecio wrote: »

I said relatively new. You both identified cars that haven't been in production for years.

Pretty sure they produce a rally 4wd fiesta...