Even hotter Ford Focus RS coming
But it will more expensive, limited in numbers and built to mark the end of Focus RS productionFord Australia has announced it will indeed release the more hard-core Focus RS Limited Edition hot hatch revealed back in June.
Australia’s allocation will be 500 units, each priced at $56,990 ($6000 more than the standard Focus RS) and each painted Nitrous blue (red won't be offered here), and first local deliveries will commence in November.
The bad news is, as we reported in June, the limited-edition – 1500 examples of which are destined for the USA and Canada, with Europeans offered the car’s chassis and cosmetic extras as an option pack -- is designed to mark the end of Focus RS production.
Ford Australia has confirmed that production of the hottest Focus ever, which only takes place at Saarlouis in Germany, will end by next March for our market, meaning that final shipments will arrive here around mid-2018.
After that, Ford hyper-hatch fans will have to wait for the Blue Oval to produce a new range-topping RS version of its next-generation Focus, which isn’t due to appear until late 2018 at the earliest and more likely 2019.
Given the current (third-generation) Focus was released in 2011 but the existing Focus RS wasn’t rolled out for another five years in 2016, it could be 2024 before we see another Focus RS.
As Ford previously revealed, following customer feedback, the headline acts of the upgraded Focus RS are a Quaife limited-slip front differential and 19-inch forged alloy wheels with 235/35R19 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres.
They are the only mechanical upgrades and the latter are available to buyers of the standard Focus RS for an extra $3500, however, there are a host of other extras. The full list, which comprises every Focus RS option, includes:
- Quaife limited-slip front differential
- Performance Wheel Pack including 19-inch forged alloy wheels with 235/35R19 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres
- Rear hatch-mounted spoiler, mirror caps and roof finished in Absolute Black
- Recaro shell seats with exclusive Nitrous Blue leather
- Active City Stop (Autonomous Emergency Braking)
- Nitrous prestige paint
- Privacy glass
Capable of 0-100km/h acceleration in 4.7 seconds, Ford’s most fearsome Focus ever has been a smash-hit since its arrival Down Under in July 2016, after which it was named best sub-$100,000 performance car in last year’s carsales.com.au Car of the Year awards.
Despite its diminutive package, it delivers giant-killing performance from a 257kW/440Nm 2.3-litre EcoBoost turbo-petrol four-cylinder matched to a six-speed manual transmission and Ford Performance all-wheel drive system with drift mode, plus selectable drive modes and variable dampers.
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