RWD Focus to head Ford rally effort

The all-new Focus Ford TeamRS Australia squad will debut at the Bathurst round of the Globalstar Australia Rally Championship (GARC) later this month will be rear wheel drive. And it will be naturally aspirated!

Built to Australian Group N (P) regulations, the Focus eschews the all-wheel-drive turbo-four running gear that top runners currently use. Instead the Focus is rear-wheel-drive with a 2.3-litre normally aspirated (non-turbo charged) DOHC inline 16-valve four-cylinder Duratec engine. Drive from the 208kW/275Nm engine will be delivered via a six-speed sequential transmission.

Ford TeamRS Australia says it has elected to take advantage of a larger capacity engine and weight savings permitted with a rear-wheel drive car. The Focus has been designed and built for current, as well as future regulations, to allow plenty of scope in case of changes to the sport, highlighting Ford's commitment to the GARC is long term, the team says.

"This is an exciting time for Ford and the sport of rallying in Australia," said Ford Racing Manager, Ross Booth. "Ford's rally program has been in the pipeline for a number of years, with the late Howard Marsden being the original architect of the project.

"Our team has been working constantly since the start of the year on the Group N (P) Focus, we are now in a position to show the car and declare its specification.

"The car looks and sounds spectacular. We will be a popular addition to the rally landscape.

"We don't want to make bold predictions at this stage, as we are still very much in our development phase with the car. The best of this car will be seen as we proceed through the 2006 season.

"The TeamRS program has generated a lot of interest in Australia and indeed around the world. In 2006 we will have some very good partners on board to make sure we are well supported financially and technically," Booth said.

Ford Racing Engineering Manager, Steve Hoinville, is upbeat regards the new car.

"We are confident that it's the right direction for Ford at present, and that we will be a challenger in the Globalstar Australian Rally Championship," said Hoinville.

"Running a four-wheel-drive system would have been a tough option for us, as we don't have any such system in our current Focus vehicle line-up.

"The use of a six-speed sequential gearbox is unique in the GARC field. It will be of some advantage in terms of delivering power to the road with added reliability.

Driver Michael Guest (pictured) says he is looking forward to getting the best out of the car.

"As much as I'm looking forward to the Bathurst event, it's the off-season testing where we will be able to turn the car into a truly competitive animal," said Guest.

"The new Focus is a very strong car technically. The handling is outstanding and with added power of the larger capacity engine it will be something to watch.

"The chance to see a rear-wheel drive car will make it popular for the spectators and the sound from the normally aspirated engine will make it stand out from the opposition.

Ford will unveil the new TeamRS Australia Focus rally car to the public on Sunday, October 23 at the International Motor Show in Sydney.