Ford has announced prices for the Focus RS, and it’ll cost just £24,995 when sales start in March 2009. By comparison a Mitsubishi Evo X FQ300 is £26,914 and an Subaru Impreza STi starts at £26,039.
Peak power has also – finally – been confirmed. The Focus RS will have 301bhp from its 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine, backed up by 325lb ft of the twisty stuff.
Is the new Ford Focus RS quick then?
Performance figures still haven’t been confirmed, but Ford promises 0-62mph in under six seconds and a top speed of over 160mph. And to keep all that power in check the RS has a Quaife Automatic Torque Biasing limited-slip differential and the RevoKnuckle front-suspension system (Ford says it’s a first; Renault claims it’s suspiciously like its own Renaultsport Megane system!). The Focus RS won’t be an easy car to drive, but it should be less of a chore than the old Focus RS.
As well as the tweaked engine, trick suspension and fancy diff, Ford has also given the hot Focus a wider track, a new ESP and traction control system and huge brakes – they’re 336mm front discs and 300mm rear.
The RS sits squat on 19-inch wheels and that bulging bodykit, complete with deep front bumper and high-gloss black finish twin-blade rear wing. Ultimate Green, Performance Blue and Frozen White are the paint choices, and the Recaro seats inside are trimmed to match. It’s an extra £395 for the metallic blue paint, and £695 for the garish green. It might be cheaper to buy a stack of toothpaste at the chemists and DIY.
Any other options?
A £750 luxury pack gives you dual-zone air-con, automatic headlights and wipers, a tyre-pressure monitoring system, rear parking sensors and keyless go, while a £1500 version of the luxury pack adds a 7-inch touchscreen with DVD sat-nav. Part-leather seats are yours for £500 and Bluetooth connectivity costs a further £200.