Ford has already received 1500 orders from UK buyers for the new Ford Focus RS in anticipation of first deliveries of the hot hatch in spring 2016. Blog - The Read our review of the Ford Focus RS on UK roads One third of the customer’s deposits were placed before prices and specifications were announced at September’s Frankfurt motor show, and interest has accelerated since the car’s base price of £28,940 was revealed. Read the full Ford Focus RS review here Watch the official Ford Focus RS development videos here Ford Focus RS goes four-wheel drive One of the biggest switches in the new Ford Focus RS is the switch from front- to four-wheel drive; this is the first RS-badged family hatchback to drive all four wheels since the Escort Cosworth. It also incorporates a 'drift mode' designed to allow controlled slides when conditions permit. Ford's global product development boss and chief technical officer Raj Nair said, "Crucially, the technology doesn't detract from the driver experience. This is a car you can have fun in and drift in a totally controlled way, or which you can go out and set a fast lap time in. Those two things don't always tally, but this technology gives us the scope to do that." Nair also confirmed that the case for four-wheel drive was strengthened by a decision by Ford's top management to use Performance-branded vehicles as showcases for innovations on all vehicles. "You saw with the Ford GT how it will act as a halo for Ecoboost technology - we see a lot of technology that the Focus RS can highlight across the range." Read our exclusive interview with Ken Block on the Focus RS here The Focus RS’s 0-62mph time makes it the fastest-accelerating RS model ever. As well as the all-wheel-drive system, the car’s accelerative prowess is aid by launch control, a first for a Ford RS model. The driver selects launch control from the cluster menu, engages first gear, applies full throttle and then releases the clutch. The system then delivers optimum drive – including distributing torque through the all-wheel-drive system, maintaining maximum torque using the turbo overboost function, managing the traction control system, and setting the dampers. To achieve maximum acceleration through the gears, a performance shift light in the instrument cluster alerts the driver when approaching the optimum upshift point of 5900rpm, and flashes if the engine hits its limit of 6800rpm. The Focus RS offers four different Drive Modes that configure the all-wheel-drive system, damper controls, electronic stability control, steering and engine responses, and exhaust sound. Normal, Sport or Track settings are available, alongside the special Drift Mode. “The all-new Focus RS delivers stunning performance and innovative technology at a price that will make both our customers and premium automakers look twice,” said Jürgen Gagstatter, chief program engineer for Focus RS. “After experiencing the acceleration and cornering capability of the Focus RS, drivers will question the sense in spending almost £10,000 more on a premium competitor.” Speaking to Autocar, Gagstatter said that making the RS affordable was a key target of the project: "What we’ve aimed to do is to have a technically competitive package which is affordable for our customers, that has been the overriding principal here. "If you look back in history the previous Focus RS was front-wheel drive, but it was the right package for that time. The world moves on, and it was clear from the beginning that we needed an all-wheel drive package. "When you start planning a replacement product [for the last Focus RS] you have a number of opinions and a number of people to talk to. Relatively quickly we found ourselves where we wanted to be in terms of performance." Ford Focus RS engine power and torque The 2.3-litre four-cylinder Ecoboost engine is an uprated version of the unit available in the new Ford Mustang, producing 10% more power than that unit as a result of a variety of modifications. Changes from the Mustang engine include a low-inertia twin-scroll turbocharger with a larger compressor to aid airflow, plus a notably larger intercooler and air intake. Buyers will get four colour choices as alternatives to the standard Stealth Grey. Frozen White is a £250 option, with Shadow Black and Magnetic costing £525 and Nitrous Blue at £745. The four-wheel drive system and other technical upgrades also raise the possibility of a final, extreme performance version of the car being sold some time around 2017, in the vein of the previous-generation Focus RS500. That car was developed in conjunction with Mountune and sold as a limited edition of 500 cars, 101 of which were sold in the UK. Ford of Europe boss Jim Farley says the new RS "captures the essence" of the brand. "We make great cars that are affordable and that's what defines the RS. Bringing RS back is a high point for us and customers. We don't just want a sustainable business for Europe, we want a vibrant business. This is a part of that journey." Ford Focus RS is dead, long live the new Ford Focus RS
