2016 Ford Focus RS OFFICIAL – gets 316bhp & 4WD

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The 2016 Ford Focus RS has been revealed and it gets ‘more than’ 316bhp from its 2.3 litre EcoBoost and four-wheel-drive. Production starts late 2015.

Following on from the leak earlier of the first photos of the new Ford Focus RS, Ford has now officially revealed their new RS – and it does get four wheel drive.

Power comes from the 2.3 litre EcoBoost engine found in the new Mustang, but for has upgraded the head and cylinder block liners, improved the intake and exhaust to make it breathe better and the turbo gets a bigger compressor and intercooler.

That all adds up to something Ford say will be in excess of 320 PS (316bhp), mated to a standard six-speed manual gearbox and with emissions and economy improved by 20 per cent compared to the 2.5 litre 5-cylinder in the old Focus RS.

But the big news is the arrival of four-wheel-drive for the Focus RS, which directs power to both axles and, thanks to Dynamic Torque Vectoring, with up to 70 per cent of the torque able to be sent to the axle, and all of that to an individual wheel if required.

That should make for very impressive handling – and without the understeer you usually get from 4WD cars – and coupled with sports suspension with bushes, spring rates and ant-roll bars all stiffer than the Focus ST, the Focus RS should be an impressive driver’s car.

Cosmetically, the new RS is less extreme than the old Focus RS, but that’s down to the new RS being a ‘Global’ model and the fact that Ford had to make the RS a five-door.

So the cost of giving the RS the big haunches it used to have would have been much greater this time round – and less appealing in some markets – so the Focus RS looks pretty much like the ST down the flanks, although the front and back have come in for some aggressive RS treatments, including a big wing at the back.

Ford look to be aiming for a starting price under £30k for the new Focus RS – although there will no doubt be up-sell packages available – which should make buyers of cars like the new VW Golf R and Mercedes A45 AMG wonder if they’re making the right choice.

The new Ford Focus RS will get its public debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show next month, with production starting at the end of the year. First customer cars are unlikely until 2016.