With 305 turbocharged horsepower the Focus RS might just have been the ultimate hot-hatch. Now, for the first time, Ford has confirmed it will have a successor, arriving in late 2013 or early 2014 with at least 350-hp while sticking to its front-wheel-drive strategy.

Gunnar Hermann, Ford’s global chief of small cars, has gone on the record stating that the new Focus RS could create more power than even the limited edition RS500 model, which produced 350-hp from the turbocharged 5-cylinder engine borrowed from Volvo. It’s unlikely Ford will continue to use the Volvo-sourced engine and according to Herrmann engineers are working on extracting more power from the turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder that will power the Focus ST, which is set to make 247-hp.

According to Herrmann the new Focus RS will continue to be a front-drive model and will use a similar suspension setup to the previous model, which allowed for such a high amount of power to be effectively transmitted through the front wheels.

Now only one question remains: will this Focus RS finally make it to our shores?

[Source: Sydney Morning Herald]

German tuner MR Car Design has transformed Ford‘s Focus RS into a viable contender to Audi‘s RS3 and BMW‘s 1-Series M. Taking one of Europe’s most popular hot hatches, MR Car Design pushes out 355-hp out of the turbocharged 5-cylinder engine, a 54-hp increase from the factory 301-hp. The enhanced performance comes courtesy of an ECU reflash, MR Car Design downpipe and exhaust, high-flow catalytic converter and a K&N air filter.

In addition, MR Car Design combines its horsepower increase with a slight diet for the Focus RS. No details on the weight loss were specified but MR Car Design claims its Focus RS will blitz to 62-mph in 5.9 seconds. Other upgrades include r a set of KW V1 coilovers.

No pricing was announced, but does it really matter… the closest we get to the RS on this side of the Atlantic is the new Focus ST.

GALLERY: MR Car Design Ford Focus RS

As if we needed another reason to be jealous of Ken Block. The millionaire entrepreneur and rally driver has a full sponsorship package with both Ford and Monster Energy Drinks just got a brand spanking new Ford Focus RS thanks to The Blue Oval’s generosity.

Wearing Michigan manufacturer plates, the Focus RS is painted in the car’s signature green color, with black Volks Racing wheels added in to make the car look a bit different from the other Focus RS that resides in the U.S.A, also painted the same shade of green. The car is fairly stock for now, with a KW Variant suspension being the other major modification, but a host of power upgrades and a skull and crossbones motif on the headrests of the Recaro seats are expected to appear on the RS post-SEMA.

Gallery: Ford Focus RS

The Land Down Under just got some exciting news from Ford. Even though production is coming to an end, Australia will be gifted with 315 Ford Focus RS models in a limited edition production and available in three different colors.

“Customers, the motoring press, Ford enthusiasts and hot hatch fans have all been constantly asking us about Focus RS and when it might be coming to Australia, so we’re very pleased and incredibly excited to be able to confirm for everyone today that it’s on its way and will be here soon,” Ford Australia President & CEO Marin Burela said.

Available for close to $55,000 U.S., the Ford Focus RS is no cheap hatchback, but it’s definitely one hot hatch. Powered by a 2.5L inline-five turbocharged engine, the Focus RS pushes out 300-hp and 295 ft-lbs of torque. As mentioned before, the 315 buyers will be able to choose from Ultimate Green, Performance Blue and Frozen White as color choices.

And for those still looking for more info on the car, the interior sports Recaro seats and most of your standard run-of-the-mill amenities including six-disc CD player and eight-speaker Sony audio system.

GALLERY: Australian Ford Focus RS

[Source: CarScoop]

Following reports of a new Focus ST/SVT model that is set to debut at the Paris Auto Show this fall, we’re now hearing the first rumblings regarding the next-generation Ford Focus RS – which may come to market using an hybridized version of the company’s 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine. According to “very senior sources” inside Ford, the RS Team is currently studying the possibility of building such a car that would use an electric motor to power the rear axle, giving the car an all-wheel drive setup. Along with delivering AWD traction and added power, the system would be able to operate on pure electric power for short periods time, giving it excellent in-town fuel economy.

What sort of power Ford engineers are looking for isn’t yet known, but with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine easily capable of 250-hp, an electric motor could easily bump that up over the 300-hp mark. That would be a necessity as the current RS model makes 305-hp.

It’s not entirely clear if the car will get an RS badge either as Ford execs have insisted that RS-badged models have to be tied-in to rallying or some form of motorsports. There’s a strong belief that Ford could take this new setup off-road, just as Porsche has decided to begin racing a hybrid version of the GT3 in endurance racing.

With the project still in its early stages another possibility, reports AutoCar, is that the next-gen Focus RS could remain front-drive, using instead the next-generation version of the hybrid setup currently found in the Fusion Hybrid – which would be significantly less exciting.

If Ford does decide to go the hybrid performance car route, it might not be alone with reports that Subaru is planning a hybrid diesel WRX STI, and that Mitsubishi is also considering a hybrid EVO XI.

[Source: AutoCar]

Renault’s Megane 250 is widely considered one of the best hot hatches in the world. Not surprisingly, North Americans are unable to buy it due to our sordid love/hate relationship with French vehicles.

Europeans, on the other hand, are enamored with the Meagane 250, considered one of the Ford Focus RS’ most potent rivals, even though its down 50 horsepower on the Focus. But that doesn’t mean Renault is content to rest on their laurels. The French automaker has a pedigree of fast hatchbacks under its belt, and they intend to keep up with the competition.

A new Megane, ostensibly with more power and a sharper chassis, has been spotted testing on the Nurburgring. It would be hard to fathom that the new car will come with any less than 300 horsepower, to keep up with the Focus RS and the upcoming Vauxhall Astra VXR. The Megane’s limited-slip differential is said to be good for well beyond the current 250 horsepower, meaning driveline durability is likely not an issue.

Reports say that a stripped out, lightweight model in the vein of the hardcore R26R from the previous decade is in the cards, but only at the end of the product cycle. At this point, we’d crawl over broken glass infected with the Ebola virus to drive this car.

[Source: Autocar]

The Ford Focus RS can be accurately described as belligerent, with its crackling exhaust, electric green paint and bulldog-esque stance. But there will inevitably be a segment that isn’t satisfied with its outrageous appearance.

For 5 lucky members of that demographic, Ford has whipped up a few Focus RS hatchbacks painted in historic liveries used by the Ford GT40 and Ford Capri RS 2600 race cars. In case you’re wondering, yes, the Gulf Oil paint scheme will be

Inside, custom Alcantara suede that matches the exterior paintwork, leather shift and handbrake boots and a numbered plaque help augment the car’s exterior changes.

The only downside is that Ford is only making five cars, and all will be available in France. If you’re well heeled and an EU Citizen, you know what to do.

[Source: TopSpeed]

Mikko Hirvonen has done an admirable job in WRC. Despite never winning a championship, Hirvonen has stepped into the shoes of legendary driver Marcus Gronholm as Ford’s new factory driver, regularly battling the reigning champion, Sebastian Loeb.

When Hirvonen isn’t flinging the Ford Focus WRC car through various rally stages, he can be found driving the new Focus RS500 special edition on the Nurburgring, as shown in these two Ford promotional videos. The first clip shows Hirvonen driving the RS500 at a relaxed pace through some German B-roads, and giving his driving impressions of the car. The second clip shows the car being driven by Hirvonen on the Nurburgring.

Both videos show off the car’s incredible 5-cylinder soundtrack, and the RS500 looks especially mean in its all black livery. We really wish there was some way to help us understand how the car handles, because 350-horsepower through the front wheels is likely something that must be experienced rather than explained.

[Source: Ford of Europe]

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Last week we reported that the Ford RS500 had “sold out” in 12 hours based on the interest it garnered with official news of its release. Following hot on its heels and noticing the overwhelming demand on the RS500, Ford has released news of the MP350 package for regular Focus RS owners.

For those currently rocking a standard Focus RS in the UK or Europe  they will be able to order a factory-approved performance kit which includes a plethora of go-fast parts that will still retain the factory warranty. On the intake side, the forced induction RS gets a larger air box and intercooler while an upgraded exhaust expels the excess fumes. A recalibrated ECU, which probably ups the boost production of the turbocharged 2.5L five-cylinder engine. An upgraded fuel pump ensures everything works safely and in-tune.

The MP350 kit, developed with Mountune Performance, ups the horsepower output to 345-hp and 339 ft-lbs of torque, just like the RS500. Pricing hasn’t been announced for the kit yet, but it will be interesting of this hot hatch gains more momentum in North America. Perhaps ambitious Ford Focus owners will be doing their own rendition of the RS500.

GALLERY: Ford Focus RS500

[Source: Inside Line]

At the launch of the new Focus wagon for Europe at the Geneva Auto Show, Ford confirmed plans to bring a performance Focus model to market throughout the world. Ford’s global product boss Derrick Kuzak made the announcement and while short on details did say that it would use EcoBoost technology and be “exciting to drive and to look at.”

A word of caution to North Americans, however, as we’re not likely to get a mean Focus RS model, as such a hot hatch would just be too pricey in the U.S. What we do expect is either the EcoBoost 1.6 with around 180-hp or (we hope) the EcoBoost 2.0 with over 200-hp.

Importantly, Kuzak did mention that this model would be tied in to marketing the Focus and help promote the brand’s motorsports activities. Perhaps we’ll even see EcoBoost Focus models racing in the U.S. in the near future? (Grand Am? World Challenge?) We can only hope and await more details from Ford.