Ford Focus RS Officially Confirmed for US
Ford’s RS forthcoming hot hatch will finally be sold in North America.
“We’re announcing a new Focus RS will be coming to the market and it will be coming globally,” Ford CEO Mark Fields said in Dearborn during a press conference today.
Previous rumors suggest the Focus RS, which will sit above the ST in the product line, will arrive for the 2016 model year with Ford’s turbocharged 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine. Details on the new Focus are still light, but the same engine makes 310 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque in the 2015 Mustang. Rumors suggest Ford will actually tweak the engine for slightly more power in this application because the lighter car will allow a more aggressive state of tune without throwing fuel economy entirely out the window. Apart from being significantly more powerful than the ST, the Focus RS will also come with all-wheel drive to be a direct competitor with the upcoming Volkswagen Golf R.
Fields confirmed today that the Focus RS will be sold globally under the company’s “One Ford” product strategy. The previous generation RS model was based on the European Focus that skipped this market. The U.S. Focus is built at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant, but the RS model will likely be built in Europe and exported to the U.S. and other markets, which could mean a limited supply.
GALLERY: Ford Focus RS Prototype
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Luke is an energetic automotive journalist who spends his time covering industry news and crawling the internet for the latest breaking story. When he isn't in the office, Luke can be found obsessively browsing used car listings, drinking scotch at his favorite bar and dreaming of what to drive next, though the list grows a lot faster than his bank account. He's always on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> looking for a good car conversation. Find Luke on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> and <A title="Luke on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/112531385961538774338?rel=author">Google+</A>.
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My only problem with this car is the fact that it may not be assembled in the US. For me that is a minimum requirement. I would not even consider purchasing the car if it is imported. If its made in the Michigan plant I would purchase one for sure.
Coool vid I found on YouTube on the new RS. Looks mighty. http://youtu.be/kLhkSkj4VZU