Thrilling, unbridled driving enjoyment

FORD’S all-new Focus RS made its global public debut at the Geneva Motor Show last week. This high-performance road car pioneers the innovative Ford performance all-wheel drive system and delivers class-leading cornering speed, thrilling performance and unbridled driving enjoyment.

The all-new Focus RS also introduces advanced performance technologies, and is the first Ford RS equipped with selectable drive modes, including an industry-first drift mode and launch control.
With a 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine delivering in excess of 236kW, this high-performance road car offers the most powerful Ford RS braking system ever. Its dramatic exterior design offers optimised aerodynamics and cooling, with zero lift and 9% less drag than the previous Focus RS.
Developed by a small team of Ford performance engineers in Europe and the US, the new Focus RS is the third generation of Focus RS cars, following models launched in 2002 and 2009.
It will be the 30th car to wear the legendary RS badge, following such technology trendsetters as the 16-valve 1970 Escort RS1600, the turbocharged Sierra RS Cosworth of 1985 with its radical aerodynamics and the four-wheel-drive 1992 Escort RS Cosworth.
The six-speed manual transmission has been optimised for the enthusiastic driver with a shorter gear lever and revised mechanism to deliver faster and more accurate shifts. Both the transmission and the clutch have been upgraded with stronger components to cope with the engine’s increased torque output.
Standard Bi-Xenon HID headlamps offer Adaptive Front Lighting, which adjusts the intensity and angle of the headlamp beams according to vehicle speed, steering angle and distance to objects for optimal illumination.
Customers can also specify the latest active city stop automatic braking technology which operates at speeds of up to 50km/h.
The high-performance character of the RS is reflected inside the car with heavily-bolstered partial leather Recaro sports seats as the centre piece of the cockpit.
The RS driving experience is reinforced by a new flat-bottomed steering wheel with a soft-feel leather covered rim, alloy foot pedals and unique instrument graphics within the main cluster. An additional bank of gauges above the centre console display turbocharger boost pressure, oil temperature and oil pressure.
Since the first Ford RS models took to the road, the RS marque has been an essential element of Ford’s DNA, delivering technical innovation and performance on the road and track.
Dating back to the early days of the company’s success in rally sport, the first RS models established a reputation for advanced technology and driving exhilaration that continues to this day.
Vehicles that pioneered AWD technology include the exotic 1984 mid-engined RS200 destined for group B rallying, the 1990 Sierra RS Cosworth 4×4, the spectacular Escort RS Cosworth and the 1994 Escort RS2000 4×4.