2016 Ford Focus RS
The Ford Focus RS (which stands for Rallye Sport) has been around for a while, but has never been available in North America before now. The exciting news is that the very special and brand new 2016 RS is coming to Canada.
And what a special car it is. It takes little more than a glance to see that the RS means business. A gigantic trapezoidal grille, fender flares to accommodate seriously wide rubber, massive dual exhaust tips and a functional diffuser dominating the lower back, and a massive spoiler above the back hatch all hint at what this beast can do.
It can do a lot.
The engine is an adaptation of the 2.3-litre turbo Ecoboost mill that powers the Mustang, but this time it’s tuned to deliver a staggering 345 horsepower and 324 pound-feet of torque. All this power drives all four wheels all the time, and is mated to a six-speed manual transmission. The car reaches 100km/h in well under 5 seconds, and the chassis is tuned to allow maximum use of all that power – the springs, bushings, and anti-roll bars are all stiffened up for maximum control.
The interior is heavily revised, too, with an extra bank of gauges and plenty of special “RS” branded trim-work to remind you that you’re driving something truly special. The redesigned and heavily bolstered Recaro sport seats are designed to keep you planted and supported as you put this ride through its paces.
The powerplant, transmission and chassis of the 2016 Focus RS are all significant departures from your standard Focus, but a lot of what makes the Focus such a great everyday car is present in the RS, too. The convenience and connectivity features we have all come to expect from a car of this caliber are there, making this quite possibly the perfect
combination of fun and practicality.
The 2016 Ford Focus RS is expected at dealerships next Spring.
