We all knew the 2016 Ford Focus RS would be awesome and yet we didn’t expect the third generation of the Blue Oval’s manic hatch to become the performance bargain of the year.
Ford has announced the UK market pricing for the Focus RS and its GBP28,940 starting price means it undercuts the front-wheel drive Honda Civic Type R by about one thousand pounds. As for the Volkswagen Golf R, this is two grand more expensive than the Ford.
The performance numbers are music to our ears
And that’s not all. Ford also announced the RS can put its all-wheel drive to good use and hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.7 seconds, which places it 1s ahead of the JDM-flavored rival. Heck, it also places it 0.4s in front of the BMW M135i, as well as ahead of the Subaru WRX STI.
Sure, there are quicker cars in the segment, but you’ll have to enter the premium area and you bank account will regret it. For instance, the Audi RS3 can take you to 62 mph half a second quicker, but it will cost you about ten thousand pounds more.
As for the top speed, the 2016 Focus RS can hit 266 km/h (165 mph), making full use of the 350 PS (345 hp) and 325 lb-ft / 440 Nm (make that 347 lb-ft / 470 Nm with Overboost).
What about the American side of this hot hatch adventure?
Ford has yet to announced the US pricing for the hot hatch, but the rumor mill sees the Focus being offer for a little under $35,000. However, if you’re planning on grabbing one, you might want to talk to your dealer in advance, as the production, which comes from Ford’s Saarlouis plant in Germany, will be limited.
Oh, and let's not forget the Focus RS comes with a drift mode that allows the driver to exploit the AWD in order to pull sideways shenanigans.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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