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2016 Ford Focus RS Sets 8:06 Nurburgring Time, Just 326 HP in Sport Auto Test

As it turns out, not all the fruits of the 2016 Nurburgring testing season had been plucked. After we got to see the VW-delivered lap time for the Golf GTI Clubsport S and the Sport Auto-provided time for the Mercedes-AMG GT R, the German publication is now back in the game, this time delivering the Nordschleife news for the 2016 Ford Focus RS.
2016 Ford Focus RS Nurburgring lap by Sport Auto 5 photos
Photo: YouTube screenshot
2016 Ford Focus RS Nurburgring lap by Sport Auto2016 Ford Focus RS Nurburgring lap by Sport Auto2016 Ford Focus RS Nurburgring lap by Sport Auto2016 Ford Focus RS Nurburgring lap by Sport Auto
The manic Blue Oval compact went round the Ring in 8:06, in the hands of Christian Gebhart, the magazine's tester. With many enthusiasts probably expecting the Mk III RS to be a member of the sub-8 club, we need to mention a few things.

The publication hasn't offered too many details about the test, but we are told that the measured output of the spicy hatchback fell way below the official 350 PS rating, sitting at 326 PS.

While we didn't experience any overheating issues during our admittedly short 2016 Focus RS track test, such problems have been reported by certain owners, so perhaps this could've played a role here.

As for the inevitable comparisons, you use the Golf GTI Clubsport S feat mentioned above, which saw the face blowing its own FWD record with a 7:47 lap, for the Focus RS comparo. And that's because the Clubsport S is a track-focused car that, for instance, has no rear seats, so perhaps comparing the said Vee-Dub to the spied Focus RS500 would be a better idea.

Then there's the fact that mixing Sport Auto and manufacturer times doesn't work, as this leads to the apple-to-orange type of comparos. For instance, the magazine's recent 7:10 Mercedes-AMG GT R lap was quicker than its 7:13 Porsche 918 Spyder adventure, whereas the Porsche-provided time for the 918 sits at 6:57, which means the gas-electric Zuffenhausen machine is still the fastest production car to have gone round the infamous German track.

We can also check out the hot hatch lap times for another German circuit, namely Hockenheim Short, but we're not sure where the values come from. Regardless, the Focus RS is a 1:15.30 car, while the non-S Golf GTI Clubsport is a full second quicker.

And since the hot hatch track time tales could go on forever, we'll stop here and invite you to check out the Focus RS Green Hell lap below.

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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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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.
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