The
2009 Ford Focus RS due to go on display at the 2008 London International
Motor Show is the fastest production Focus in the models 10
year history. The Focus RS being unveiled at the show is a production
model preview which should be almost identical to the car going
on sale in 2009.
The 2009 Ford Focus RS is being developed by a small team of
dedicated engineers, under the direction of Jost Capito, Ford
of Europe’s Vehicle Line Director for Performance Vehicles.
Capito said of the car: "We want the new Focus RS to be
a serious high performance car – as much a car for driving
enthusiasts as the one before it and classic Ford RS models
of the past. We’re staying true to the core RS principles
of an exciting, yet affordable performance road car you can
live with every day."
Powering the 2009 Ford Focus RS is a turbocharged, 2.5 litre,
5 cylinder, Duratech
engine. This powerplant is tuned to develop 300 horsepower and
302lb/ft (410Nm) of torque. In order to achieve these figures,
Ford's engineers developed unique camshafts, a revised cylinder
head and gasket, and revised intake and exhaust manifold systems
for the car.
Sending the power to the front wheels is a manual gearbox -
through a Quaife Automatic Torque Biasing limited-slip differential.
The limited-slip differential works in conjunction with a front
suspension system Ford has named the 'RevoKnuckle'. This system
is designed to reduce torque steer during hard acceleration,
cornering or driving on uneven surfaces, when torque on the
driven wheels exceeds grips levels. Torque steer is characterized
by sudden turning force on the steering
wheel, and can be exacerbated by vehicles with wide tires
and limited-slip differentials.
The 2009 Ford Focus RS features a a 40mm wider track, stronger,
longer driveshafts, revised springs and dampers and a thicker,
longer rear anti-roll bar. The brakes also have been upgraded,
with 336mm ventilated front discs and 300mm rear discs.
The exterior design of the 2009 Ford Focus RS is aggressive
to say the least. The front-end is adorned with a multitude
of vents, grilles and louvres. All nicely finished in gloss
black. The car sits low, and has flared wheel arches complemented
by revised, deeper side skirts.
At the rear of the Focus RS, a deep rear bumper incorporates
a large venturi tunnel into its lower edge, with small vents
at each corner of the bumper. Two chrome tailpipes sit either
side of the black colored venturi tunnel.
The interior of the Ford Focus RS is dominated by Recaro high-performance
sports
seats, specially designed for excellent support.
The centre console is finished in a gloss, carbon-look trim
and metallic highlights abound, from air vents, door grab handles,
switchgear and gearshift surround, to RS-branded scuff plates
on the door sills.
Similar and related vehicles:
Ford GT
Ford GT Tungsten
Ford Mustang GT (2010)
Ford Mustang GT
Ford Mustang GT-R Concept
Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R
Ford Mustang Shelby GT500
Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR
Ford Mustang Shelby GT
Ford Mustang Shelby GT-H
Ford FPV GT-P
Ford Racing Puma
Ford Sierra RS Cosworth
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