| Year
(of specifications) |
2010 |
| Engine(s) |
2.5
litre 5-cylinder turbocharged |
| Transmission |
6
speed manual FWD |
| Max
speed |
165
mph |
| 0-60 |
5.4
seconds |
| Horsepower |
345
hp @ 6,000 rpm |
| weight |
- |
Tell someone you've got a car which can hit 60 mph in under
five and a half seconds, and then cannon itself on to a 165
mph top speed, and most people will think you've got either
a top-end German saloon or a decent sports car stashed in the
garage. Most normal people won't jump to the conclusion that
you're rocking a Ford Focus.
There's good reason for that too, as there's only plans to produce
500 examples of the Focus RS500 - so it's going to be a rare
sight. A damn sight rarer than the legions of fast Audis, BMWs
and Mercs which seem to litter the motorways these days.
The Ford Focus RS500 isn't just a special edition with a fancy
name and an extra badge either. Well it is that too, but it's
also had some work done to the engine which boosts power output
by a useful 15 percent over the standard Focus RS model.
Power from the 2.5 litre, 5-cylinder turbocharged engine now
stands at 345 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm and 460 Nm of torque from
2,500 - 4,500 rpm. The power increases come courtesy of a noticeably
larger intercooler, a sports air filter, larger diameter exhaust
downpipe, uprated fuel pump, and recalibrated engine software
designed to optimise the performance of the new setup.
"The engine’s improved breathing has allowed us
to increase power without having to raise turbo boost pressure
significantly," said Gunnar Herrmann, Ford’s global
C-car vehicle line director. "This has made it possible
to enhance peak performance while maintaining the excellent
driveability, fuel consumption and emissions of the standard
Focus RS."
It certainly won't be hard to pick the Focus RS500 out from
a lineup. With it's matt black paintwork, black 19 inch wheels,
red brake calipers the car gives off a fairly menacing attitude
which almost makes the standard Focus RS look friendly!
The inside of the Ford Focus RS500 also gets some special treatment.
An individually numbered metal plaque on the center console
identifies the car as being something just a little bit special,
while red stitching on the steering wheel, door trim and gear
lever gaiter complements the red Recaro sports seats.
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