Ford Focus RS: First Look

Jay Williams - 03/August/2010

Australia - Ford has announced that the highly acclaimed, high performance Focus RS is on its way to Australia.

The Focus RS is set to go on sale early in the fourth quarter of the year, however, there will be a strictly limited number available.

Only 315 examples will hit our shores, which will make Focus RS ownership in Australia very exclusive.

"The buzz and excitement surrounding Focus RS has spread rapidly around the globe since it was introduced in Europe early last year, winning a host of motoring awards and receiving widespread critical acclaim for its outstanding combination of high-performance road car technology and every day Focus practicality.

"Now it is poised to conquer the Australia market, setting a new benchmark for hot hatch performance in this country and creating a whole new generation of performance car enthusiasts in the process." Ford Australia President & CEO Marin Burela said.

The Focus RS will only be offered in one specification level, but customers will have the choice of three exterior colours – Ultimate Green, the signature colour of the latest Focus RS; Performance Blue, the colour of the original Focus RS; and Frozen White, a classic RS colour.

The Ford Focus RS is powered by a turbocharged Duratec RS 2.5-litre engine that delivers 224kW of power and 440Nm of peak torque at just 2300rpm.

Meanwhile the Focus RS is fitted with unique sports suspension, incorporating the patented Ford RevoKnuckle, along with a Quaife Automatic Torque Biasing Helical Limited Slip Differential, high-performance braking system and Tyre Deflation Detection System (DDS) for the 19-inch alloy wheels and bespoke Continental tyres.

In addition to the largest wheel/tyre combination ever fitted to a Focus, a host of unique Focus World Rally Car-inspired design elements contribute to the bold exterior of the RS, including:

Unique body panels
Flared wheel arches
Custom bonnet design with integrated twin louvres
Side skirts
Aggressive front and rear bumpers 

Almost every body panel on this hot-hatch has been revised or modified in some way.

A twin-blade rear spoiler completes the exterior package, complementing the rear bumper venturi and front bumper splitter to deliver higher levels of downforce while balancing the overall aerodynamic profile of the vehicle.
Other exterior elements include automatic levelling xenon front headlights with washer system and rear parking sensors.

Stepping inside, the Focus RS boasts Recaro sports seats in partial leather trim, dual zone climate control air conditioning, rain sensing windscreen wipers, auto-dimming rear vision mirror and an eight-speaker Sony audio system with six-disc CD player and USB input facility for iPod/MP3 player integration.

Bluetooth hands-free with Voice Control system is also part of the equipment package, along with the Ford Key-Free System incorporating keyless entry and keyless start via the start/stop button.

The Focus RS will be offered for sale with a Manufacturer's List Price of $59,990 when it arrives in Australia later this year.

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