Here in the U.S., we haven't benefited from the hot hatch hysteria that has swept through Europe over the past several years. Our choices have been limited and even more so when it comes to domestic manufacturers. With the exception of the SVT Focus, Ford has never graced our shores with one of their hotted-up hatches, but still we yearn for some tire-smoking, turbocharged three-door action.
So without bemoaning the fact that we won't be getting the new RS, we'll just give you the facts, as they've been gathered by Autocar.
Continued after the jump...
[Source: Autocar]
First off, the 225 HP, European Focus ST has been a resounding success abroad. According to Ford, they've sold twice as many STs as VW has sold GTIs in 2006. So Ford has seen fit to play off its WRC cred and bring back the RS after a brief hiatus.
The new RS will come equipped with a 280 HP, 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder, sourced from Volvo, which will send power through a six-speed manual to a semi-active limited slip differential driving the front wheels. The addition of the diff is important, as the old RS was plagued by a considerable amount of unmanageable torque steer and, according to Autocar, Ford's financial wonks have determined that front-wheel-drive is the only cost effective solution.
The suspension will be revised with stiffer springs, shocks and 19-inch rolling stock, with sticky rubber that should help quell some of the aforementioned power delivery problems. A deeper front spoiler will be accompanied by a series of scoops that will aid in brake cooling and feeding the hungry turbocharger.
Pricing should be in the £21,000 to £23,000 realm, which, in addition to the performance mods, will get you the usual interior accoutrements: special seats, badges, trim, etc. Production is expected to be between 5,000 and 10,000 units and, naturally, none of those will make it to U.S. consumers.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Owain Ozymandias Buck @ Feb 9th 2007 12:53PM
Ugh. It hurts to think of all the cool things available elsewhere: a diesel Toyota hi-lux, a diesel Ranger in Brazil, the good Focus, Australian Utes.
Don't laugh! A new El Camino would is an absolute redneckian dream car! A 6.0 LS2 and a six-speed would make it down right tasty!
Sort of off-topic, but why did they consider all-wheel drive to be too cost prohibitive, seeing as this is a low volume performance model?
That One Person @ Feb 9th 2007 12:56PM
#1...I agree. Our cars arent bad but compared to what they have oversears, they just dont compare.
But luckily GM is bringing over a Holden and renaming it the G8 (dumb name by the way). And they got the Astra. And so on.
And Mullaly said they most likely will be shipping some cars over from Europe in a couple years. While that is somewhat of a long wait, it will be nice when those vehicles get here.
I would like to see those products now, but it wont happen. Too much engineering needs to be done on some vehicles...
rrr @ Feb 9th 2007 1:08PM
Well #1 one has to ask, how come MOST automakers in USA do not sell these hatches, even the perenial winners like Toyota and Honda do not offer them, Matrix is bigger than this Focus, Fit is smaller.
Also in Europe many drive station wagons, yet very few are here in USA, again Toyota and Honda do not even offer them.
I know that sometimes it seems like everyone else is getting the cool stuff but Americans, but maybe there's a reason for that.
Aki @ Feb 9th 2007 1:18PM
"I know that sometimes it seems like everyone else is getting the cool stuff but Americans, but maybe there's a reason for that."
VW GTI is sold here, and is doing fairly well. Focus RS outsold the GTI, yet we don't even see one here.
There is a reason, and the reason is that Ford execs are clueless. Hopefully Mulally changes that.
Phil L. @ Feb 9th 2007 1:21PM
Well, I can think of one reason the RS might not sell well in the US: £21,000 to £23,000 works out to about $41K to $45K. How many of you would really buy an RS - if you could get a new (non-Z06) 'Vette for similar money?
Arguably, if developed properly, they could sell an RS for less than that in the US. But the US has a tradition of being unwilling to pay real money for a small car, in spite of high quality/performance.
jc @ Feb 9th 2007 1:23PM
No question ,performance cars such a these tend to re-invigorate a brand.
emw @ Feb 9th 2007 1:32PM
That One Person, I agree it is good they are bringing the G8 here, but you have to admit the Holden front fascia/bumper looks a lot better than the one on the Pontiac version. It seems so "duh" to me, but apparently the GM engineers don't see it
rodri @ Feb 9th 2007 1:37PM
Maybe car manufacturers believe America doesn't deserve cool cars.
ruggels @ Feb 9th 2007 1:45PM
"4. Well #1 one has to ask, how come MOST automakers in USA do not sell these hatches, even the perenial winners like Toyota and Honda do not offer them, Matrix is bigger than this Focus, Fit is smaller."
Well, #4, one has to ask, did VW sell out of their entire alotment of not-cheap MKIV .:R32's? Yes. Is volvo bringing over a luxury hatch? Yes. Is the A3 selling well? Yes. Just because the american and japanese companies aren't providing us with true hot hatches, doesn't mean there's not a market. Thanks for bringing this over ford! I just hope it's more reliable then the MS3
(EEP: http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?board=1032.0
RBW @ Feb 9th 2007 1:51PM
Well, I can think of one reason the RS might not sell well in the US: £21,000 to £23,000 works out to about $41K to $45K."
For the millionth time, you CANNOT compare the costs in the UK directly to the US. The BASE Focus costs £11,000 in the UK. That would be $21,000 in US dollars, which obviously isn't the case.
Ralph @ Feb 9th 2007 1:54PM
as a European I am simply fed up with these childish comments, You don't realize how many cool American cars we don't get. If we want a Mustang we pay twice as much for it as You do in the USA(and very many people do this and import Hummers,Mustangs,SSRs and SUVs). My point is if You like a Focus RS or You are in love with a crappy Citroen or Seat Ibiza. IMPORT YOURSELF ONE!Amen
JIm @ Feb 9th 2007 1:54PM
Put me in the camp that wants a lot of what we see in Europe over here. But I also understand why they don't. Think about it. We're talking upper 20s for the version noted above and probably 30 or so for the 4x4 version. Look around at what is available in the mid-to-upper 20s and low 30s. Lots of good stuff. As much as we'd like to see this model in the U.S. it would be a big mistake for Ford, and right now Ford can't afford any mistakes. The volume isn't there to justify.
judd @ Feb 9th 2007 1:54PM
Is Ford still wondering why alot of people do not buy their stuff? All those college years wasted...
ruggels @ Feb 9th 2007 2:05PM
"Think about it. We're talking upper 20s for the version noted above and probably 30 or so for the 4x4 version. Look around at what is available in the mid-to-upper 20s and low 30s. Lots of good stuff. As much as we'd like to see this model in the U.S. it would be a big mistake for Ford, and right now Ford can't afford any mistakes. The volume isn't there to justify."
Um, look around, at what is available in the hot hatch segment for the mid-to-upper 20s and low 30s? Ooo. GTI. R32 (soon, and 4x4, and low 30s), MS3? Mini. Yeah.. definately looks like americans aren't buying cars like this.. not at all. Honestly, where are you coming from?
Tim UF @ Feb 9th 2007 2:09PM
Gotta love it when bean pushers have final say of engineering and design...
they decided fwd is the only way to make a hipo small car? how does subaru make the wrx and STi???
(not to mention every other car in their lineup)
Toyota made an AWD Matrix. Suzuki makes awd small cars (outgoing aerio, and the new SX4). Yet, Ford with all its experience, and manufacturing capabilities, can't figure out a way? something tells me ford fishes in the shallow end for their financiers
ruggels @ Feb 9th 2007 2:12PM
Toyota isn't bleeding billions, this allows a bit more for R&D. they also do building of cars better then anyone, that also helps.
But your point is well taken. Ever since I drove the 4x4 cube i wondered why all cars didn't have such an option
jgp @ Feb 9th 2007 2:18PM
Argh. I'm sick of this. The exchange rate argument is utter _bullshit_.
Look at any vehicle sold in both the US and UK. The number in dollars is roughly equivalent to the number in pounds, which doesn't match up with exchange rates _at all_. Yes, the _same car_ is sold in the UK at far higher prices than in the US. European prices are simply inflated (partially thanks to insane taxation).
the marais @ Feb 9th 2007 2:22PM
European cars are fundamentally designed for different tasks than American vehicles. Most European towns were planned in the era of the horse and cart, so the streets are narrower, prompting smaller vehicles for parking, etc. Europeans cars get phenomenal gas mileage because they are ligher and have small base engines (1.0 - 1.25 L with under 100 hp) all either diesel or at least 95-octane petrol (which you cannot even find here in the U.S.). Further, Europeans tend to take trains or airplanes for longer hauls, rather than driving. Finally, for anyone who has ever sat in a Peugeot, Citroen, etc., their cars tend to have cheap, plasticky interiors (a complaint people are already leveling at the Astra). European cars also tend to last "longer," since people drive significantly less, there is no salt on the roads to rust out the undercarriage, and Europeans simply do not purchase as many vehicles in their lifetime as Americans do.
As much as we may envy the Euro designs, very few Americans would want a 1.4L 4 cyl. Ford Focus (especially in an automatic), no matter what it looked like. When a car must be adapted for the U.S. market, many things have to happen to cope with our standards (headlights, emissions, windshields, safety belts, crash tests, etc. etc.). The european engines, that almost uniformly require nothing less than 95 octane petrol, cannot handle our 87 without eventually clogging fuel injectors (anyone ever own a Cadillac Catera?). That is precisely why Honda, Toyota, Nissan, BMW, and VW build cars in North America -- so they can customize their models for our market, and not for export.
Another problem with the U.S. automakers playing catchup is that the post-2003 gas price increases took many people by surprise. I imagine that many Americans would still want to be driving Expeditions if gasoline was still $1.17 per gallon. North America, with its vast distances and lack of rail transport, is ill-suited for smaller, more uncomfortable Euro-cars with underpowered engines. So I do not totally blame GM and Ford for not being able to see far enough in the future that the Yaris/Fit/Mini/Prius would be what the public would want. The Japanese pounced on the market when oil prices soared, because they had a vast resevoir of small, fuel-efficient cars floating around the world (that were not selling that well in Europe, due to fiercer competition). The Japanese are more efficient at the moment at bringing cars to market, probably due to less-rigid labor agreements and more flexible production capacities (as well as a fan base in the United States and Canada that rivals no other -- I lived in Europe for years, and no one EVER talked about how great Japanese cars were, like some Americans do).
The Euro-Focus is also based on a platform that is on its way out, so Ford will prob launch a global Focus when the C-2 is out.
So we can pan after European cars as looking cooler (which they are), but it is not as easy to develop a car that works well from Japan to China to Europe to North America. It's not impossible, but if Ford/GM want to stay around, they better figure out how to do it.
ruggels @ Feb 9th 2007 2:23PM
"European prices are simply inflated (partially thanks to insane taxation)."
Oooh so that explains why companies like VW, GM, Ford, et-al are loosing so much in the US market... are you sure it's not that US prices are deflated?
Ben @ Feb 9th 2007 2:47PM
This blog is useless without pictures! ;-)