Will the new Focus be Ford's last RS?
Rumor has bubbled up that this latest Ford Focus RS will be the last. That, however, isn't the most outrageous part of the story - after all, just a couple of years ago there were rumors that the RS badge would disappear on the MkII. And the reasons for the rumor aren't wild, either: the cloudy state of world finances and the pressure of emissions laws means hi-po gas-powered rockets have no place to grow.
The most outrageous part of this rumor comes when it's written that "all the firm's focus will be on economical and eco-friendly vehicles such as hybrids and electric cars." Not some of Ford's attention, but all of Ford's attention. A Ford source apparently bolstered that by saying "it's likely to be the last car of this type you will see from Ford." Not just the last RS, but "the last car of this type."
We hope this is just a sales ploy, some planted hysteria to boost RS sales. Because if it isn't, and Ford really won't be doing any hot little cars, that will mean a far sadder state of affairs than merely the loss of the RS line. Unless, of course, Ford means that the next Focus RS will be 300 hp, 302 lb-ft... and electric?
[Source: iMotor Mag]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
adam 7:31PM (3/01/2009)
well this is a complete crock. ford just merged the svt and euro performance groups, in order to produce performance oriented world cars.
performance will not die. the rs might die but svt and the SHO/ST vehicles will march on
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AZZO45b 11:01PM (3/01/2009)
Hope you are correct... because the Focus RS looks freakin' SWEET....
..... BUT, if I can lease/buy one gen & can NOT replace it with an updated model (if I desire...) I will support companies who don't play these games!!!
Farmboy 7:34PM (3/01/2009)
Probably the last of the RS badging.
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Phil Perman 7:43PM (3/01/2009)
I wouldn't worry too much. This is all "oh noes, recession!" stuff and its niche products don't really fit in this climate. But the recession will end and demand for higher performance cars will return. Everyone will just have to put up with a couple years of quietness.
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the vegas style guy 11:38PM (3/01/2009)
You're right. Remember when safety regs spelled the end of convertibles? People rushed out to buy the "last" Caddy 'verts. How long before Iacocca came back with the Lebaron Convt? I am the last one to say this, but, "the market rules." The auto co's will find a way to give us what we want and deal with regs. They always do.
Our cars are safer and cleaner now. Of course they are also heavier, but, we're getting around to that mpg thing next.
Right?
notYou 7:41AM (3/02/2009)
You're missing the point - this has nothing to do with the recession and everything to do with environmental politics. Ford is changing it's focus based on emissions laws which are already tough and becoming draconian because of [cough] "global warming".
They see the writing on the wall - keep making anything that doesn't adhere to the "global warming mantra" and you're going to get screwed.
From AB: "We hope this is just a sales ploy, some planted hysteria to boost RS sales. Because if it isn't, and Ford really won't be doing any hot little cars, that will mean a far sadder state of affairs than merely the loss of the RS line."
How right they are.
Green is the new Brown. Shirts, that is.
HotRodzNKustoms 7:47PM (3/01/2009)
There will always be demand for HiPo rides period
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xspeedy 7:51PM (3/01/2009)
I don't believe it. If high performance dies because of emissions, we'll lose more than half the vehicles on the market today. Forget Mustangs, Camaros, M3s, all Porsches, Ferraris, Lambos, Astons, Jags, BMW M cars...
This just about as realistic as saying all cars will be electric by 2010.
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Scorch 8:05PM (3/01/2009)
Why is that so hard to believe? I think the high performance car market will be done in, at least in the short term, by the environmental lobby. The cars you mentioned may be available in the future, but at a much higher cost.
Once alternative fuels come out, however, I'm sure they will still find a way to keep us from buying fast cars in the name of "not squandering our limited endowment of wind, sunlight, and hydrogen."
BigWill 9:00PM (3/01/2009)
This isn't the death knell for performance cars. Look at the Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T as a good example. It'll come from the factory with a somewhat benign 210 hp and 223 lb-ft of torque. However, as Hyundai is more than eager to point out, that engine is a kissing cousin to the Evo's turbo, and while the ECU is kind of protected it also isn't that hard to hack. Wink, wink. You end up with the best of both worlds - Hyundai gets plausible deniability and the customer gets a wider choice of engine tunes than the factory can offer.
IOW, performance will still be available; it's just it won't be totally pre-packaged on the dealership floor.
Steve Bennet 8:12PM (3/01/2009)
How much does this thing weight? It has 300hp/trq but apparently does 0-60 in 5.9secs. Must be well over 3000lbs.
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MixiM 8:46PM (3/01/2009)
First of all it's 0-63, and then the somewhat slow acceleration time is due to the FWD layout.
Steve Bennet 9:12PM (3/01/2009)
Ok so its 0-63, the cobalt ss does 0-60 in around 5.7 and it has 40 less hp/trq. Still seems like its heavy.
Kitko 9:49PM (3/01/2009)
Sure Cobalt may be a 0.2 sec faster, but Cobalt cannot negotiate corners in the same way as Focus can, not to mention the fact, that compared to Euro Focus, Cobalt's essentially piece of metal, plastic and rubber glued together while Focus is a hot-hatch. In which case, Cobalt's 0-63 or 100.8 km/h is irrelevant.
Steve Bennet 10:27PM (3/01/2009)
I don't recall the focus being put through its paces on the nurburgring or any other track yet. The cobalt ss is no slouch in the corners, its the fastest fwd car around the ring i believe, but its build quality is lacking.
Austin 8:21PM (3/01/2009)
SVT/RS just merged so this rumor is bull crap!
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Usually Named 8:27PM (3/01/2009)
That's what happens if Ford starts drawing from the US government loan. Strings attached by the rabid greenies to force the car companies to only produce econoboxes, public and the market be damned.
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chris 2:44AM (3/02/2009)
Ford has not asked for any money from the government, only GM and Chrysler have taken bailout funds
Sea Urchin 8:27PM (3/01/2009)
Can someone explain why is this car not sold in USA?
If it is priced at say 19K-22K and nicely equipped it would sell.
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2007RC46SP2 8:39PM (3/01/2009)
300hp! think more like $28-30k