Autoblog

Click above for hi-res gallery of the Twingo Renault Sport

After its initial unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show this past March, Renault has finally released full details – including pricing, equipment, and a whole $h!tload of new photos – of the new Twingo Renault Sport. Following the great line of eminently chuckable sport hatches from the French automaker – including the current Clio and Megane Renault Sport models – the Twingo Renault Sport upgrades the existing range-topping Twingo GT with a host of performance-oriented equipment inside, outside and underneath. Power comes from a 133-hp 1.6-liter 16-valve four-banger, and the Twingo RS comes right out of the gate with a choice of two chassis set-ups: Sport and Cup. The latter tightens up the suspension, cuts out 17 kg of weight and offers 17-inch dark anthracite wheels.

You'll recall that while its on-track rivals like Ferrari and McLaren turn their F1 know-how into six-figure supercars, Renault transfers its into sport hatches like this one. Renault Sport's latest offering will sell for just €15,601 in its home market, but includes a special bonus usually reserved for cars ten times its price. For a nominal fee of €1, Renault Sport Technologies is throwing in tutelage in its advanced driving course to show each new owner how to get the most out of their finely-tuned little chassis.

Follow the jump to get the full skinny on the little hatchback that could, and check out the hundred new images joining our live shots in the gallery below.

[Source: Renault]

Click above for a hi-res gallery of the GT Street RS

The Porsche 911 GT2 has 530 horsepower, 505 lb-ft of torque and is capable of going 204 mph. And it's not enough. Not for TechArt, at least. You know TechArt. They take Porsches that already push the limits of performance and go all Chuck Yeager on them, probing for new and more crazy limits. Generally they find them, then they package them up and offer them to the moneyed public. Case in point: the new GT Street RS. What begins as a "normal" GT2 turns into a 700-horsepower, 634 lb-ft (860 Nm) warp-enabled street predator when the TechArt people are through messing with it.

The myriad changes include new bodywork that improves the car's aerodynamics, updated chassis components, a customized and caged interior, and a laundry list of underhood modifications. The turbos, intercoolers, headers, electronics, pressure sensor, air filter and exhaust system all get updated by TechArt, facilitating the transformation from factory supercar to ballistic missile with wheels. Now, where'd we leave those launch codes...


[Source: TechArt]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the new Focus RS

Yesterday brought the sneak peek, but today we've got the real deal. The new Ford Focus RS is is mean and green (we mean that in the literal sense, thanks to its killer-looking paint color), and it will make its debut at this month's London Motor Show. While the RS is still under development, the car being put on display isn't exactly a concept, either. Some details might change here and there before it reaches showrooms in 2009, but ultimately, what you see here is what European drivers are going to get. The wide, low-slung stance, intimidating fascia, racy dual exhaust, and requisite high-mount spoiler are all part of the package. Follow the jump for more

Click either image for a high-res gallery of the Ford Focus RS.

We've been teased twice and now we finally get our first unmasked glimpse of the Ford Focus RS concept, due to debut at the London Motor Show next month. Images of the gaudy green hatch have begun to surface on a few sites across the pond, and the aggressive body work and racy interior mean that Ford's hottest hatch has to be packing some serious kit underhood. It is.

The Focus RS will be equipped with a tweaked version of the turbocharged Duratec 2.5-liter inline-five found in the ST, and will send between 280 and 300 hp, along with 300+ lb.-ft. of torque, through the front wheels via a six-speed gearbox equipped with a Quaife limited-slip differential. With that kind of power, the RS should be able to make the run to 60 in less than six seconds – assuming you don't torque-steer yourself into a tree in the process.

The dynamic body kit, complete with gaping maw, flared fenders, side sills, rear diffuser and wing, and unfortunate fender vents, compliments the lowered ride height, 19-inch, 15-spoke wheels and upgraded brakes. Inside, color-matched, two-tone Recaro thrones join an RS-specific instrument cluster and smaller diameter steering wheel.

More information should be released in the run-up to the show. As always, watch this space.



[Source: Autoblog Spanish - Translated]

We're expecting to see the redesigned 911 unveiled later this week, but Autocar's spies have caught the next iteration of the GT3 RS running at the Nurburgring ahead of its unveiling later next year. As is often the case with Porsche, it's hard to discern any substantive differences between this newest version of the GT3 RS and the current model, but when the new 911 makes its debut, it'll be wearing a redesigned front bumper, along with LED headlights and taillights, all of which will carry over to the GT3 RS.

Granted, these subtle changes aren't that compelling, but Porsche has big plans for what's underneath the new model's sheet metal. The GT3 RS will supposedly be packing another 40 hp over the outgoing model, developing 450 hp at peak output. However, there's been considerable debate about whether or not the GT3 RS' engine will be equipped with direct-injection, considering it's traditionally been based off the GT1 racecar. Harnessing those extra ponies will be a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission (Porsche Doppel Kupplung or PDK in Porsche parlance) that will provide seamless and ultra-quick shifts through steering wheel-mounted paddles. Purists might complain about a lack of a manual gearbox, but that's what purists do. So expect a manual version to be an option when it goes on sale in late 2009 or early 2010.

[Source: Autocar]

The arrival of the production version of the Focus RS won't be happening until 2009, but during the London Motor Show in July, we'll get our first glimpse of Ford's newest road rocket. Top Gear conjured up some unofficial renderings of what the new RS would look like based on the teaser image that was released earlier this year, and by all accounts, it's mix of restrained aggression and planted purposefulness hits all the right spots and leaves us even more frustrated that we won't be seeing it here in the States.

As for output, informed speculation still pegs the RS as making around 280-300 hp from its turbocharged, inline five-cylinder and sending that grunt to the front wheels. Ford has decided to opt out of equipping the RS with an all-wheel-drive system – something that may prove problematic if it still wants to compete with the Evo and STI – but Ford is assuring enthusiasts that a semi-active limited-slip differential will keep torque steer in check.

[Source: Top Gear]

We've already seen the teaser put out by Ford of its new Focus RS, but the crew at Autobild – a bastion of journalist integrity in Germany – has reportedly dropped the first ever shots of Ford's hottest of hot hatches. Rolling on 18-inch OZ wheels and sporting many of the front-end elements seen in the teaser, our first reaction to this supposed exclusive first peek was, "That looks like a Focus ST with a nose job and some photochopped wheels."

The profile shot is the most glaringly obvious design foible. It's hard to imagine any production model with its wheels shoved that snug up against the fender liner – not to mention the horrid lighting. Another noteworthy skepticism includes the fact that the OZ rollers don't have the blue center-cap that's shown on the rolling shots. So we're calling "foul," unless one of our German-speaking readers can give us translation of the text where Autobild admits that it's a mockup. Top tippage Joe!

[Source: Autobild via FocalJet]

Autocar claims to have the skinny on Ford's new Focus RS that may debut as soon as this summer's London Motor Show. The new Focus RS will get all the updates seen on the 2008 Ford Focus in Europe, which means it will combine the standard car's new Kinetic Design styling cues with big intakes, flares and a serious dose of attitude as seen above in the teaser image released last month. Autocar claims the new RS will be powered by the same 2.5L five-cylinder turbo from the Focus ST, but with modified pistons, cams and valve springs, a bigger turbo and a larger intercooler, all of which will bump power up from 222bhp to an impressive 280bhp. Autocar has also confirmed that power will be sent to the front wheels alone, but claims Ford has a new electronic front differential to keep the car steady under power. What transmission will be offered is still up in the air, with Volvo's new six-speed PowerShift dual-clutch gearbox still being considered.

The new Focus RS should be able to reach 60 mph in under six seconds without breaking a sweat, but its top speed will likely be governed to 155 mph. Projected pricing of around £25,000 is aimed squarely at the Volkswagen R32 in Europe, though the new Mitsubishi EVO X and Subaru Impreza STI are also in the car's crosshairs. We're happy for our European brethren that the new Focus RS sounds every bit as good as advertised, and continue to patiently wait until Ford's plan of integrating platforms on a global scale delivers unto us a worthy successor to the late, great Focus SVT.

[Source: Autocar]

While Ford keeps on cranking out newer, faster versions of the Mustang for American customers, Ford of Europe is preparing new packages for the Fiesta ST and Focus ST hot-hatches to do the same thing.

The £950 package for the diminutive Fiesta ST pushes power up to 185 hp from its 2-liter four, which is expected to come from upgraded engine management, cylinder heads, a new camshaft and exhaust. All that adds an extra 37 hp to the standard Fiesta ST's 148, dropping a sprint to 60 down half a second to eight flat.

Meanwhile, the larger, more powerful Focus ST gets treated to a similar upgrade, worth about £1,500. This package is tipped to include a new air filter, ECU and exhaust, amounting to a similar 38-horsepower increase in power for a total of 260 that drops the 0-60 blitz down to 5.5 seconds. Thank heavens Ford sells a version of the Focus here that's just as fast. Oh, wait...

Get this: current ST owners in Europe can also get this package retrofitted to currently-owned cars, along with a full-factory warranty on the parts. Europeans, then, will just have to make do with these hot hatch packages a while longer before the 300+ horsepower Focus RS arrives in 2009, at which point Blue Oval fanboys from the U.S. will invade your countries with the intent to drive.

[Source: Auto Express]

It's been rumored, spied and denied, but the Blue Oval boys have finally made it official: the Focus RS is on its way. The successor to the Escort RS Cosworth and the last generation Focus RS will be based off the current Focus ST and come equipped with a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-five producing around 280 HP and 295 lb.-ft. of torque.

The suspension and chassis will be tuned to compete with the new Evo X and Subaru Impreza STI, and will include plenty of rally-inspired kit, blistered wheel arches, hood vents, spoilers and a driver-centric interior fitted with deeply bolstered seats.

You can now count Ford among the automakers that still haven't understood releasing a darkened teaser of the newest hotness is only a few Photoshop minutes away from being unmasked, and the image above shows a huge front air dam, restyled headlamps and plenty of imposing exterior elements that are likely to give VW R32 owners a shock when it rolls up at their six.

The only questions now are how power will be sent to the wheels and what kind of gearbox the new RS will be fitted with. Expect answers when the Focus RS makes its debut sometime during the 2008 auto show season, right before the RS goes on sale in Europe in the spring of '09.

[Source: Ford]