An on-track preview of the 2017 Ford Focus RS as Editor-in-Chief Mike Austin rides along in the passenger seat.
TranscriptMIKE AUSTIN: We went to the streets of Willow, outside of Los Angeles, California, for a ride in the Ford Focus RS, one of the most exciting cars of 2016. We rode with Tim Smith from Ford's SVT engineering team. And from what Tim tells us, the RS is quicker on a quarter-mile than the Focus ST. But what this car is really about is the overall driving feel and performance. The Focus ST and the previous RS were both front-wheel drive. The focus was never meant to be on an all-wheel drive platform, so making the new RS route power to all four wheels was a significant challenge.
Here in America, Ford performance means Mustang. But according to SVT chief engineer Jamal Hameedi, the Focus RS is the top-of-the-line sports car for most of the world, aside from the Ford GT
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Under the hood is a revised version of the EcoBoost boost 2.3-liter four-cylinder, making 350 horsepower and 350 pound feet of torque. But if you're thinking this is just a high-performance version of the Focus ST, think again. The Focus RS is totally re-engineered. One thing carried over from the Focus ST is the same six-speed gearbox with a slight difference in the shift lever for the RS. The Focus RS we rode in also has optional Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, perfect for track abuse.
The overdrive in the Focus RS uses torque vectoring, which means it can send power to either side of the rear wheels, and the adjustments are made on the fly 100 times per second, taking into account steering angle, throttle input, yaw rate, acceleration, and even the temperature of the rear differential.
A big feature in the Focus RS is its four drive modes-- normal, sport, track, and drift. You can probably figure out what all they mean, but they change six settings on the car-- all-wheel drive calibration, dampers, steering assist, engine response, stability control, and exhaust.
The stability control has a sport mode, which is a little confusing because there's also a sport drive mode. Here's Tim explaining what happens when you put the car in track drive mode.
TIM SMITH: The yaw control-- it puts that in sport mode, as well. So it lets you slide a little more, frees the car up a little bit, but you still have some margin of safety to get too stupid or it'll reign you in.
MIKE AUSTIN: It goes without saying we can't wait to drive this. For Autoblog, I'm Mike Austin.
The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander adds another three-row SUV to its line-up that fits between the smaller Highlander and the larger truck-based Sequoia. It features styling closely related to the RAV4, with a wide stance and crisp lines. Three powertrains are available including a non-hybrid turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder, a hybrid …
The 2024 Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 is a big, lovable luxury beast. Under the hood, it’s packing a biturbocharged 4.0-liter V8 making 603 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, propelling this three-row SUV from 0-60 miles per hour in a swift 4.1 seconds. But it’s not all about speed. With an …
The winner of Autoblog’s 2023 Technology of the Year competition is Mercedes-Benz’s Dolby Atmos audio system. It defeated a number of impressive other new technologies like BMW’s Theater Screen, Ford’s Remote Rev and more. Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio has been present in theaters and home theater setups for quite some …
The 2023 Lotus Emira is finally here! Arriving now in limited quantities after multiple supply-chain delays, this V6-powered First Edition gets 400 horsepower out of its supercharged Toyota engine, which is mated to an old-fashioned, six-speed manual transmission. The engine's mounted in the middle -- right where you want it …
The 2024 Honda Ridgeline is getting the TrailSport treatment along with a number of key interior updates for the entire lineup. The big news is obviously the new Ridgeline Trailsport, which adapts many of the same elements of the all-new Pilot TrailSport and the recently revealed updated Passport TrailSport. That …
The Maserati MC20 represents a rebirth of the Maserati brand. It’s the Italian marque’s supercar and represents a true flagship product that will get folks excited about every other new Maserati on its way. Everything about the two-door coupe, from how it looks, to how it drives, passes the supercar …
For 2024, the Honda Passport picks up some improvements for the off-road focused TrailSport trim, as well as a style-focused Black Edition. The TrailSport's upgrades include all-terrain tires on 18-inch wheels as well as retuned shocks, springs and anti-roll bars for better off-pavement performance. The Black Edition is the new …
The 2024 Honda Prologue will be Honda's first widely-available electric car available in the U.S. While it is based on the Chevy Blazer EV, it has a number of unique qualities, starting with its unique exterior and interior styling that are much cleaner and more reserved than the Chevy. Honda …
The 2024 Acura Integra Type S is the Acura branded variant of the Honda Civic Type R. It gets the same turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and six-speed manual transmission with 320 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. It does have a number of differences, though. The design is different with a …
The F150 is a significant refresh for 2024 and features a new tailgate, bed dividers and an updated design. The tailgate can now swing out -- Ford joins the tailgate wars with Ram and GM -- and the headlights give the F150 a fresh look. The Tremor and Raptor are …
Ford brought three trims of its refreshed 2024 F-150 to the Detroit Auto Show, including the Tremor, Raptor R and Platinum. The Tremor shows off Ford’s fancy, new Pro Access Tailgate and a new modular bumper with a Ford Performance winch kit on it. Meanwhile, the Raptor R showcases Ford’s …
The 2025 Ford Mustang GTD is the most extreme Mustang and also one of the most extreme road cars ever made. Its body is largely made out of carbon fiber, and it's rocking a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 under its hood that is promised to make over 800 horsepower. Ford created …
The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 4Matic SUV is a very pleasant luxury EV to pop around in, and while it isn’t particularly sporty to drive, it sure is a relaxing space to spend time in. The EQE SUV is a similar size and class as the gas-powered GLE, though its …
