As you all know the US market has been deprived of the beauty that is the Ford Focus RS for years which left the US buyers angry in a way. But the sea of change has arrived as well as the 2016 Ford Focus RS which has been drifted on true land-of-the-free roads. Now here are the big questions, can it go under our skin? Is it better than the Volkswagen Golf R or the Subaru WRX STI? Was it worth the wait? Well, keep reading if you want the answers!
When you take a first look at the Focus RS, you get the impression that it has just been stung by bumblebees. Everything on it is big and oversize starting from the rear wing and the exhaust outlets to the front end air intakes that flow to the big intercooler and brakes. Interior is something that is already seen and gives that old stuff feeling. Why? Well probably because it is the same one we saw in a 2012 Focus. But Ford at least puts an effort to insert a few bits and pieces to set it apart like a flat-bottom steering wheel, Recaro seats with big bolsters, extra gauges, and lots and lots of RS logos.
Since the interior and exterior aren’t something that will amuse you, we present to you a star of this vehicle. That is its 2.3-liter four cylinder powertrain that spits out insane 350 HP. All of this power is getting delivered to all four wheels over the six-speed short-throw manual gearbox. But there is something else. The engine is aided by a turbocharger that has 23 pounds of boost that will nail your spine to the back of the seat as soon as you hit the gas pedal. When the rev counter hits, 6.500 rpm redline the exhausts spits fire and bangs just like on the rally stage. The pace at which this vehicle can move is just amazing as it needs 4.7 seconds to run from full stop to 60 MPH, which always makes you think you are in a muscle car rather than Focus RS.
It is advertised as a car that can slide, and boy it really can. The AWD system vectors torque side-to-side with ease as well transfer the power from front to back, but torque steer hasn’t been ditched entirely which is a shame. The suspension, on the other hand, is kinda strange. On the street, it is somehow bouncy and stiff, but the track is where it shines. The drift mode, if you are up for it, will eat as many tires as you can afford and if you get carried away it is going to slide you into your piggy bank. The price for this wonder is mild $36,000 with Brembo brakes, Recaro seats, and Sony audio as standard. As for options, you can get the Michelin Sport Cup 2 tires while the heated front seats and navigation won’t do you any good sliding around the corner but still are nice additions.
The bottom line is that the Ford Focus RS was worth the wait and it is the only vehicle that will bring you closer to racing the rally circuit or drifting like a pure professional.
