Let the horsepower wars begin as we reveal that the new Ford Focus RS will make a staggering 345 horsepower from its 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder. Step aside the Volkswagen Golf R the Subaru WRX STI, but not the Mercedes CLA45 AMG which pips the Ford with 355 hp and the Audi RS3 which is the current most powerful hatch with 362 hp.
Also confirmed is the RS’s torque number figure, which is 325 lb-ft between 2000 and 4500 rpm. An overboost function allows for a maximum of 347 lb-ft for up to 15 seconds when the driver’s right foot is buried into the carpet.
Every Ford Focus RS will use a a six-speed manual transmission (with a shorter lever than that of the ST) and the clutch and transmission have been uprated to cope with the higher levels of torque. The brand new all-wheel-drive system designed specifically to give the car new levels of performance and driver involvement.The first major innovation is the new electronically controlled twin-clutch four-wheel drive system. An excitingly named ‘drift mode’ function allows up to 70 per cent of power to be sent to the rear wheels, with as much as 100 per cent of that sent to one individual wheel.
To improve fuel economy Auto stop/start will also be standard and the CO2 emissions are said to be down by about 20 percent compared to the previous Focus RS.
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