As if the already smoldering Ford Focus RS isn’t hot enough, Ford Performance is considering going full blast on the high-performance hatchback with a limited edition model that’s going to break new ground for hot hatchbacks everywhere. According to Autocar, the Ford braintrust is paying close attention to the reactions of building such a model. If the company can justify building one, expect it to become the fastest-accelerating hatchback in history.
That’s incredible news for a Focus line whose latest RS iteration already packs 350 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. That’s more than any of its major competitors, including the new Civic Type-R, Volkswagen Golf R, and Subaru WRX STI.
As sexy as it sounds to see a more hardcore version of the Focus RS, it would take an enormous amount of resources to pull that off. That’s something Ford isn’t keen on doing. The more likely scenario would be for the company to take the route of shaving as much weight off of the car as it can to improve its power-to-weight ratio. Doing so would entail using methods like polycarbonate glazing and materials like carbon fiber-reinforced plastic to get the job done. If Ford can pull that off and strip off enough weight from the interior, it could shave off as much as 220 pounds off of the Focus RS’ weight. From there, Ford will likely turn its focus (no pun intended) on improving the drivetrain without completely changing the engine. That will supposedly involve adding a new electronically controlled limited-slip differential and introducing a dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
In the event that Ford does end up making one, expect the hardcore Focus RS to shoot for the stars and target the Mercedes-AMG A45 and the Audi RS3, the segment’s owners of the fastest 0-to-62-mph sprint with times of 4.2 and 4.3 seconds, respectively. The current Focus RS can do it in 4.7 seconds, so beating the A45 and the RS3 is going to be the company’s first and most important priority.
Continue reading for the full story.
from Top Speed http://ift.tt/1kPLg59
via IFTTT
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire