Posts Tagged ‘Ford Focus RS’
BBR Shows Four Ways to Boost Power in Ford Focus RS
We have a few more years to wait for the first American Ford Focus RS. But we’re getting the impression that, when it gets here, American tuners will be able to have some fun with it.
The British shop BBR, for instance, has announced four different levels of boost for the RS.
It starts with a simple ECU reflash, which takes power from 305 horsepower up to 342. That runs about $935.
If that’s not enough, phase two replaces the intercooler and air filter to make airflow more efficient, which takes the power up to 355. That one runs about $1,950, so those extra 13 horsepower don’t come cheap.
Phase three is a more significant upgrade, replacing the entire exhaust with a custom-fitted stainless steel unit that can pass Euro emissions regulations, and bumps horsepower up to 382. $3,950 will get you to phase three.
The final step replaces the fuel pump with a high-flow unit and adds a custom BBR turbocharger. Phase four takes power to 404 horsepower, and runs over $6,100.
If you want to go all out, BBR will also replace the suspension with custom springs. Photos — and a nice chart of the torque curve for each upgrade — below.
High-Performance Hybrid Ford Focus RS is U.S.-Bound
At the moment, Ford builds two cars called the Focus.
One, sold in the United States, is an uninspiring compact car with a typical four-cylinder engine, squishy handling, and no performance trim — though a lot of people seem to like gluing fake brake vents onto it.
The other, sold in Europe, is one of the world’ best small cars. It has a selection of engines, including a few that offer a lot of power for such a small car. It handles better than almost anything Ford sells stateside. And there is a high-performance version, the RS, that’s sought-after by car enthusiasts and tuners on the Continent.
It’s never made sense. Why build two? Why build the mediocre one at all?
Starting in 2012, Ford will fix this. We’ll get the good Focus here. And, with it, we’ll get the RS.
According to U.K. media reports, though, it will arrive carrying something new…batteries.
The U.K.’s Autocar claims that the RS will come here carrying a new, 2.0-liter, I-4, twin turbo EcoBoost engine, which will send 250-horsepower to the front wheels. It will also carry an electric motor, sending another hundred or so to the rear wheels. This would effectively make the car All-Wheel-Drive…but without the added complexity of an AWD system.
We’re still a long way from getting the Euro-Spec Focus RS here, so a lot could change in the meantime. But we’re intrigued.
And we’re ripping the fake brake vents off the first time we see a set on this rocket.
Mountune Performance upgrade kit now available for Ford Focus RS
UK tuner Mountune Performance has developed a Ford-approved 350 PS engine upgrade for new and existing Focus RS owners. The MP350 performance upgrade increases peak power from 305 PS to 350 PS, while torque rises by 20 Nm to 460 Nm. Modifications include a larger intercooler, a larger air filter box, a larger diameter exhaust downpipe and an uprated fuel pump, along with an updated software calibration. Currently the upgrade is available through selected Ford dealers in the UK, with a European roll-out planned to follow.
VIDEO: Ken Block and the Monster Energy Ford Focus RS look impresive at WRC Rally Mexico
Ken Block has proven himself to be a competitive force on the world stage of the World Rally Championship ring. Three weeks ago, Block and Alex Gelsomino took on Rally Mexico—Monster World Rally Teamʼs inaugural WRC race—and held their own among a few veteran WRC drivers. By the end of the first leg Block and Gelsomino had secured a position on the leaderboard for the American flag to fly. Unfortunately, an off on the first stage of Day 2, left the Monster Energy Ford Focus RS WRC unable to continue due to a rookie mistake, Block admits. “We should have noted the change in surface, the section went from a grippy dirt road to very loose gravel and there was just no traction at all, especially for the speed we were trying to carry into the next turn.” Check out the video after the jump.
VIDEO: Ken Block’s WRC Mexico Test in the Monster World Rally Team Ford Focus RS
Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino in the Greystoke Forest in Cumbria England, getting in their first and only day of testing the Monster World Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC before their first race at Corona Rally Mexico. The team was able to put in over 170km of test miles, unfortunately, the snow and mud conditions are a bit different than what they can expect in Leon, Mexico.
