Except for the Mustang, Ford has abandoned selling cars to Americans. Its preference for trucks, SUVs and crossovers has surely improved the bottom line, but we can’t help thinking what might have been. In the years leading up to the demise of its various passenger car lines, Ford offered turbocharged, performance-tuned versions of the Focus and Fiesta in ST guise, as well as a pair of all-wheel-drive sport sedans with turbocharged V6 engines in the form of the 325-hp Fusion Sport and 365-hp Taurus SHO. Ford also offered the rally-inspired Focus RS, a 350-hp hot hatch that came from the showroom ready to not only tackle your daily commute but also the Tour de Corse.
Even as it knew that the Focus RS’s days were numbered, the Blue Oval pulled out all the stops for the final model year in 2018, offering not just a new color in a limited edition, but also one very notable mechanical upgrade. This limited-edition Race Red 2018 Ford Focus RS now on Hemmings Auctions looks to be an excellent example of one of the hottest hot hatches ever to come directly from the factory. And with only 1,500 made, including just 1,000 for the U.S., it’s a rare commodity.
Turbocharged All-Wheel-Drive Powertrain
Sold from 2016 to 2018, the Ford Focus RS delivered 350 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque via a unique version of the EcoBoost 2.3-liter engine, a DOHC, 16-valve inline-four powerplant related to the Mustang’s turbo four, but with an upgraded turbocharger, some changed internals and revised engine tuning for the direct-injection engine. While the Mustang’s EcoBoost was assembled in Lima, Ohio, all RS engines came from Ford’s Valencia, Spain plant, which was closer to the Focus RS’s final assembly in Saarlouis, Germany. The RS engine also featured a dual-mode exhaust that was louder than the Mustang’s, but also barked and brapped on the overrun. It was certainly not for shy drivers.
Each and every RS was equipped with a six-speed manual transmission, a refreshing development for fans of do-it-yourself shifting in an era when dual-clutch and even conventional toque-converter automatics were taking over the sports car landscape. Power was delivered to all four wheels via a sophisticated all-wheel-drive system that could deliver up to 70 percent of the torque to a rear axle developed by Britain’s GKN Automotive. That trick rear axle used electronically controlled lockable clutches on each half shaft to divert as much as 100 percent of rear-axle torque to an individual rear wheel. That meant up to 70 percent of total torque could be delivered to the rear wheel that needed it most, particularly as the front might begin to suffer understeer, which is not uncommon with front-heavy, front-drive-based cars. By applying more torque to the outside rear wheel, the AWD system could better keep the car in line.
Limited Edition Upgrades for 2018
There was one small Achilles heel in an otherwise stellar powertrain that was capable of delivering 4.6-second sprints from 0 to 60 mph and quarter-miles in the mid-13s at over 100 mph. Given the front-drive bias of the system, some torque steer or front wheel slippage could be felt before the rear axle took command. For the 2018 limited edition, Ford included a Quaife ATB limited-slip front differential that all but entirely cured this situation, giving the Focus RS an even sharper handling edge even as it was being phased out of production.
In keeping with the car’s Ford Performance mission, the RS included four driver-selectable modes: Normal, Sport, Track and Drift. In Sport mode, the throttle response was sharper and a secondary valve opened in the exhaust for a more aggressive sound. Track mode lessened the interference of electronic stability control and turned off traction control. Drift mode also turned off traction control while simultaneously delivering more power to the outside rear wheel for uninhibited drifting, with drivers paying the price in tires. Launch control, though not as easily access as the drive modes, was also available to drivers looking for the holeshot.
High-Performance Specifications
Speaking of tires, Ford offered the Focus RS with high-performance rubber, including summer-only tires. Track-ready Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires were an available option for track fiends. Forged 19-inch alloy wheels were optional on earlier models, but standard on the 2018 limited edition models. Ford also offered an optional second set of wheels and tires, sized 18 inches in diameter and mounted with Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 tires.
In keeping with its performance-car mission, the Focus RS featured 13.8-inch front rotors with Brembo four-piston calipers and 11.9-inch rear disc brakes. Inside, snug Recaro leather-trimmed seats with Miko Dinamica inserts (think: a very Alcantara-like microfiber material) were standard, as was navigation, two features that were formerly optional before 2018. Auxiliary gauges for boost pressure, oil temperature and oil pressure sat atop the dashboard above the nav touch screen.
The only two color options for 2018 were Race Red and the original Focus RS launch color, Nitrous Blue. External changes included a black rear wing, black mirror caps and the black roof. Inside, in addition to more features as standard equipment, Ford also included the Carbon Fiber Interior Accent Package, which included carbon-fiber trim on the auxiliary gauge bezels, door handle inserts and the e-brake handle.
This 2018 Ford Focus RS now listed on Hemmings Auctions includes the factory-installed badge in front of the shift boot indicating it as number 288 of the 1,000 limited edition models imported to the U.S. At the time of submission, it showed less than 27,000 miles on the odometer and the seller noted that everything remained functional with the car, with the only needs indicated “a moderately sized ding in the hood,” some other small blemishes in the front end, and a hole in the headliner.
The seller’s notes share that, save for a weighted carbon-fiber RS shift knob, the car is otherwise “100% stock.” That lack of mods is somewhat of a bonus, as many examples of the Focus RS have been extensively modified, making the modified ones riskier bets for reliability and durability. There is a very active online community that supports these cars, which can be encouraging when buying a model that is now out of production. The 19-inch tires were reportedly replaced at 17,000 miles.
Fortunately for performance car fans, Ford still makes the Mustang, but if you want a hot hatch—one of the hottest hatches of all time—with a blue oval on it, you can still pick up this limited-edition 2018 Ford Focus RS. You won’t be able to hide with its Race Red finish, but they will hear you coming anyway.
Head on over to Hemmings Auctions to check it out.
Commercials Cooperation Advertisements:
(1) IT Teacher IT Freelance
立刻註冊及報名電腦補習課程吧!
电子计算机 -教育 -IT 電腦班” ( IT電腦補習 ) 提供一個方便的电子计算机 教育平台, 為大家配對信息技术, 電腦 老師, IT freelance 和 programming expert. 讓大家方便地就能找到合適的電腦補習, 電腦班, 家教, 私人老師.
We are a education and information platform which you can find a IT private tutorial teacher or freelance.
Also we provide different information about information technology, Computer, programming, mobile, Android, apple, game, movie, anime, animation…
(2) ITSec
www.ITSeceu.uk
Secure Your Computers from Cyber Threats and mitigate risks with professional services to defend Hackers.
ITSec provide IT Security and Compliance Services, including IT Compliance Services, Risk Assessment, IT Audit, Security Assessment and Audit, ISO 27001 Consulting and Certification, GDPR Compliance Services, Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA), Penetration test, Ethical Hacking, Vulnerabilities scan, IT Consulting, Data Privacy Consulting, Data Protection Services, Information Security Consulting, Cyber Security Consulting, Network Security Audit, Security Awareness Training.
Contact us right away.
Email (Prefer using email to contact us):
SalesExecutive@ITSec.vip