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09-07-2008
New Focus RS meets Escort Cosworth
We bring Ford’s hottest hatch face-to-face with legendary forebear.
It’s the showdown that every Ford fan has been waiting for – the new
Focus RS pitched head-to-head with the legendary Escort Cosworth!
As the car giant releases full details on the RS, Auto Express has
brought the Cossie and the hottest Focus yet together for an exclusive
photoshoot. So, is the Escort about to lose its crown as the most
powerful hatch to come out of Essex? Here’s the answer...
Producing 227bhp, the Cosworth was quite a car in its time – but today,
it looks almost bland in comparison to the RS. Only that huge rear wing
makes a statement. When the new Focus hits UK showrooms early next year,
it is set to storm its way on to the scene with a mammoth 296bhp. That’s
a 69bhp power increase over the hot Escort, and a staggering 74bhp hike
over the 222bhp Focus ST.
It’s following in the footsteps of speedy forebears such as the Sierra
RS Cosworth and the mighty Group B rally car-derived RS200.
The Focus will be the most powerful roadgoing Ford ever to wear the
40-year-old Rallye Sport badge. It’s also the first RS to feature a
five-cylinder engine.
As Auto Express revealed in Issue 1,017, the car will use a revised
version of the turbocharged 2.5-litre Duratec motor, found in the ST.
And as with all hot Focus models so far, the RS will favour a lighter
and cheaper front-wheel-drive set-up over the heavier and more expensive
four-wheel-drive option of the Cosworth. This huge power hike will
result in a scorching 0-60mph time of less than six seconds and
a top speed well beyond the magic 155mph mark.
While prices have yet to be confirmed, Ford has always prided itself on
giving any RS model affordable performance, so a figure of less than
£25,000 is expected. The Focus RS is also staying true to its roots in
its colour – the bright green paint is a modern take on the Seventies’
Le Mans Green of the Escort RS1600.
Director for Performance Vehicles Jost Capito and his team of expert
engineers have worked tirelessly to squeeze every last drop of power out
of the five-cylinder unit. It’s not as simple as increasing the boost
pressure on the turbocharger, though. The blue oval has redeveloped the
engine from the ground up with high-performance camshafts, a tweaked
intake and manifold system, plus a souped-up cylinder head and gasket.
A wealth of advanced new mechanicals are on-hand to rein in the 410Nm of
torque produced. Ford employed the services of automotive engineer and
torque specialist Quaife to develop a unique Automatic Torque Biasing
limited-slip differential.
Traction
The Quaife set-up will work in conjunction with a new front suspension
system, which has been specifically designed for the RS to reduce torque
steer and improve traction.
The front wheels will still be suspended by a traditional McPherson
strut arm, but the geometry will be intricately set up – again to cut
down on the torque steer and wheelspin for which previous
high-performance Focus models are renowned.
Despite the desperate efforts of most car manufacturers to downsize and
boost economy as much as possible, the future looks bright for Ford’s
muscular machines. And while the Focus RS is still under development,
stay tuned to hear of more technological performance marvels as it nears
production.
The blue oval has announced it will give the public its first preview of
the RS at the British Motor Show at the ExCeL arena in London later this
month.
Bron: AutoExpress, Text: Jack Carfrae / Photos: Pete Gibson
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