the legendary ford rs car  is returning in the shape of the stimulating novel ford focus rs ,  which volition be previewed on july 22 at the 2008 london international motor display.

The novel focus rs volition go on sale in aboriginal 2009 and is being created by a small team of dedicated engineers ,  under the superintendence of jost capito ,  ford of europes vehicle line director for operation vehicles.

For operation road car enthusiasts ,  the novel model volition blot a welcome return for the ford rs badge. this volition be the moment focus model to carry the rs mantle and promises another stimulating chapter in an stimulating 40-year fiction that began in germany in the novel 1960s and gained momentum across europe with the launch of the 1970 guide rs1600.

Capito said: we lack the novel focus rs to be a serious towering operation car as much a car for driving enthusiasts as the one before it and classic ford rs models of the past. were staying staunch to the core rs principles of an stimulating ,  yet affordable operation road car you may stay with every day.

Authentic rs presence and style

Before it horizontal turns a wheel ,  the novel focus rs exudes the presence ,  diversion style and lowered ,  meaner appearance expected of a authentic ford rs. overt operation styling details compound with wily revisions to make a planted ,  sturdy stance and the promise of an stimulating drive.

The london display car previews the scheme intention for a ultimate production vehicle ,  though as development work continues ,  some ultimate details may alter before volume production begins.

The vehicle is finished in a special bright green paint with inlaid metallic flake ,  a striking ,  contemporary interpretation of the 1970s le mans green of the guide rs1600 era.

The vibrant exterior color is contrasted with a number of operation styling details highlighted in gloss piano black ,  including the deprive at the leading bound of the bonnet ,  the deep housings for the integrated front fog lamps and door mirrors with integrated side indicators.

Front and rear quarter panels possess been revised to combine wider wheel arches and a wider track ,  complemented by revised ,  deeper side rocker moldings. in another visual reminder of the cars operation potential ,  triangular ,  rs-badged vents sit behind the front wheel arches. two classic-style bonnet louvres are both a styling hint at the potency beneath and a practical requirement ,  maintaining correct system temperatures.

The totally novel front bumper scheme for focus rs incorporates a deep front airdam with a unwieldy ,  mesh view grille in an extended trapezoid. stylish and practical ,  this prominent feature represents the latest ford 'kinetic design' physiognomy and similarly is finished in piano black. above ,  chromed xenon headlamps stand out like cats eyes and are framed by matt-black housings with unusual additional vents running underneath.

At the rear ,  a deep novel rear bumper incorporates a unwieldy venturi tunnel to its view bound with small vents at each corner of the bumper ,  emphasizing the cars width. two impressive chromed jade tailpipes sit each side of the black venturi ,  creating a purposeful rear view for the car.

Above ,  a unusual ,  twin-element ,  black rs rear forager sits at the focus rs roofline ,  echoing both rs models of the past and the world rally-winning focus wrc that has been its inspiration.

We believe its vitally important that a focus rs looks like both a focus and an rs it needs to be individual ,  distinct and overt in its operation styling ,  but it similarly needs to display a lucid progress from and relationship to focus st ,  said stefan lamm ,  chief exterior designer ,  ford of europe.

High operation interior

Inside ,  this theme continues with a unusual and perfectly performance-oriented interior ,  dominated by bespoke ,  sculpted recaro high-performance sports seats ,  specially designed and trimmed for excellent aid ,  horizontal when driving enthusiastically. each is colour-matched to the exterior ,  with ebony leather accents and rs and recaro logos stitched into each backrest.

Elsewhere ,  color brings novel excitement to the focus interior ,  structure on the diversion interior theme of focus st with additional utilize of accents matched to the exterior color ,  brushed aluminum highlights and overt operation styling. horizontal the rear seats feature higher side bolsters and a microfibre finish to echo those up front.

The centre comfort is finished in a stylish gloss ,  carbon-look gracious and metallic highlights abound ,  from air vents ,  door grab handles ,  switchgear and gear Lever encircle ,  to unusual rs-branded scuff plates on the door sills. these highlights contrast with a black-trimmed roof lining ,  emphasising the diversion ,  cockpit feel.

The driver is reminded this is a special focus at every touch ,  with a gear lever finished with a six celerity gear expedient graphic in rs blue ,  a diversion ,  three-spoke steering wheel ,  finished with ford and rs logos and horizontal aluminum foot pedals. the operation driving surroundings is completed by three additional gauges from the focus st ,  including turbo pressure ,  sitting atop the centre comfort and angled toward the drivers eyeline.

Powerful rs heart

At the heart of the all-new focus rs is a specially developed ,  turbocharged version of the duratec 2.5-litre 5-cylinder engine. significantly revised for towering operation ,  this powerplant is targeting an impressive potency output of 300ps and over 410nm of torque ,  contributing to an excellent power-to-weight ratio.

Such meaningful increments are not seemingly the result of altering engine management or boost pressure: starting with the duratec 2.5-litre block ,  ford rs engineers developed unusual camshafts ,  a revised cylinder head and gasket and revised intake and manifold system for the car.

Although the car is calm in development ,  prior to its launch in aboriginal 2009 ,  aboriginal operation testing indicates a 0-100km/h (0-62mph) time of under six seconds.

A traction revo-lution

Throughout focus rs development ,  capito and his team possess been keeping a incisive focus on creating a car that delivers excellent operation and traction.

Various innovations ,  developed as a result of patron feedback from preceding operation fords ,  possess allowed engineers to keep the novel focus rs as front-wheel drive ,  with a limited-slip differential ,  while calm achieving demanding targets for traction ,  handling and steering.

The novel ford focus rs is equipped with an novel front suspension system known as a revoknuckle ,  which is designed to moderate unwanted steering disturbance and torque steer ,  the impact of torque on steering in front-wheel driven vehicles. torque steer occurs during hard acceleration ,  cornering or driving on uneven surfaces ,  when torque on the driven wheels exceeds grips levels. it is characterised by sudden turning force on the steering wheel and may be exacerbated by vehicles with wide tyres and limited-slip differentials.

In focus rs ,  the revoknuckle works in conjunction with a quaife automatic torque biasing limited-slip differential. ford team rs engineers possess worked almost with ford's modern review centre in aachen ,  germany to develop the revoknuckle applied Science specifically for the towering operation focus rs. it allows the simplicity of a conventional mcpherson strut arrangement ,  but with geometry settings that derogate steering disturbances and torque steer ,  principally a discount in steering offset.

The ford focus is an excellent low for a towering operation car sprightly ,  responsive and steady ,  explained capito. we studied at length how best to raise these qualities for a towering operation model. our work has shown clearly that our approach in combining a tuned revoknuckle with the quaife differential is an ideal resolution for a towering operation front-wheel-drive road car like focus rs.

As you would expect ,  we gave all-wheel-drive wary consideration ,  but by combining and tuning these elements and learning from fords expertise in industry-leading handling ,  we possess managed to eliminate the weight of awd from the car and calm possess been able to target a class-leading remainder of traction ,  handling and operation.

The result is a lightweight set-up ,  that volition deliver the correct compound of traction and razor incisive controllability in a way no one would possess expected from front-wheel-drive ,  and we believe we possess made the correct selection ,  capito concluded.

Dynamic ,  sprightly and responsive

A authentic focus rs require To augur and raise the character for responsive ,  exact handling for which focus is acclaimed and appreciable applied Science campaign has ensured that the novel focus rs volition accomplish seemingly that.

Driving quality developments for focus rs include a 40mm wider track ,  stronger ,  longer driveshafts ,  revised springs and dampers and a thicker ,  longer rear anti-roll bar. at the same time ,  the steering system has been retuned to provide an horizontal rogue steering retort and very exact feedback.

Brakes similarly possess been uprated ,  with 336mm ventilated front discs and 300mm rear discs generating vice-like stopping potency on road or track. unwieldy calipers view out from behind unusual 19-inch wheels ,  wrapped in 235/35 low shape continental tyres.

A special version of fords esp system has similarly been developed for focus rs ,  designed to permit a very diversion driving style before activating. intensive work to refine the natural handling abilities of the car has allowed the esp system to carry a full de-activation option for enthusiast drivers and especially for track utilize.

We are refining all the handling characteristics of focus rs without esp ,  to hone its natural responses ,  rather than utilize esp to aid its handling. in focus rs ,  esp is a pure safety device ,  explained capito.

Reliable and durable

In creating the novel focus rs ,  fords team rs engineers possess had to collide the same stringent targets for durability and reliability as those sit for the rest of the focus range.

Despite its some bespoke applied Science and styling elements ,  focus rs volition be built completely on the leading focus production line in saarlouis ,  germany and offered with a ordinary ford of europe warranty.

A unwieldy heritage

The novel focus rs represents a meaningful moment in the heritage of both the focus and ford rs brands.

It is 10 years since the ford focus was basic revealed to the world at the geneva motor display in 1998 ,  paving the way for a range of ford vehicles whose stimulating scheme was matched by class-leading driving quality. since this time ,  additional than 5.3 million ford focus models possess been built in europe ,  including russia ,  with the car similarly built and sold in north america and asia.

At the same time ,  the novel focus rs marks the return of the noted but rare ford rs badge ,  final seen on the first-generation focus rs in 2002 and with a celebrated heritage stretching back 38 years including fiesta ,  guide and sierra models.

Rs is uniquely important to us in terms of our operation heritage and world recuperate championship success ,  while the focus has played a major portion in establishing fords excellent character for driving dynamics , " said john fleming ,  ford of europe president and ceo. "the all-new focus rs volition embrace and celebrate both of these it volition be a authentic rs and a authentic focus and im self-assured it habit disappoint in either area.

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