Driving Spirit » Ford

Rumoured:Focus ST Downsizing, RS Going Electric

Chris — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 07:19:01 +0000

With the all new Mk3 Ford Focus just around the corner speculation has been increasing as to what the performance models of the range will be offering. Various rumours are circulating but there are a couple of possibilities that are starting to sound more credible.

The first, and most believable, is that the next Focus ST will use one of Ford’s new turbocharged Ecoboost engines. the most likely is a tuned version of the 2.0-litre unit that’s already featured in the S-Max, which would replace the Volvo-sourced 2.5-litre that gives the current ST so much character. It’s hardly surprising that Ford would be considering such a move as the 5-cylinder lump has got quite a drink problem and owners get hit by hefty road tax charges.

If the Ecoboost were to be used then power could be up to around 250bhp and 350Nm of torque, which would offer a 0-60mph time of around 6 seconds and economy of close to 30mpg. It would be a shame though, as that five-cylinder warble is one of the ST’s most endearing characteristics. We should know more about this as early as September when the next Focus ST is revealed at the Paris Motor Show.

However, it’s the Focus RS that’s likely to face a radical rethink. It’s looking like a distinct possiblity that the RS will use the same 2.0-litre engine as the ST, but will boost power output by pairing it up with a small electric motor that would drive the rear axles. This hybrid all-wheel-drive layout could give the Focus RS over 300bhp while also allowing it to drive short distances on battery power alone, giving it similar levels of performance to the outgoing RS mixed with a dash of green credibility.

Of course this could all prove to be wide of the mark, so hopefully Ford will release more details on the RS when the ST appears at Paris.

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Source: Autocar

Rumoured:Focus ST Downsizing, RS Going Electric is a post from Driving Spirit. Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

Watching Ford Focus RS500 In Production

Chris — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 17:49:39 +0000

Here’s an interesting video clip* that shows how the Ford Focus RS500 makes its way from standard RS on the production line to a limited edition RS500.

A standard RS rolls off the Saarlouis production line (in Germany). It’s then fitted with the necessary gubbins to give the 5-cylinder engine its extra power, and then gets those smart black alloys. After that the almost-finished RS500 is parcelled off to company 3M, who coat the Panther Black paintwork with the special matt black foil that gives the RS500 its distinctive appearance.

* well, I think it’s interesting!

Watching Ford Focus RS500 In Production is a post from Driving Spirit. Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

Ford Celebrates Le Mans With Special Focus RS Liveries

Chris — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:26:27 +0000

The French division of Ford have created some very special versions of the Ford Focus RS to celebrate their motorsport history at the Le Mans Classic.

There are five liveries in total with only one Focus RS featuring each, making these very limited editions indeed (check out the video below). The plan is for the cars to be paraded around the Le Mans circuit with ‘VIP guests’ behind the wheel before the start of the Le Mans Classic race, after which they’ll go on sale and will be offered with exclusive accessories. They’ll also be supplied with a Le Mans Classic watch – a 3-dial automatic chronograph with large date display and sapphire background of which only 600 are to be produced.

Each car also features four fabulous Recaro seats that are wrapped in stitched leather and quilted Alcantara (very nice), each in contrasting colours meant to match the exteriors. The theme is also carried through to the gearshift, hand brake and center arm rest while the front seats also get leather seat belts. Each car gets a number plaque to prove it’s a limited edition – each car will be number 1 of 1!

Some of the liveries will be more recognisable than others – could anyone mistake the orange and blue Gulf livery that used to adorn the GT40s that won Le Mans in ’68 and ’69? The others are more difficult – the black and silver striped car mimicks the Ford MkII that won in 1966 and the red and white-striped car celebrates the winning Ford Mk IV of 1967. The blue and white car is based on the Capri RS 2600 that won the Special Touring Category of 1972, while the white with blue/red stripes is based on the 1967 MkII that was raced by the Ecurie Ford France team.

This year’s Le Mans Classic will be held between 9th and 11th July.

Ford Celebrates Le Mans With Special Focus RS Liveries is a post from Driving Spirit. Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

Ford Focus RS Gets Goodbye Present

Chris — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:41:21 +0000

The production of the current Ford Focus RS is about to end, but to celebrate the success of the car in both the showroom and on the WRC circuit Ford have released a set of WRC-style wheels for the RS.

For just £500 quid you can have a set of the limited edition 19-inch wheels that are painted in white, inspired by the white wheels you’d normally see on Mikko Hirvonen’s WC -spec car. Just remember to tick the box on the order form if you’re interested.

“The demand for Focus RS has been astounding. In barely a year since launch, we have sold almost our entire UK allocation – thanks in a large part to this Focus RS continuing the proud tradition of combining high-performance with practicality and affordability. We expect demand to be high for these last cars and we’re giving customers the chance to personalize them with this exclusive option.” – David Calder, Ford of Britain Product Manager

Ford Focus RS Gets Goodbye Present is a post from Driving Spirit. Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

Mikko Hirvonen Meets The Ford Focus RS500

Chris — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 05:56:09 +0000

Mikko Hirvonen is best known for throwing his Ford Focus WRC down narrow gravel tracks while dueling with Sebastion Loeb on the toughest stages of the World Rally Championship, but in this pair of videos we see Mikko taking a more leisurely ride in a different Focus.

It must be tough being a Ford employee, dragged out into the middle of nowhere to drive yet another Focus hatchback when all you really want to do is go home and kick back in front of the TV with a beer. On the other hand, being given the keys to a Focus RS500 could be the recipe for an enoyable day away from the endless testing and competition of the WRC.

This time Mikko is driving a limited edition Focus RS500, and in the first video he’s out on the public roads around the Eifel region of Germany. Sounds like he’s a fan of the latest fast Ford and seems to appreciate the behaviour of the car around the twisting country roads.

In this second video Mikko takes the Focus RS500 onto the Nurburgring Nordschleife, and while he’s not out to set any records it’s obvious that he’s enjoying the ride.

Mikko Hirvonen Meets The Ford Focus RS500 is a post from Driving Spirit. Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

Ford Fiesta S1600

Chris — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 22:14:43 +0000

The new Ford Fiesta S1600 carries on the tradition of sporty Fiestas and makes an interesting diversion until the latest Fiesta ST turns up.

The S1600 is based on the Fiesta Zetec S, sporting a 118bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine or weedy 89bhp 1.6-litre diesel. A new bodykit makes the S1600 stand out from the rest of the range, while the bodywork can be painted in a choice of Frozen White or Performance Blue with contrasting stripes. A set of white 17-inch 5-spoke alloys are also included on the petrol, while the diesel gets smaller 16-inch wheels.

On the inside the S1600 sacrifices a few cows in order to improve the interior with heated, stitched leather sports seats, leather steering wheel, handbrake cover and gearknob. There are also Motorsport-branded floor mats and scuff plates.

While the 120PS engine might seem a bit limp, there is an option if you want a bit more power – you can opt for the Mountune Fiesta upgrade that increases power to 140PS and keeps your nice, new warranty intact. Just bear in mind that you’ll have to pay almost £1,500 for the extra power.

If you fancy seeing the S1600 parked outside your house you’d better be quick as there will only be 650 of these Fiestas being built. You can order one now from your local Ford dealers at a price of £16,645 on-the-road.

Just a quick thought – you could have a 200bhp Renaultsport Clio Cup for £16,710. The Fiesta S1600 suddenly seems very expensive!

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Ford Fiesta S1600 is a post from Driving Spirit. Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

Want A Ford Focus RS500? Tough Luck, They’re All Gone

Chris — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 05:35:29 +0000

If you’ve been wondering about whether or not to buy a limited edition Ford Focus RS500 you don’t need to wonder any more. Despite the lack of an official price all of the RS500s are as good as sold, and if Autocar is correct they were all snapped up within twelve hours of the big reveal.

Ford had been pushed into revealing the RS500 a couple of days early, after the website had been hacked and images were released onto the Interwebs. At this point even dealers didn’t know of its existence but as soon as word got out the enquiries began pouring in.

Ford have now got to work their way through the letters of intent and telephone enquiries to work out how many of the 101 cars each dealer will get. If you are one of those quick thinking people who got to their dealer quickly then good for you, but it sounds like its going to be a bit of a lottery.

Source: Autocar

Want A Ford Focus RS500? Tough Luck, They’re All Gone is a post from Driving Spirit. Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

Ford Focus RS500 Resurrects Classic Badge (w/video)

Chris — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:23:01 +0000

Ford’s RS500 badge hasn’t been seen on a new car for a while, last appearing on the Sierra RS500 Cosworth in the 80s, but now it’s back in the form of the mean-looking Focus RS500.

The Focus RS500 will certainly be easy to spot as it comes with a unique matt black ‘foil’ paint finish (basically some sticky-back plastic over Panther Black paint) that makes it look like some sort of stealth prototype. The matching 19-inch alloy wheels finish off the look very nicely, covering new bright red brake calipers, and make the RS500 hard to mistake for a standard RS.

SPECIFICATIONS
Engine:	5-cylinder 2.5 litre
Max Power:	347bhp@6000rpm
Max Torque:	460Nm@2500rpm
Top Speed:	165mph
0-60mph:	5.4 seconds

With a limited run of just 500 individually numbered units (with only 101 coming to the UK), the Focus RS500 marks the end of production for the current model Focus RS. Demand for the current RS has easily exceeded supply and production was upped from the planned 8,000 units to 11,000, so it’s safe to say that the RS500 will fly out of the showrooms despite an aniticipated price tag of around £35k.

Ford’s engineers have been tinkering with the 2.5-litre turbocharged 5-cylinder engine, concentrating on improving the breathing and combustion. They’ve been successful too, with power up by 15% to 347bhp at 6,000rpm, and torque also increased to 460Nm between 2,500 and 4,500rpm. This extra grunt drops the 0-62mph time to just 5.6 seconds (0-60mph is 5.4 seconds) while the 0-100mph sprint takes only 12.2 seconds. Top speed is up to 165mph.

Don’t be fooled into thinking the RS500 is just a quick ECU upgrade and a few new badges. It’s been subjected to some serious punishment at the Nürburgring to ensure that the engine mods haven’t affected durability. Ford TeamRS engineers were joined by three racing drivers working in shifts to complete 10,000km of non-stop driving, equivalent to competing in ten consecutive Nürburgring 24-hour races without a break.

As well as beating the performance of the standard RS, the Focus RS500 also boasts a more luxurious spec. Inside you’ll find a red colour scheme, notably on the stitching of the leather trim on the steering wheel, door trim and gear lever gaiter, while the bespoke Recaro front sports seats can be specified in full red leather. In addition to the standard RS’s spec list, the RS500 includes the following features as standard:

Dual-zone automatic climate control
Heated windscreen
Rear parking distance sensors
Tyre deflation detection system
Automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers
Auto dimming rear-view mirror
Ford key-free start
Enhanced connectivity with Bluetooth®, voice control and USB port
Sony 6-CD audio system
Recaro sports front seats with partial leather trim

The two optional features are touchscreen DVD navigation and audio system, and the full leather Recaro front seats in red.

The Focus RS500 will appear at the Leipzig motor show on April 9th for its official unveiling, and will go into production in May.

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Ford Focus RS500 Resurrects Classic Badge (w/video) is a post from Driving Spirit. Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

Ford And M-Sport Unveil Fiesta S2000

Chris — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:26:26 +0000

Ford have finally taken the wraps off their new rally contender, the Fiesta S2000.

“This is the first global rally car for Ford and M-Sport,” says M-Sport Managing Director Malcolm Wilson. “I really believe that we have produced a fantastic rally car and this launch is a big step to seeing it out competing in rallies. It’s the first time in five years that we have been able to offer a Ford rally car that can challenge for overall victory in national championships across the world.”

The new car will start competing in 2010 and is eligible to run under S2000 and IRC regulations, but it is likely to take on a much more important role in 2011 as it could form the basis for Ford’s next WRC car, replacing the Focus.

“It’s a fantastic feeling to see the car actually launched to the world after all the hard work and testing behind closed doors,” says M-Sport Technical Director Christian Loriaux. “Everyone at M-Sport has had to pull together in order to get the Fiesta S2000 finished in such a short period of time and it has been a great team effort to get to this point so quickly.

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Ford Fiesta S2000 Specifications

Engine:
Ford 1998cc Pipo built I4 Duratec S2000 engine. Four cylinders, 16 valves. Bore 87mm. Stroke 83mm. Cosworth electronics engine management system. Catalytic converter.

Power:
280 bhp at 8000 rpm.

Torque:
260 Nm at 6500 rpm.

Transmission:
Permanent four-wheel drive. M-Sport / Xtrac six speed sequential gearbox with AP clutch.

Suspension:
Front and rear: MacPherson struts with Reiger external reservoir dampers, three-way adjustable. Fully adjustable fabricated steel links. Front and rear anti-roll bars. Machined aluminium uprights.

Brakes:
Gravel (front and rear): 300mm Brembo ventilated discs with Brembo four piston monoblock calipers.
Asphalt (front ): 355mm Brembo ventilated discs with Brembo four-piston monoblock calipers.
Asphalt (rear ): 300mm Brembo ventilated discs with Brembo four-piston monoblock calipers.
Hydraulic handbrake.

Steering:
Power-assisted high-ratio (12:1) rack and pinion. One and a half turns lock to lock.

Wheels:
Gravel: 7in x 15in (aluminium) wheels with 650mm tyres.
Asphalt: 8in x 18in (magnesium) wheels with 650mm tyres.

Bodyshell:
Unitary construction. Unique composite side panels. Welded T45 steel safety roll cage. Aerodynamic rear wing. Unique front ‘bumper’ treatment.
Electronics: Full Cosworth electronics data acquisition for on-event diagnostics and performance development.

Fuel tank:
FIA FT3 tank, 80 litre capacity, located centrally.

Dimensions:
Length: 3958mm. Width: 1820mm. Wheelbase: 2489mm. Weight: 1200kg minimum.

Ford And M-Sport Unveil Fiesta S2000 is a post from Driving Spirit. Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

Hot Hatches Rule In MPG Marathon

Chris — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 07:50:55 +0000

Neither the Ford Focus RS nor the Mazda 3 MPS are the most obvious choices for a competition that’s all about fuel economy, and yet they were two of the competitors in the 2009 MPG Marathon.

The idea of the MPG Marathon is to improve on the official fuel consumption figures as provided by the EU, demonstrating that even the less fuel-efficient vehicles can return an improved fuel performance when driven smartly. The cars with the highest overall MPG and biggest percentage improvement are crowned the winners.

This year the car that achieved the best improvement was a Mazda 3 MPS, powered by a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine with 230bhp on tap. The drivers, Iain Robertson and Rob Marshall, covered the 329.7-mile route from Basingstoke to Torquay with just 7.61 gallons of petrol, an average consumption of 43.34 miles per gallon and an astonishing improvement of 48.95% on the Mazda’s official combined figure of 29.1mpg.

Another top performer was a Ford Focus RS, a car with a not-very-green 2.5 litre turbocharged petrol engine under the bonnet. Officially the RS’s official fuel comsumption is 30.1mpg, and yet it managed to cover the route at an average of 38.53mpg. Not bad for a 300bhp hot hatch that can reach 163mph. You see, now you can afford to run a Focus RS!

The best overall MPG of the event was 96.81mpg, recorded by a diesel Smart ForTwo Coupe.

Hot Hatches Rule In MPG Marathon is a post from Driving Spirit. Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?