2016 Ford Focus RS Confirmed For U.S.

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The focus ST and focus RS have been available since the focus was available - has anybody tried to import one? I have a sneaking suspicion the US RS will be slower, heavier, more prone to under steer and less reliable.

There isn't a current fiesta RS, although there was in years gone by, currently we have the fiesta st.
 
Without a doubt for the US market they will tart it up, add lots of bloat and gee whiz gizmos, lower the power and add a CVT or automatic transmission option, that seems to have become the American way.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Without a doubt for the US market they will tart it up, add lots of bloat and gee whiz gizmos, lower the power and add a CVT or automatic transmission option, that seems to have become the American way.


Unfortunately, it seems you're right
frown.gif
. The same car in Europe has more focus on driver involvement and feedback, where that same model in the US is pretty much only concerned with options and comfort. It must suck to be bound to shopping in that marketplace.
 
It does, in Germany i can buy a new E class with a small diesel and a stick shift, with that wonderful MB fabric seating that wears like iron bars and just the basic kit.
The lack of countless miles of wiring and gizmo's like backside warmers. DVD players, backup this, radar avoidance that makes it a very dependable and easy to keep vehicle indeed.

In the US its leather, bigger engine (with a 65mph speed limit), automatic, every conceivable option and then some. The car soon becomes an owners expensive nightmare.
Few Germans would buy or even want a car outfitted like like these rolling refugees from the odd ball parts bin.
 
On face value you could say that. In reality its much more complicated.
Are these companies really satisfying the market or are they trying to create a market as they would like it to be?
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
On face value you could say that. In reality its much more complicated.
Are these companies really satisfying the market or are they trying to create a market as they would like it to be?

That's what I see here, especially with the german automakers ironically...
In terms of straight numbers, the NA market should support all sorts of interesting unique vehicles, but as a percentage of the market the demand for something interesting is lower I guess, so the marketers ignore it.
Maybe if the Chinese come, they will shake things up a bit? Not that I really want a simple 4wd pickup from Foton, or Mahindra, but perhaps Ford or GM will build one again to compete with it.
 
Originally Posted By: IndyIan

In terms of straight numbers, the NA market should support all sorts of interesting unique vehicles, but as a percentage of the market the demand for something interesting is lower I guess, so the marketers ignore it.

Being able to offer "unique" vehicle options comes with its own price tag. In general, new vehicles in Europe are more expensive. Part of it is due to things like VAT, but even the pre-tax cost is higher.

In the US, in order to keep the costs down, the manufacturers limit the available options to achieve greater economies of scale, and this allows them to be more price competitive. This results in catering to the masses, and ignoring the rest, like you noted. Hence the extinction of manual transmissions (in general), among other things.

And the masses do want all the gadgets, because everyone nowadays offers them even on econoboxes.
 
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
The cars are built to satisfy the market they are sold in. Its not that complicated...
No, just a sad commentary on the state of US drivers compared to their European counterparts...Sad sad sad
 
It's amazing how much Ford has changed in the last 15 years.

Hard to believe this is the company that refused to put out anything put a good pickup!
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: IndyIan

In terms of straight numbers, the NA market should support all sorts of interesting unique vehicles, but as a percentage of the market the demand for something interesting is lower I guess, so the marketers ignore it.

Being able to offer "unique" vehicle options comes with its own price tag. In general, new vehicles in Europe are more expensive. Part of it is due to things like VAT, but even the pre-tax cost is higher.

In the US, in order to keep the costs down, the manufacturers limit the available options to achieve greater economies of scale, and this allows them to be more price competitive. This results in catering to the masses, and ignoring the rest, like you noted. Hence the extinction of manual transmissions (in general), among other things.

And the masses do want all the gadgets, because everyone nowadays offers them even on econoboxes.


Ford ONLY offers the 1.0L fiesta with a 5 speed manual! That has to count for something!
 
Originally Posted By: Olas
The focus ST and focus RS have been available since the focus was available - has anybody tried to import one? I have a sneaking suspicion the US RS will be slower, heavier, more prone to under steer and less reliable.

There isn't a current fiesta RS, although there was in years gone by, currently we have the fiesta st.


A couple things...

The current Focus doesn't have an RS version. The ST is the highest level of performance offered from Ford, anywhere in the world.

Torque steer would be eliminated by the AWD setup. The previous RS was FWD and fitted with a Revoknuckle to help lessen that aspect of a high horsepower FWD vehicle...with arguable success.

Revoknuckle explained (previous Focus RS images and discussion):
http://www.autoevolution.com/news/ford-revoknuckle-suspension-and-quaife-lsd-explained-48037.html
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Miller88

Ford ONLY offers the 1.0L fiesta with a 5 speed manual! That has to count for something!

Absolutely. Ford has taken a slightly different direction with its small car and thats a good thing.
The trick the most manufacturers have missed is offering lower content cars without using low grade components like interiors and suspension.
The vehicle doesn't have to be no content, functional things like A/C, PS, ABS, PW, a decent radio, RW defroster and such are appreciated.

My old MB 200D was very low content but it was quality and you could feel it, it lasted. A truly simple car that rode and drove very well and was easy to own over a few decades.

I own a couple of mega content cars but when they break its a nightmare and very expensive. The Infiniti if i sold it and something went wrong with it could put someone in the poor house quickly.
That is a serious problem when most cars are high content, when people with limited resources buy them used because of the low price they end up with a wallet sucking monster.

That takes us down another road of people buying cars they cant afford because they feel entitled to it because they have been convinced they have a right to live fat on McDonalds wages (i see this with my nephew who just got his car repo'd).

Just ranting but i think you know where i'm coming from.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: Miller88

Ford ONLY offers the 1.0L fiesta with a 5 speed manual! That has to count for something!

Absolutely. Ford has taken a slightly different direction with its small car and thats a good thing.
The trick the most manufacturers have missed is offering lower content cars without using low grade components like interiors and suspension.
The vehicle doesn't have to be no content, functional things like A/C, PS, ABS, PW, a decent radio, RW defroster and such are appreciated.

My old MB 200D was very low content but it was quality and you could feel it, it lasted. A truly simple car that rode and drove very well and was easy to own over a few decades.

I own a couple of mega content cars but when they break its a nightmare and very expensive. The Infiniti if i sold it and something went wrong with it could put someone in the poor house quickly.
That is a serious problem when most cars are high content, when people with limited resources buy them used because of the low price they end up with a wallet sucking monster.

That takes us down another road of people buying cars they cant afford because they feel entitled to it because they have been convinced they have a right to live fat on McDonalds wages (i see this with my nephew who just got his car repo'd).

Just ranting but i think you know where i'm coming from.


Absolutely!
 
Originally Posted By: wemay
Originally Posted By: Olas
The focus ST and focus RS have been available since the focus was available - has anybody tried to import one? I have a sneaking suspicion the US RS will be slower, heavier, more prone to under steer and less reliable.

There isn't a current fiesta RS, although there was in years gone by, currently we have the fiesta st.


A couple things...

The current Focus doesn't have an RS version. The ST is the highest level of performance offered from Ford, anywhere in the world.

Torque steer would be eliminated by the AWD setup. The previous RS was FWD and fitted with a Revoknuckle to help lessen that aspect of a high horsepower FWD vehicle...with arguable success.

Revoknuckle explained (previous Focus RS images and discussion):
http://www.autoevolution.com/news/ford-revoknuckle-suspension-and-quaife-lsd-explained-48037.html


I bet they can make it AWD. I don't believe there was anything AWD on the platform at the time. Now the Escape/Kuga is available as AWD, has the same 2.3L ecoboost engine (On Lincoln MKC) and a PDU/rear diff that can hold up to it.

Seems like they'd be able to grab the PDU and rear diff from the Escape, MKC and put that in the Focus RS (Escape is just a big focus).


Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: Miller88

Ford ONLY offers the 1.0L fiesta with a 5 speed manual! That has to count for something!

Absolutely. Ford has taken a slightly different direction with its small car and thats a good thing.
The trick the most manufacturers have missed is offering lower content cars without using low grade components like interiors and suspension.
The vehicle doesn't have to be no content, functional things like A/C, PS, ABS, PW, a decent radio, RW defroster and such are appreciated.


I like the Versa, but the Fiesta interior quality is much better. And still cheap - but you can get the good fuel econ and still have a decent interior.

Originally Posted By: Trav

That takes us down another road of people buying cars they cant afford because they feel entitled to it because they have been convinced they have a right to live fat on McDonalds wages (i see this with my nephew who just got his car repo'd).

Just ranting but i think you know where i'm coming from.



I know where you are coming from! I'd be perfectly content with a $13000 car, however!
 
The next Mazdaspeed is rumored to be packing 300 hp and AWD as well. I almost always prefer RWD cars but I'll likely give the RS and MS3 a good hard look in a couple of years...
 
Originally Posted By: MCompact
The next Mazdaspeed is rumored to be packing 300 hp and AWD as well. I almost always prefer RWD cars but I'll likely give the RS and MS3 a good hard look in a couple of years...


You can bet Mazda will bias the AWD properly, and give us a great handler. Should be fun.

It's a great time to be buying a new car...
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: MCompact
The next Mazdaspeed is rumored to be packing 300 hp and AWD as well. I almost always prefer RWD cars but I'll likely give the RS and MS3 a good hard look in a couple of years...


You can bet Mazda will bias the AWD properly, and give us a great handler. Should be fun.

It's a great time to be buying a new car...


Too bad I can't make myself buy one of them. :-/
 
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