3L V6, AWD, testing at Nurburgring, no plans for US sale however. That’s the article.

Comment by brocky, posted on January25 at 5:58 am ”

Mazdaspeed3? Uh, that IS a Ford. The Mazda 3 is based on the European Ford Focus, which in turn was co-developed with Ford-owned Volvo. In fact, the MazdaSpeed3 in the U.S. is the closest vehicle you can buy to this European Focus RS.

As for the STi or Evo – do you want to spend $40k for one? Because that’s what they cost now. If Ford sold this Focus RS in the U.S. for $30k, they would definitely out-sell the STI or Evo.

Now for what the new redesigned focus really is, it’s 10x better than the last Focus, another complaint I had was that at last years auto show they had it named as the Escort. I really think that Ford should have kept it called the Escort, and or then brought the European Focus over here and continued to call that the Focus.

Thank you though for clarifying that the next gen Verve was going to replace the current Fiesta. (I didn’t know that.) Over the past couple years that I traveled to Europe I saw some of the sporty model Fiestas driving around and I really liked it. I think that would also be nice to have over here.

Now when the Ford SVT Focus came out I’m guessing here (early 2000′s up until 04?) For it’s time when the only real Domestic sport compact variant that was offered that I can really think of was the Dodge Neon SRT4, It was ok. I’ve driven both and I did not like the Focus SVT. I found it underpowered, compared to the SRT4, but its suspension was very good and definetely was an agile piece. I have friends who have one, and one has a turbo cosworth engine swapped and he’s pumping almost 20psi which is definitely one of the quickest SVT’s out there and far quicker than my stock SS/SC. And the Cobalt SS was late to this market because it came out first in 05 which was already a year or two after the SVT Focus and Neon SRT4 were already killed. If Ford can revive the SVT and either rebadge the european focus as an SVT or come out with a kick ass domestic Focus to compete in the sport FWD segment then I’d have respect for it.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A WILD RIDE.

Take heart on the Focus, after you spit a few more curses. First the curses, The “new” US Focus is actually a completely redressed old Focus (you probably knew that). New sheetmetal, new equipment, but the same old car underneath. Now the good news, FORD has announced that the third Generation Focus, which could be based on the Volvo C30, will be sold in America as well as Europe. Volvo is known for very competitive AWD systems (masked behind their safety image so an AWD Focus may yet come to the US.

FORD also made note that the Verve was the basis for their next Fiesta (known as the Fiasco in America for the just better-than-a-YUGO styling and quality and it was really to wrong car for the market by far at the time)… Still FORD is claiming they are going to make more fuel efficient cars so the Verve may yet arrive here as well, especially since MAZDA is making noise they will ship the Mazda2 to America, to compete against the Mini and Scion. FORD would be foolish not to go for some of that action.

Unfortunately, we can expect that neither Rally version will be sold in America at any price. check these out for an idea of what could be:
http://www.seriouswheels.com/cars/top-2006-Ford-Focus-RS-WRC-Fiesta-JWRC.htm

If (big if) FORD is smart they will re-open SVT and have them manage US sales of their WRC cars, and later sports cars and super cars, in the US and North America.

A reason why I don’t think we’ll see this in the U.S or Canada is because we just got the new domestic North American Focus (who’s looks I cannot stand) So I guess there’s an inconsistency in the style of the European Focus and Mexican Focus that is being offered, because the European focus still has the looks of the old gen focus I imagine. Now what does this mean in light of the European Focus replacement the Ford Verve? Is Ford just giving a last run of the Focus ST or RS before the new Universal Verve style comes in? All this I don’t know but I wish they would offer this in the States, and or Canada.

Not a total let down, but still not what all I would have hoped for.

Hateful83, yeah I too don’t see this competing with STI’s or Evo’s however there is plenty a market for sporty FWD cars in the US, and seeing that Ford killed the SVT focus and pretty much all of its SVT lineup for some time, I think it would be a good competitor to the Mazdaspeed 3, Caliber SRT-4, Cobalt SS… etc. If they priced it around a Mazdapeed 3 I think it would be a hot seller.

Viva Mexico!

I could also call an overweight 40-something in a bathrobe a “teaser”.

Nice trucks are one thing, but my next vehicle will be a car, and Ford has chosen to not be on the list.

The Focus RS Mk 1 was crap for daily driving, but the LSD really helped it around tracks.

The ST didn’t have that benefit, but it was again a better car to live with daily and was very torquey.

Can’t wait to see how this RS pans out!

Go see how the Focus platform stacks up against the competition. Through your own personal experience you may have felt the Civic was better but push the cars to the limit and you’ll see the true performer. The first gen Focus platform is still considered impressive even by todays standards and the new platform is light years ahead.

The old Focus RS was tested with slalom speeds of 74.4mph and had some impressive times on the Ring. When the new ST came out with similar specs but on the new platform it outpaced the old RS at the Ring by over 10 sec.. That’s more than impressive and I can’t imagine how this thing will be.

Veda: I had a Civic tester this fall, and I couldn’t believe how cramped and uncomfortable it was. I prefer the focus, but I an’t buying compacts anyway. Focus is below the civic in no substantial way, by my reckoning

Anyways in Europe the Focus and Escorts past have had incredible rally history and a performance following that help justifies this RS in the market place.

Sign Travis Pastrana as 3rd driver on Ford WRC team, offer sponsor money to networks to air WRC coverage in U.S. (when people might actually see it) next 2 years and this car will become a legend on these shores. Anyone that has seen one of WRC Focus’ dominating WRC rounds in Finland, Wales, Sweden and others with Gronholm and Hirvonen knows what Im talking about.