It appears as if Ford is testing a more powerful version of the Focus RS for a while now. This tester is expected to be a follow-up of the Focus RS500 which was introduced in the year 2010 and marked the end of the production of the Focus of the previous generation.
The new generation of Focus RS has already attained legendary status with a cult following that few cars are able to achieve, but it looks like Ford has better plans for their fans and they hope to even take this car to a higher sale plateau.
And with Ford now working on the next generation of Focus RS, it appears as if Ford is going to revive the RS500 and use it for marking the end of production for their current model too. There are no official announcements yet, and this is all speculation based on what has been leaked so far.
At first glance, you may just mistake it for the Focus RS which just made its way to the market, but if you look a little closer, you will notice that it comes with new hood vents and the rear wing has been modified a bit too. This car just sparkles!
Initial Reports
Earlier reports said that the car was going to be lighter than before rather than being given more power. The exterior changes might not look so dramatic right now, but it is possible that the body has composite lighter materials. There is hope that fans will get to see carbon fiber wheels just like the GT350 on the RS500 too.
The Hood
The black-vented hood that was spotted on the prototype is one of the biggest giveaways that this is the RS500. Ford made similar design decisions for the previous RS500, and the presence of this hood on a test car just increases speculation about the next RS500 currently being in the works.
Engine
The regular Focus RS comes with a turbocharged 2.3 L 4-cylinder engine which has 350 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. The additional vents that are seen on the prototype suggest that the engine has a more extreme setting, though.
Reducing the weight a little may help improve the performance, though. Some of the possibilities include taking out some amenities from inside the cabin, using polycarbonate on the rear window, and maybe even using more carbon fiber on the build. Upgrades to the brakes, suspension, and tires are other potential methods of improving the performance of the Focus RS.
Performance
Ford says that Focus RS can go from 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds, but that's still slower than some of its higher priced competitors. This just means that there is some room in between for a hotter Focus RS. And you really do not have to go that fast anyway and those competitors are higher priced so with the RS you can save a little money.
Ford may be considering going in for bigger calipers on the front and may even transition from four pistons to six. Ford chose four piston Brembos for the Focus RS since they were the biggest they could fit with 18-inch wheels. But if the RS500 comes with 19 inch wheels, adding some additional pistons may not be that difficult.
Assuming Ford is actually working on a Focus RS500 right now, we should be introduced to it sometime in 2017, and it should be available in time for the 2018 production year. One thing's for sure, if it's on the books right now, fans can't wait to get our hands on it.