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The new Ford Focus ST with its 250HP 2.0-liter turbo'd four might be nice and dandy, but the Blue Oval has another surprise for hot-hatch aficionados under its sleeves: a replacement to the much acclaimed Focus RS. Last summer, Ford green-lighted the third generation of the RS, though details remained sketchy. Now, CAR magazine has more information on the hottest production Focus yet, which is scheduled for production in 2014. According to the publication, the new Focus RS will be powered by a new 2.3-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost engine that is currently under development in North America and which is also tipped to power the next-generation of the Mustang as well - though this is something that has yet to be confirmed.
“The 2.3 is coming, but it’s not in use yet”, said an unnamed Ford source. In case you just scowled at the thought of a 2.3-liter four-cylinder powering the Mustang, then the news that its output will be 350-horses should bring your pulse back to normal.
Despite the increase in output and unlike rival VW, which has adopted four-wheel drive for its 270HP Golf R, Ford is sticking with front-wheel drive for the Focus RS.
“I’m not sure it would deliver a better car”, commented the Ford source. “It’s a significant weight increase, it impacts on the platform, and you can’t recover the additional cost of all-wheel drive in the list price.”
Ford’s engineers figure that the RevoKnuckle front suspension will be able to handle the 350HP, having already performed the same task with the RS500 limited edition that was available in the UK and had the exact same output.
If the fact that the ST was presented in both hatchback and station wagon body styles came as a surprise, then so will the news from the report that the third-generation RS will be available for the first time as a five-door model as well.
