It kind of looks more Volvo-ish than Ford-ish.

Does this mean that Ford is dropping the Focus from WRC? Or do WRC rules allow 6 cyl engines?

 

Well, the closest thing Ford had to a WRC homologation special was the old Focus RS with its 230-ish hp turbo four cylinder and fwd. Now the new Focus ST is closer to that format, although with a turbo inline-five.

WRC homologation rules aren't very strict any more. Pretty much Subaru and Mitsubishi are the only companies that offer something that seems like it might be a homologated rally car. Most of the European teams in particular have no models like the Lancer Evo or WRX STi.

 

That is quite true of the early production Focus models, but since the 2002 model year the US-market Ford Focus is actually a pretty reliable car. That's why I think putting in a Mazdaspeed-modified 2.3-liter I-4 engine with around 180 bhp makes sense--it'll certainly be fun to drive!

 

There will be no Focus RS - that's the shocking news from Ford. Sources close to the project have confirmed the hot hatch has been quietly shelved. The moneymen reckon the manufacturer's current financial problems, coupled with the RS's high development costs, made further work unrealistic.

The dramatic move is a blow to fast Ford enthusiasts in the UK -a key market for the firm's performance models. They're still reeling from the scrapping of the Fiesta RS project last year. The decision means the ST badge will be Ford's current sporting flagship.

The RS, which was expected to have made its debut in 2007, would have used a turbocharged version of Volvo's new all-alloy 3.2-litre straight-six motor. It's understood Jost Capito, head of Ford Motorsport, was keen to tune the Focus RS's engine to around 350bhp - more than the current BMW M3 - for an anticipated four-second sprint from 0-60mph and a top speed electronically limited to 155mph. To lay down this massive power, the RS would have borrowed the Volvo S40's all-wheel-drive layout.

Ford never officially declared it would develop a follow-up to the original Focus RS - launched in 2002 - but it was always on the cards. Internally, the project is simply on the back-burner and could be revived - but Auto Express has been told there are no plans for that to happen. A spokeswoman said: "At the moment, our priority is a wider range of products with broader appeal, such as the SAV concept and a new Ka. A more performance-oriented car like the proposed Focus RS would be developed only once these were established."

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/57..._focus_rs.html