The big difference here is shaping to be extra output in a traditionally showy hot-hatch package, or a sleek and sophisticated ride with potentially less power. But first, a joke: what would a diesel Ford Focus ST be called? Think about it.
Based on the five-door version of the new Focus, the ST is visually differentiated from its regular brethren through a dare-we-say (and not in a positive way), tuner-like bodykit.
The styling package includes a new front bumper with a 'gaping mouth' grille and additional air ducts, side skirts, a larger roof spoiler and a rear apron with air vents and central exhaust pipes. The show car is finished in a new color Ford calls 'Tangerine Scream' while the ST also gets a set of beefy 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 235/35 ZR 19 rubber.
In factory guise, the Focus RS comes with a 2.5-liter forced-fed inline-five that churns out 300-horsepower and a peak torque of 295 ft/lbs (400Nm). The tuning firm's £595 Phase 1 package kicks output to 342HP at 6,150rpm and 369 ft/lbs at 3,350rpm through an ECU remap.
"Customers, the motoring press, Ford enthusiasts and hot hatch fans have all been constantly asking us about Focus RS and when it might be coming to Australia, so we're very pleased and incredibly excited to be able to confirm for everyone today that it's on its way and will be here soon," Ford Australia President & CEO Marin Burela said.
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It is possible that Ford may introduce the three-door hatchback version of the Focus alongside the ST in Paris. Either way, as with the current model, the hot hatch will be offered in both three- and five-door flavors.
Ford's product development boss, Derrick Kuzak, has already confirmed that the new ST will make use of the company's new EcoBoost engine (see here). This means the current ST's 225HP 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five will be replaced by Ford's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost unit, which is already offered on the refreshed S-MAX and Galaxy MPVs with 203HP, as well as on the facelifted Mondeo in 203HP and 240HP versions.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Obama said he expects that manufacturing advances will drive down costs of fully-eclectic and hybrid vehicles over the next few years.
"Because of advances in the manufacture of these batteries, their costs are expected to come down by nearly 70 percent in the next few years," the President said. "That's going to make electric and hybrid cars and trucks more affordable for more Americans. And that not only means more jobs but it also means we're going to be less dependent on foreign oil." Follow the jump for the full transcript of Obama's speech at the battery plant.
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Today, Ford of Europe unveiled a collection of five Focus RS cars in unique paint schemes, each paying tribute to a Ford race car that made history at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
The Focus RS in black with white stripes and gold rims echoes the 1966 GT40 Mk II; the red with white strips the 1967 Mark IV; the white with a thin blue centre stripe surrounded by a red border the 1967 GT40 Mk IIB; the two-tone sky blue and orange the GT40s that dominated Le Mans in 1968 and 1969 and finally, the two tone white and blue, the Capri RS 2600 which took the Touring category in 1972.
Priced £1,995, including VAT, the MP350 RS upgrade kit has been developed by Ford Team RS, in partnership with Mountune Performance (MP) and offers similar performance to the RS500.
Own a standard RS and feel out-of-the-loop? Don't worry, Mountune offers that Ford-authorized RS500 upgrade kit to get you involved in the party.
Check out the live pics of the RS500 below.
And yes, the engine modifications provided by the so-called "MP350" package are similar to those developed for the new limited edition Focus RS500 model that was sold out only a few hours after its reveal.
As with the RS500, the Focus RS performance upgrade increases the 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five's peak power from 305HP to 350HP, while torque rises by 20 Nm to 460 Nm.
Developed in conjunction with Revolve Technologies, the engineering firm behind the Mountune brand that tweaks the Focus and Fiesta STs, the Focus RS500 boasts a 350-horsepower version of the standard model's 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five and some cosmetic touches, including a matte-black film (no paint here).
Ford mentions that preliminary performance figures indicate that the RS500 goes from zero to 100km/h in 5.6 seconds and 0-160km/h in 12.2 seconds. Video after the jump.
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So what's the Focus RS500 all about? If you're the kind of type that likes getting to the point, all you need to know is that the RS500 is a limited edition of the Focus RS with a beefed up 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five churning out 350HP, a matte black 'foil' wrap and special interior trim that will be produced in a strictly-limited production run of 500 individually-numbered vehicles.
For more detailed information and a comprehensive, high-resolution photo gallery of Ford's Focus RS500, follow the jump.
