The Blue Oval Hype Machine is working at full tilt when it comes to the 2016 Ford Focus RS, including a multi-part documentary series and a marketing campaign alongside the Xbox One game, Forza Motorsport 6. Yet Ford has every reason to be excited and amped up about the impending release of the new Focus RS, especially now that it has revealed the official power ratings.
The 2016 Ford Focus RS with its unique 2.3 liter EcoBoost engine will turn out 350 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque when it begins production later this year, far more than the original 315 horsepower estimates. These triumphant numbers don’t just put it on top of the sport compact heap, they also outpace the much-ballyhooed Mustang EcoBoost. More on that in a minute.
In addition to its boastful power numbers, Ford also takes room in the press release to discuss the new “stall recovery” system, forgiving drivers for their overeagerness but automatically restarting the car and depress the clutch in case of a stall. Ford has gone out of its way to add features that make the 2016 Focus RS easier to handle including the new “Drift Mode”, which sends a lion’s share of the torque to the rear wheels to make sliding around a cinch. The new stall recovery feature will surely help some enthusiasts save face in front of their none-the-wiser peers.
Now back to that 350/350 rating, the Focus RS stands unchallenged compared to rivals like the Volkswagen Golf R, Subaru WRX STi, and the outgoing Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. It also makes a not-trivial 40 horsepower more than the Ford Mustang EcoBoost, and while the Focus RS does start at about $10,000 more, it’s curious that Ford chose to overshadow its pony car with a hot hatch. The all-wheel drive Focus RS is undoubtedly the more practical and versatile of the two, especially in winter weather conditions, and with such a sizable horsepower gap, might some Mustang fans be swayed away to the all wheel drive five-door?