Ford has announced a limited run of 50 Heritage Edition Focus RS models, priced at £39,895 and exclusive to the UK market, before production stops altogether in April this year.
Each will be finished in a unique Tief Orange body colour, along with grey brake callipers behind black forged alloy wheels and the RS Edition’s trademark contrasting black door mirrors and rear spoiler. They also come equipped with partial leather Recaro seats, privacy glass, a sunroof, rear parking sensors, power-fold door mirrors, cruise control with speed limiter and heated steering wheel.
All Focus RS Edition models feature a front mechanical Quaife limited-slip differential (LSD) while the Heritage Edition also gains the dealer-fitted FPM375 Mountune upgrade, increasing overboost power from 350hp to 375hp and torque from 470Nm to 510Nm, thanks to a high-flow induction kit, uprated turbo re-circulating valve and calibration.
The mechanical LSD limits engine torque delivered to a wheel that has reduced traction on the road surface and redistributes torque to the wheel with more traction to counteract the wheelspin that can hamper acceleration and stability.
By controlling the torque delivered to each front wheel, the Focus RS Edition’s Quaife LSD enables drivers to exploit the power delivered by its 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine in high-performance driving situations.
Other specification includes variable all-wheel drive, which adjusts the front-to-rear torque distribution to suit the current driving situation, dynamic torque vectoring – which uses electronically-controlled clutch packs on the rear axle to send up to 100% of the available torque to either rear wheel and torque vectoring control (TVC) – which automatically applies small amounts of brake force to limit wheelspin at the front axle.
Andy Barratt, chairman and managing director, Ford of Britain, said: “The RS brand is hugely important to Ford and is recognised across the globe; however it has a special place in the hearts of UK Ford fans.
“This latest model is the best RS we’ve ever produced, so it seems a fitting tribute as we approach its 50th anniversary.”
Keyword: Ford marks 50th anniversary of the RS brand