Ford Focus RS confirmed for Australia – $59,990

Ford Australia have just confirmed they will be bringing the Focus RS down under. If you want to play with Ford’s extreme hatch you will need to pony up $59,990 plus on road fees and charges. It will be available in three colours; Ultimate Green, Performance Blue and Frozen White. The introduction of the Focus RS to Australia will be limited to 315 cars. All signs currently point to an October release date.

Marin Burela, Ford Australia President, expressed his excitement at today’s news, “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.”

In case you had already consigned the hype about the RS as yesterday’s news, it is powered by a 224kW 2.5 litre turbocharged five cylinder Duratec engine. There’s a gobsmacking 440Nm of torque on offer, as well. Powered by the front wheels only, Ford have tried to reign in that power by fitting the RS with a fancy “RevoKnuckle” MacPherson strut set up in conjunction with a Quaife limited slip diff.

At its launch early last year the Focus RS was attracting plenty of attention from the UK motoring journos, including Jason Plato from Fifth Gear and Steve Sutcliffe from Autocar. Even Mark Webber has had his say.

So, what do you think; has the moment passed for the two-year old RS? Is it’s $10K premium over the all-wheel drive Golf R too much to ask? Is that Ultimate Green paint job having a laugh, or could you see yourself behind the wheel of this extrovert?

Ford’s full press release is available after the break. Further information can be found in the UK sales brochure, which can be downloaded in PDF format HERE (724kb).

Focus RS Confirmed For Australia

Ford Australia today delivered the news that performance car enthusiasts around the country have been waiting more than 12 months to hear – the highly acclaimed, high performance Focus RS is on its way to Australia.

Due to go on sale early in the fourth quarter in extremely limited numbers, the Focus RS is destined to be one of the most eagerly anticipated new models to land in Australia in years.

Only 315 examples will be available, which will ensure Focus RS ownership in Australia remains the exclusive domain of a truly select group of lucky customers.

“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.

“The buzz and excitement surrounding Focus RS has spread rapidly around the globe since it was introduced in Europe early last year, winning a host of motoring awards and receiving widespread critical acclaim for its outstanding combination of high-performance road car technology and every day Focus practicality.

“Now it is poised to conquer the Australia market, setting a new benchmark for hot hatch performance in this country and creating a whole new generation of performance car enthusiasts in the process.”

The Focus RS will be offered in just one comprehensively-equipped specification level and limited to three exterior colours – Ultimate Green, the signature colour of the latest Focus RS; Performance Blue, the colour of the original Focus RS; and Frozen White, a classic RS colour.

Powered by a turbocharged Duratec RS 2.5-litre engine delivering 224 kW of power and peak torque of 440 Nm from just 2300 rpm, the RS is equipped with an arsenal of high-tech, high-performance components to match its exclusivity.

Focus RS is fitted with unique sports suspension, incorporating the patented Ford RevoKnuckle, along with a Quaife Automatic Torque Biasing Helical Limited Slip Differential, high-performance braking system and Tyre Deflation Detection System (DDS) for the 19-inch alloy wheels and bespoke Continental tyres.

In addition to the largest wheel/tyre combination ever fitted to a Focus, a host of unique Focus World Rally Car-inspired design elements contribute to the bold exterior of the RS, including:

• unique body panels
• flared wheel arches
• custom bonnet design with integrated twin louvres
• side skirts
• aggressive front and rear bumpers

In fact almost every body panel on the sleek three-door body has been revised or modified.

A twin-blade rear spoiler completes the exterior package, complementing the rear bumper venturi and front bumper splitter to deliver the necessary downforce and balance the overall aerodynamic profile of the vehicle.

Other exterior elements include automatic levelling xenon front headlights with washer system and rear parking sensors.

On the inside, Focus RS boasts Recaro sports seats in partial leather trim, dual zone climate control air conditioning, rain sensing windscreen wipers, auto-dimming rear vision mirror and an eight-speaker Sony audio system with six-disc CD player and USB input facility for iPod/MP3 player integration.

Bluetooth hands-free with Voice Control system is also part of the equipment package, along with the Ford Key-Free System incorporating keyless entry and keyless start via the start/stop button.

The Focus RS will be offered for sale with a Manufacturer’s List Price of $59,990 when it arrives in Australia later this year.