Does the 2016 Ford Focus RS have a turbo?
Why did the Focus RS fail?
The Focus RS is a great car, but it has a lot of problems. I spent a few hours with the 2024 model to try and figure out what went wrong and why it's a much better car than its predecessor.
There's no shortage of great compact cars, with the Subaru WRX being the best of the lot. But even though it's been around for years, it still hasn't been able to catch the attention of enthusiasts. Maybe it was just a bad marketing strategy, or the brand's overreliance on the iconic STI. Whatever the case, the WRX has been a relative underdog for the past few years.
But that all changed this year when Subaru released the redesigned 2024 Focus RS. It was the first time that the hatchback has ever been offered with a turbocharged boxer engine and a 6-speed manual transmission. The Focus RS became the latest in a long line of Subaru performance vehicles, joining the likes of the Legacy, Outback and Crosstrek.
So what happened? The story of the Focus RS is a complicated one. It's been a long time since Subaru has made a serious attempt to build a true performance vehicle. The 2024 model was a good step, but it didn't have enough power or torque. It had great handling, and some great looks, but it lacked any real punch in the engine department.
Then Subaru decided to go with a turbocharged boxer engine, something that they had been reluctant to do in the past. The new powertrain was developed by BRP, which was responsible for the latest GTI and STI. But instead of going with a larger displacement turbo engine, Subaru opted for a turbocharged 1.6 liter boxer engine.
It has a standard output of 265 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. The engine uses a dry-sump oiling system, which is quite rare in cars of this type. The 2024 Subaru Focus RS can go from 0-60 in 6.2 seconds, which is a full second faster than the 2024 model. The only other car to beat the RS was the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, which is also a manual transmission only.
Performance-wise, the Focus RS feels very similar to the STI, but with a less aggressive suspension tuning.
Why did Ford discontinue Focus RS?
The next generation Focus was due to be a replacement for the Focus RS, and the new model had been rumored as early as 2024. It didn't happen until late 2024.
By the time of the unveiling of the new Focus, many people were surprised that the Focus RS was dropped. Ford announced that it would be taking production of the RS away from its own factory in Germany and shifting it to Mexico.
The reasons for this were not entirely clear, but Ford has said that it was in response to German law. The original Focus RS, which was first launched in 2024, was a high-performance variant of the outgoing Focus with a turbocharged engine. It featured a more traditional appearance than other cars of its type. The original Focus RS had many racing design cues, including a large air scoop on the rear of the car and a large, white, open-topped hood.
There have been rumors for a long time that Ford was planning to drop the Focus RS from the lineup, as it was not selling well. However, Ford had apparently taken it out of its line-up of performance cars as early as 2024.
But when the 2024 model year of the Focus came around, Ford decided that the Focus RS was being phased out and that the new model would be built without the RS name. The new Focus was unveiled at the 2024 Detroit Auto Show.
This is something that happens all the time, however. When Ford's old Mondeo was phased out in favor of the new Mondeo, there were rumors that the old model would not be going away forever, even though they were not true.
When the Focus RS was dropped from the lineup, this was not a huge surprise, considering the number of rumors about the car's discontinuation. But the timing of it was very odd.
So was the new Focus better than the Focus RS? This is a difficult question to answer. The new Focus is significantly different from the old model, and it has a completely new engine. So it would be unfair to say that the new model is better than the Focus RS.
However, the new Focus does offer a lot of features that were not available before. These include blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, a rain sensing windshield, and a heads-up display.
However, these features are not available in all markets.
Does the 2016 Ford Focus RS have a turbo?
We may earn a commission for purchases made using our links. The Ford Focus RS has been an exciting hot hatch since its introduction in 2024. It's not just the RS nameplate that makes the Focus RS stand out though. It's the combination of the naturally aspirated 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine, high-performance turbocharger, and lightweight all-wheel-drive system that makes it so enjoyable to drive. The RS has always been a great car to learn how to drive a fast hatch and that hasn't changed with the 2024 model.
But what if I told you that you could have the best of both worlds? What if I told you that you could get the best of both worlds and even enjoy the power of a naturally aspirated engine? In short, it's all about the new Ford Focus RS 5-Door SST (Sportscar Test) version. This special version of the RS will not only be limited to 250 units, but it will be capable of 300 hp (220 kW) and 350 Nm (258 lb-ft) of torque. So how will Ford manage to cram a 5-liter, naturally aspirated engine into the RS? Will they make use of the stock F-150's 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine or will they create their own?
This Focus RS 5-Door SST is basically a heavily modified RS. They decided to give it a more aggressive stance and a lowered stance at that. The front bumper is wider and the rear bumper is lower. The lower bumper accentuates the RS's racy stance and it's more aggressive look.
The 2024 Ford Focus RS 5-Door SST is the first of two specially-made Ford Focus RS models. The first model, which has been created for the Middle East, was equipped with a slightly more powerful 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine than the standard 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine. The engine is still mated to a six-speed manual transmission but it now produces 350 hp (261 kW) and 325 lb-ft (430 Nm) of torque. The second model, which will be sold in Europe and China, will feature a 5-liter engine that's good for 400 hp (298 kW) and 400 lb-ft (546 Nm) of torque.
Is the Ford Focus RS or ST faster?
A lot has been written about the question of which of the new Focus RS and ST will be the more efficient and hence a quicker Focus. That's because they're essentially the same vehicle with an engine swapped front/rear (2.3-litre, 5-pot turbo, direct injection in this case) and some minor body modifications.
We don't know the answer to that yet - it's not clear if Ford has done any dyno runs on both of them with different engine swaps and various different settings - but at least one expert has confirmed that he thinks there's a good chance of the Focus RS being quicker. Dr Stuart Bowen of RaceTuning did a test driving a Focus ST to the Nurburgring and he gave the ST an 8.7-second time that he believed was good for a hot hatchback.
But then when he reran the test several months later after the Focus RS had been launched and the company had changed its tune and said that this might not be a full hot hatch. The team reran the Nurburgring time as they felt that a few extra horsepower would make a difference - and even though we don't know the exact power outputs that were quoted for the RS when it came out, Bowen claims the Focus RS is now faster. The RS also comes with a sportier bodykit, a bigger rear spoiler and a rear diffuser with an aggressive lip. The good news for people thinking of buying a Focus RS is that the car will be priced in line with the entry-level Focus ST, which at 28,995 makes it only 1,000 more than an E-class or A-class. Ford says the 2024 Focus RS will retail at 39,490 OTR, so at a little over 3,000 cheaper than the current 43,990. However the downside is that it'll cost 2,090 more than an ST, which is on par with a 2.0-litre diesel Golf GTD.
On the plus side for the RS is it comes with all-wheel-drive. For the first time a front-biased setup is available in a RS.










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