An even more hardcore version of the Ford Focus RS will be reach Aussie shores in November, when the 2018 Ford Focus RS Limited Edition touches down.
It’ll be limited to just 500 units, and the price of the new version will put it $6000 higher than the existing Focus RS – but there are plenty of changes to justify the extra expense over the “standard” model.
The Focus RS Limited Edition sees the following changes over the regular Focus RS:
- Quaife helical mechanical limited-slip front differential
- 19-inch forged alloy wheels with 253/35R19 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres (available on regular RS for $3500)
- Active City Stop autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- Recaro seats with Nitrous Blue leather
- Nitrous prestige paint
- Black finishes for the rear spoiler, mirror caps and roof
- Tinted rear glass
That Quiafe LSD is a product of a collaboration between the British brand and Ford. According to Ford, the system works differently to a conventional plate-style LSD, in that it relies on gears rather than clutches. “This produces smoother operation and means it will not lock harshly, as it automatically biases the torque away from the spinning wheel, across the axle to a constantly varying degree”, the company claims.
There are no changes to the engine itself, with the existing 2.3-litre EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine going untouched. It retains its stonking 257kW of power and 440Nm of torque, six-speed manual transmission, and all-wheel-drive.
Ford Australia president and CEO, Graeme Whickman, said the brand looks forward to offering a more hardcore RS for buyers in the hot-hatch segment.
“Ford’s performance models are an important part of our line-up, and we’re excited to offer Australians an even more capable version of the Focus RS, which has struck a chord with driving enthusiasts across the country,” Whickman said. “The RS Limited Edition is a result of enthusiast customer feedback which helped us create the hottest RS yet with 500 units confirmed for Australia.”
While $56,990 may seem a lot for a hot-hatch, the first-generation Focus RS was priced from $59,990, despite being considerably less well-equipped and not nearly as practical as this new model.
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