The Ford Focus isn’t much of a performer in the traditional sense, at least here in the US. It doesn’t go very fast or handle exceptionally well. It is a basic people mover, Point A to Point B. In Europe, it is a whole different story, and one of the hottest hatchbacks in Europe is the Focus RS. Making 300 horsepower to the front wheels from the factory, this peppy car is just what America needs for fuel efficient fun.
Carscoop is reporting that German Tuner
Loder1899 has managed to tweak the Focus RS to deliver a 15 percent bump in horsepower, with only a few minor modifications.
Images: Loder1899
The Focus RS gets its horsepower from a 2.5 liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine, derived from Volvo technology. The Borg Warner turbocharged puts out 20 psi stock, and for the most part, Loder stayed away from anything fancy with the engine. Rather, they concentrated on improving intake and exhaust flow, as well as tuning the engine to get the extra horsepower. Adding 45 ponies to this car also boosted torque output, though how much over the 325 ft-lbs stock, they don’t say.
The car was also lowered 40 mm to further improve stance and looks. They also added a set of custom 20-inch alloy rims to spiff up the exterior. The Focus RS comes equipped with the RevoKnuckle front suspension and a
Quaife limited-slip differential. You almost wouldn’t know you’re driving a front-wheel drive car. Will the Focus RS make it stateside? We can only hope. It would be welcome competition to the Japanese tuners currently dominating the hatchback market.
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