Ford Focus RS 300Hp: 22 High Res Images and Full Technical Details

It is by far the most important debut at this month’s London Motor Show and perhaps the most anticipated attainable performance car of the year; Ford’s scorching hot 300Hp Focus RS. Following an earlier leak today, we managed to get our hands on the high resolution image gallery along with the official press release.

You may have noticed that we haven’t mentioned the word concept this time; that’s because neither does Ford as the London Show’s Focus RS is actually the production version that will go on sale in Europe in early 2009. Although the new RS is based on the recently revised Focus ST, Jost Capito, Ford Europe’s Director for Performance Vehicles, and his team, performed many mods to the car, starting with the 2.5-litre 5-cylinder turbocharged engine.

Revisions include unique camshafts, a revised cylinder head and gasket and new intake and exhaust manifold system. According to Ford's engineers, the improved 2.5 Turbo is targeting a power output of 300PS and over 410Nm of torque (ST: 225Hp). Although the hot hatch is still under development, Ford supports that early performance testing indicates a 0-100km/h (0-62mph) time of less than 6.0 seconds. -Continued

Like its predecessor, the first generation Focus RS that went out of production in 2002, Ford’s newest hot hatch retains the front wheel drive set up of the Focus ST. In order to put 300PS on the road through the front wheels in a civilized manner, Capito and his team of engineers performed several modifications, starting off with the addition of Quaife Automatic Torque Biasing limited-slip differential.

Moreover, the RS gained an innovative front suspension system known as a ‘RevoKnuckle’, which is designed to reduce unwanted steering disturbance and torque steer. According to Capito, the results are staggering and it eliminates the need of an AWD system that would add extra weigh to the car.

“Our work has shown clearly that our approach in combining a tuned RevoKnuckle with the Quaife differential is an ideal solution for a high performance front-wheel-drive road car like Focus RS”, said Jost Capito.

“As you would expect, we gave all-wheel-drive careful consideration, but by combining and tuning these elements and learning from Ford’s expertise in industry-leading handling, we have managed to eliminate the weight of AWD from the car and still have been able to target a class-leading balance of traction, handling and performance. The result is a lightweight set-up, that will deliver the right blend of traction and razor sharp controllability” Capito concluded.

Other improvements for Focus RS include a 40mm wider track, stronger, longer driveshafts, revised springs and dampers, a thicker, longer rear anti-roll bar, retuned steering system and most importantly, a special version of Ford’s ESP system designed to allow a very sporty driving style before activating. The Focus RS also boasts uprated brakes, with 336mm ventilated front discs and 300mm rear discs.

In terms of styling, we think the pictures speak for themselves. The Focus RS is one hatch you definitely won’t ignore on the road, even without the provocative bright green paint that brings to mind the 1970s Le Mans Green of the Escort RS1600 era. The Focus RS is equipped with an aggressive bodykit that includes a new front bumper, a twin-element black roof spoiler echoing RS models of the past and a newly designed rear bumper that incorporates a large venturi tunnel and two chromed exhaust tail pipes.

Moreover, the widened front and rear quarter panels have been revised to incorporate wider wheel arches that house 19-inch alloys, wrapped in 235/35 low profile Continental tires. Other notable features include the styling details highlighted in gloss ‘piano black’, the RS-badged vents behind the front wheel arches and the two 80’s RS-style bonnet louvers.

Admittedly, the Focus RS’ cabin is less impressive than car’s outside as the most notable differences between the ST concern the bi-colour sculpted Recaro bucket seats, the brushed aluminium highlights and the carbon-look trim on the centre console. However, having driven the 225Hp Focus ST, that’s the last thing we’d care about once we got behind the wheel of this green monster.


















Renault Alpine Concept: C'est Magnifique!

Despite the French title, the scale model you see pictured above is actually the work of a Russian designer named Arseny Kostromin who’s a graduate of the Moscow State Technical University (MAMI). Kostromin’s proposal for a modern successor to the iconic Renault Alpine A110 really caught our attention thanks to its simple design and most importantly, because it pays tribute to the original concept without going retro-haywire. Maybe Renault should give this guy a chance for its forthcoming Alpine sportscar that’s said to be unveiled in 2011. -Image gallery after the jump

Via: WFC , Source: Cardesign
















Ford Promotes Toy Car Sales – Beats Dealing With Real Car Sales Anytime…

Trying to promote toy car sales on your official site just a couple of days after posting a 28% plunge in real-life vehicle sales for the month of June, is like begging for people to make fun of you…

"We're building a relationship with the consumer that starts when they're just a kid," said John Nens, director, Ford Global Brand Licensing. "They'll always remember the great time they had with their favourite Ford ride-on toy or Matchbox-sized car, and they will carry that relationship with the brand all the way to when they finally start buying vehicles."

Check out Ford’s Release about the company’s 10 hottest licensed toys and as always, feel free to humour us with your comments. -Continued




Ford Release: TEN HOTTEST FORD-LICENSED TOYS

With the kids on vacation and summer in full swing, John Nens, director of Ford Global Brand Licensing, consulted with his team of toy aficionados and came up with a list of the ten most popular Ford-licensed toys for kids of all ages. All are available at mass market retailers, such as Wal-Mart, Target and Kmart.

Fisher-Price Power Wheels Ford F-150 with Monster Traction™

When Elizabeth Warner, toy expert for iVillage, appeared on NBC's Today Show with her review of this summer's most fun toys, the Harley-Davidson version of this ride-on truck was hailed as "the grand finale."

Not only will this truck perform in the most rugged backyard conditions, it also features a real FM radio, roomy truck bed with working lift-and-lower tailgate, pretend seat belts, built-in cup holders and a battery charge indicator that lets kids know when it's time to "refuel." "This toy has been Ford's number one licensed product for the past eight months," said Nens. "Fisher-Price is one of our largest licensees, and the Power Wheels brand is a perfect complement to our F-150 truck."

Toy State Road Rippers Ford Flex with Light and Sound

This colorful toy is cruising to retailers' shelves now, the same time that the all-new 2009 Ford Flex is arriving at dealerships throughout the country. It moves back and forth and plays the 80s hit, "Walking on Sunshine." Though it's not an exact replica of Ford's newest crossover, the body is 100 percent accurate proportionally, says Nens. "The decoration is different. It has bright colors and shiny wheels," he said. "But the distinctive side grooves are authentic, and the sunroof openings are prototypically accurate."

High School Musical 2 Mustang Fabulous Sharpay Doll

Who could forget the monogrammed pink Ford Mustang convertible that Sharpay Evans -- played by teen star Ashley Tisdale -- drove around the country club in the Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical 2, which drew more than 17 million viewers. "Mattel actually produced a licensed Mustang for Barbie, so it was an easy tie-in for them to replicate the Sharpay Evans car and make a special-edition Barbie to go with it," said Nens. "Information from Mattel is that it is a sold-out toy, but you may be able to buy it on eBay."

Hot Wheels® 2008 New Models

Summer or not, when it comes to volume and visibility, it just doesn't get any bigger than Hot Wheels®. There are 40 new models for 2008, and six of them are Ford-licensed products - the Custom Ford Bronco, Pass'n Gasser™, '07 Shelby GT-500™, '69 Ford Torino Talladega, '65 Mustang Fastback and the '08 Ford Focus. "I'm pretty sure that Hot Wheels® sells more Fords each year than we do," chuckled Nens. "When we launched the completely redesigned 2005 Mustang, we sold in the neighborhood of 180,000 vehicles, and they sold one million models."

Ridemakerz®

Available in select malls throughout the country, Ridemakerz® offers kids ages six and up the opportunity to customize their own ride. Ford partnered with Ridemakerz® to offer two body styles -- the Ford Mustang and the Ford Super Chief Concept. "They have these really cool assembly stations where kids get to put their models together with their choice of body styles and colors, tires and wheels, lights and sounds and accessories and decals," said Nens. "It's like Build-A-Bear only you build a car."

Replica Lincoln Navigator, Ford Mustang GT and F-150 MP3 Players

These cool gadgets represent a completely new approach to marketing MP3 players. This summer, Toy State is coming out with five vehicles in their initial assortment, and three of them are Fords - the Lincoln Navigator, Ford Mustang and F-150. "Think of it as an iPod shuffle shaped like a car," said Nens. "For a kid who's a car enthusiast, this is a really cool thing."

Maisto® 2009 Ford Flex Power Racer

Maisto International is an industry leader in the manufacturing of die-cast products. The 2009 Ford Flex Power Racer is pull-back powered 4.5-inch die-cast car that is sure to provide amusement for children of all ages. "This is another example of synchronizing the release of the licensed product with the launch of the full-size vehicle," said Nens. "Kids are going to love it."

Toy State Road Rippers Shake, Shake, Shake Ford F-250 Super Duty

"This toy has its own little tricks," said Nens. Press one button? The horn beeps and the tail lights flash. Press the second button? The headlights turn on and truck drives forward. And when you press the third button? The whole truck lights up and plays Shake Your Booty by KC & the Sunshine Band while the pickup bed shakes, shakes, shakes.

1978 Ford Bronco Imagination Adventure Play Set

This play set comes with everything a child needs for a fun outdoor adventure. It includes a 1978 Ford Bronco, tent, deer, action figure and ATV. "This is a sandbox/living room floor toy for the kid whose dad is an outdoorsman," said Nens. "It's a new toy with a 1978 Bronco. That's one of the great things about this business. We're still licensing vehicles we did 30 years ago."

Hot Wheels® Ford GT Concept, Ford Mustang GT Remote Control Vehicles

This toy should be hitting the market right now, says Nens. It's a remote-control car that is easy to operate, especially for little hands. "It's a neat beginner toy for children who are too young to operate complicated remote controls," he said.