Ford Focus RS Production to End in April

[Fiesta ST News]

Allow us a moment to give a brief eulogy to the Ford Focus RS, as the Blue Oval announced that its 350-hp hot hatchback will cease production come April 6.

After years of watching our European counterparts enjoy the potency of the high-performance Focus RS, Ford finally gave us Yanks the opportunity to bask in the model's glory for the 2016 model year. And glorious it was. With 350 horsepower produced from its turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-four, the all-wheel-drive Focus RS immediately proved its pedigree by taking down the Subaru WRX STI and the Volkswagen Golf R in a comparison test conducted through the twisting two-lane roads in the Provence region of France.

Like a scalpel among steak knives, the Focus RS tore through apexes with grace and composure, all the while swinging its tail about like an excited puppy. The Focus RS wasn't perfect, though, and its stiffly tuned suspension tore at our vertebrae on all but the smoothest roads, which described fewer and fewer American roads every year. On a track, though, such as Virginia International Raceway (VIR), where we ran the Focus in our annual Lightning Lap exercise, it was brilliant. Even after the Honda Civic Type R topped the Focus RS by a narrow margin in a later comparison test, our childlike amusement with the Germany-built Ford's effervescent antics remained intact through the 2017 and '18 model runs.

Ford will continue to build the ordinary Focus for North America through midyear. A successor model is slated to come in 2019, but there's no word yet on whether Ford plans a next-generation RS version. And so we prepare to bid adieu to the Ford Focus RS for the time being, hoping that this isn't "goodbye" but "see you later."

 

[CB022481]

que sera, sera

 

[Probaholic1]

par for the course

 

[Plainrt]

Ford is really not looking so
Hot for the future car market.

 

[XR650R]

At least we had some fun cars for a while.

 

[zucky22389]

I'm still kind of surprised Ford brought the ST and RS badges over to the states and the fact that these cars even existed is amazing. I'll enjoy the FIST until I don't, but this will likely be my last Ford product for the foreseeable future! Was good while it lasted.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Meowoosh]

^ I never really expected to own a Ford sports car. An old F250 diesel maybe..

 

[Scotman2]

I think enthusiasm for the RS fell off a cliff this summer. I have seen many Focus RS sitting on the used car lots. The head gasket issues burst the confidence of more than a few owners in the long term reliability of the car.

 

[Intuit]

I think enthusiasm for the RS fell off a cliff this summer. I have seen many Focus RS sitting on the used car lots. The head gasket issues burst the confidence of more than a few owners in the long term reliability of the car.

Nothing kills off sales like a bit of bad press... let me rephrase... nothing kills off NEW car sales like a bit of bad press. People tend to be more sensitive to bad press when it comes to a Ford, GM, versus Honda, Toyota. Part of it though, may be that the other manufacturers have a better reputation, (probably earned,) for supporting their customers, when they experience defects.

For those looking to pickup an RS cheap, this may be a good negotiating point.

 

[XR650R]

For those looking to pickup an RS cheap, this may be a good negotiating point.

Especially if it has a good gasket.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cul...e/a14510137/ford-focus-rs-head-gasket-issues/

 

[Scotman2]

There are some other issues still floating that involve the design of the cooling passages around the cylinder walls between 2, 3 and 3,4. It involves the question of the potential for ongoing failures over time. It would scare off any reasonable person who feels that 30k head gasket replacement rituals might be just a bit too Lamborghini like for their driving comfort.
And in my original comment was not gloating. I have experienced long term maintenance issues on the 2.3 L turbo Merkur and Thunderbird TC. The big headache being cylinder head cracking between the valve pockets as miles and time go by. Every head is future junk. The only fix is the Esslinger racing cylinder head. A roughly 3 grand cure for the issue. I had hoped the new engine would not have creeping durability issues.