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Citing stricter emissions regulations, Ford has ruled out the RS version of the fourth-generation Focus. The silver lining is that Blue Oval fans still have the ST in hatchback and wagon versions with manual and dual-clutch automatic transmissions. Well, sadly not in the United States. For those who prefer to have all-wheel drive and even more power than a hot hatchback, the best way to go is the Mk3 RS.
Remember, this is no ordinary version of the previous generation Focus. Its 2.3-liter turbocharged petrol engine has been massaged to produce 440 hp and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) of torque. Details on how the four-pot unit was upgraded are unclear, but we know German aftermarket shop RH Renntechnik and XBM Tuning contributed to the power boost.
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YouTuber AutoTopNL with an insatiable need for speed take the hot hatchback on the Autobahn and push it to its full potential in unrestricted areas. It hits a respectable 176 mph (284 km/h), which isn’t too bad for what is still a compact family hatchback at its core. To be honest, the GPS-verified speed is slightly lower, at 171 mph (275 km/h).
Perhaps more interesting is the shift from fifth to sixth at nearly 155 mph (250 km/h) while the Focus RS continues to pull to unlock a few more mph. It goes without saying that the car no longer has a factory-installed top speed limiter programmed to hit 165 mph (265 km/h).
That EcoBoost engine has great tuning potential to put out ridiculous amounts of power. British shop Mountune sells a 520-hp package, but that cranks up the four-pot to an insane 684 hp on the dyno, almost doubling the stock output.
Noisy performance The focus on Europe will be gone by the end of this decade as Ford’s passenger car branch on the Old Continent will only use electric vehicles by 2030. In fact, Ford Europe CEO Stuart Rowley has announced that the transition could happen even sooner. Meanwhile, the “warm” ST just got a facelift on Euro soil, but without bringing more power to the 280-hp engine.
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