New Hybrid Ford Focus RS Could Be A 400-HP Hot Hatch Hybrid

New Hybrid Ford Focus RS Could Be A 400-HP Hot Hatch Hybrid

The all-new Ford Focus won’t be debuting at the Geneva Motor Show next week. Instead, it will be revealed at a separate event in Europe this April. It makes sense, since the next-gen hatchback will be able to steal the spotlight without having to vie for your attention at a crowded motor show. However, thanks to a leaked photo of the car completely undisguised taken from a photoshoot in Portugal, we already have a good idea of what it will look like. Unfortunately for Ford, new details about the new Focus have also now emerged.

 

A new report by Dutch site AutoInternationaal claims that the new Focus will be around 50 mm longer than the outgoing model, which will increase rear legroom for passengers. It will also be around 110 pounds lighter, depending on the model variant. The report goes on to say that the dashboard in the new Focus will be more hi-tech and feature less physical buttons in favor of a tablet-centric layout. Most infotainment functions will be controlled using the touchscreen display. The juiciest piece of gossip from the report, however, concerns the new range-topping Focus RS hot hatch.

 

That would make it it 0.7 seconds quicker off the line than the current Focus RS and slightly faster than the Audi RS3 and the Mercedes-AMG A45. Before the Focus RS arrives, Ford is expected to unveil the new Focus ST, which is rumored for a Paris Auto Show debut in October packing around 280 – 290 hp provided by a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine.  

 

According to the publication, the next-generation Focus RS will adopt a mild hybrid powertrain, as the Blue Oval company is apparently developing a 48-volt electric system to compete with its rivals. Combined with an integrated starter-generator and an upgraded 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbo engine, this setup will reportedly deliver a hefty 400 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of peak torque. Like the current Focus RS, the new model will be offered with a six-speed automatic gearbox. A dual-clutch automatic is also said to be in development. AutoInternationaal claims the hybrid powertrain will enable the new Focus RS to hit 0-62 mph in just four seconds.