Think the new Focus RS is too slow, too tame? Well, good news for you, according to Australia’s Motor magazine, Ford insiders have confirmed they will make a new RS500- an even more hardcore version of Ford’s hottest hatch.
The last RS500 the world saw had 350 horsepower out of a 2.5-liter five-cylinder, and hilariously, all that power was dumped into just the front wheels. Quite an insane machine. The current RS already outperforms that one, and a new RS500 will be sure to improve on what’s already a crazy car.
Because the RS is already close to the maximum output of the 2.3-liter turbo four under its hood, expect major cooling solutions. Larger vents, grills, radiators, etc. The front differential should also be upgraded to an electronically controlled limited-slip unit, and the rear GKN diff should be tweaked slightly to work better with a new front LSD. Also expect lots and lots of lightweight solutions such as carbon fiber everywhere that it can be used, aluminum suspension components, and a stripped out interior. Transmission wise they’ll most likely keep the slick six speed that’s in the current car, but they could also use their Powershift dual-clutch transmission, but this is unlikely as it can’t hold the power of the normal RS, much less an RS500, so it would need some major upgrades.
Power wise, your best guess is probably better than mine. The current car makes 350 horsepower, so if they could get the cooling right, I’d say they could bump it to 400 at the most without too much external combustion, if you catch my drift. A more powerful, lighter weight, hardcore, all-wheel drive hot hatch is a pretty good thing in my book, so let’s hope it happens.
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