After Ford restructured their high performance division they finally managed to get a lot more models on the market, some of which are really impressive. The Focus RS is one of them with its high performance all wheel drive system and its massively powerful EcoBoost powerplant and however, there are people who look at the Focus RS and think that it might be too big or that it is not a hot hatchback anymore but rather a missile on wheels.
Wheel, Ford will have an answer for them quite soon because not too long ago the 2017 Ford Fiesta RS has been spied testing on the German roads.
Engine – The most important aspect
Now, moving to the most important aspect about the 2017 Ford Fiesta RS, its engine. While there aren’t many details available, it seems that Ford will stick with the 1.6 liter turbocharged inline 4 from the ST. However, this time around it will be mostly new with forged pistons and connecting rods, it will likely get an iron engine block, a larger twin-scroll turbocharger and even larger injectors.
The end result would make the Fiesta RS one of the most powerful hatchbacks on the market with an expected output of over 230 horsepower and 220 lb-ft of torque which could be further improved by an overboost function that will add up to 10 horsepower more for limited amounts of time.
Inside view
At this price point, the 2017 Ford Fiesta RS will come with a lot of features for its class and even though its interior will not be the most luxurious, it will offer five seats and four doors, a nice addition to the two door ST. The seats are going to be provided by Recaro but this time they will be sportier than on the ST. However, the steering wheel as well as most of the equipment and safety features will be carried over completely and this is perfectly fine considering that the car will not be built for comfort but rather for pure fun.
Outside view
The exterior on the other hand will be another story. While the car spied a while ago does not say too much about the future RS, it does give us a few details such as the wider front and rear tracks, the car will certainly feature wider wheel arches which on the camouflaged model were added as an afterthought, the front end will receive an all new bumper with a much larger intake and the rear end of the car will likely feature the usual 2017 Ford Fiesta RS dual-exhaust system. A spoiler is also going to be added to the hatch for added downforce and more aggressive looks.
It is unclear for now if the great all wheel drive system of the Focus RS will also come on the Fiesta but considering that it would add a lot of weight, we are almost certain that the RS will remain a front wheel drive car which will benefit from a limited slip differential in order to put all that power to the ground. The only transmission of choice is not going to be an automatic like it was rumored before but rather a 6 speed manual which is perfect for a hatchback intended for driving pleasure rather than straight line performance.
2017 Ford Fiesta RS – Price
While such a model might not be needed, it is great that they will release it because it gives people a fun choice and not just numbers on a sheet of paper. The model will actually be marketed above the Focus ST as it will offer better performance on the road and on the track as well as a similar amount of power. On top of that, it might have what it takes to become the best in its class, just like the Fiesta ST is even though it is not the most powerful. The price of 2017 Ford Fiesta RS has been rumored to start at around $25,000 which puts it around $2,000 higher than the Focus ST.
