After driving the hot Focus ST at Ford's Lommel Proving Grounds, we returned with a big smile on our faces... and an eager anticipation for the upcoming Focus RS. British customers are also anxiously awaiting the even hotter hatch, and Ford's Team RS knows it. That's why they've teamed up with ROUSH's British subsidiary Mountune again to offer a dealer-installed package to pump up the existing ST, JUST like the one they rolled out earlier this year for the smaller Fiesta ST, and also while the orders roll in for the full-fat Focus RS. The package includes a bigger intercooler, high-flow air filter and recalibrated ECU, all good for an additional 34 hp to boost output from 225 PS (222 hp) to 260 PS (256 hp). The extra power promises to drop the 0-60 sprint down to a scant 5.9 seconds and on to 100 in just 14.1 seconds. The best part for British enthusiasts is that the £1,120 package can be installed to any new or used Focus ST at a range of dealerships across the Isles. Ford and Mountune promise an accompanying suspension package in the near future and further mods for additional Ford models before the year's through.
The newest Ford Ka has been spotted by Auto Express, and the car in the flesh looks almost exactly like the Ka renderings that Auto Express published a couple of weeks ago. The grille could be a bit smaller than the one in the rendering, but it's difficult to tell without the highlights and chrome. The number of discrete elements in the GT-R-like mouthpiece, though, is the same.
Otherwise, the side swage line looks to be toned down a bit; and in the rendering, the Ford badge on the hatch that doubles as the latch has been replaced by a separate latch and key. Inside, Ford has said the car will outdo the car with which it shares underpinnings, the Fiat 500, and maintain the handling that has made it a European favorite for 12 years. All of which makes this a hot little Ka. Stay tuned for the Paris Motor Show when we see the real deal in person.
