The UK-only Ford Focus RS Heritage Edition will be limited to just 50 units, marking the end of Mk3 Focus RS production. It features a Quaife ATB Differential, āDeep Orangeā paint and a power upgrade to 370bhp by our friends at Mountune.
Following on from the Focus RS and Race Red Editions,Ā FordĀ has chosen the Quaife ATB Differential as official fitment in the new Heritage Edition. Limited to just 50 units, the Heritage Edition will mark the end of the Mk3 Focus RS, as production stops in April at the Saarlouis plant in Germany.
The Quaife ATBĀ is fitted to the front axle of the all-wheel-drive RS, offering enhanced traction and cornering abilities. Performance levels are greatly increased, with feedback from drivers of the Quaife equipped RS Edition exclaiming how it has transformed the driving experience. In the case of the Heritage Edition, a higher power output is even more reason why the inclusion of the ATB Differential makes perfect sense.
This added power comes courtesy of the dealer-fit āFPM375āĀ MountuneĀ upgrade. Fordās official tuner has taken power from 345bhp to 370bhp, whilst torque has also increased by 30Nm to a healthy 510Nm, all thanks to a recalibrated turbo and induction kit.
The other noticeable stand-out feature of the Heritage Edition is its striking āDeep Orangeā paint. A reference to the orange used in historic RS Escorts, the RS Heritage Edition commemorates 50 years of the Escort nameplate.
Other features include grey brake calipers and black alloys, with contrasting black door mirrors and a black rear spoiler. Part-leather Recaro seats, a sunroof, a heated steering wheel and privacy glass are the other kit highlights.
The new Focus RS Heritage Edition is available now, priced at Ā£38,895.
Quaife and the Ford Focus RS ā A History
The Focus RS Heritage Edition is the latest in a prestigious line of the Blue Ovalās āmega-hatchesā that have featured the renowned Quaife ATB Differential. Read on to learn more:
Ford Focus RS Mk1
The Mk1 Ford Focus RS caused a sensation on its launch in 2002. A return to the Rallye Sport badge previously used on tweaked Escorts, the Mk1 Focus RS was highly sought after, particularly within the hot hatch sector. Manufactured for little more than a year, (only 4501 models were ever built), it remains highly collectable to this day and is sure to become a future classic in years to come. Powered by a 2.0-litre Ford Zeta engine producing 212 horsepower, it could generate 0.98G in lateral acceleration, thanks in part to the vehicleās standard Quaife ATB Differential.
Ford Focus RS Mk2
The Ford Focus RS Mk2 hit the road in January 2009 and featured a 2,522cc Duratec RS engine producing 301 horsepower and 440Nm of torque. 0-62mph took just 5.9 secs while top speed was 163mph. The Quaife ATB Differential was fitted to all models as standard, greatly aiding traction. It worked alongside a specially designed MacPherson strut front suspension system entitled RevoKnuckle.
In April 2010, fast Ford fans were treated to the Focus RS500. As the name suggests, 500 units were produced with 101 of them arriving on UK shores. Power was rated at 345bhp while the 0-62mph sprint took just 5.4 secs. Top speed was 2mph higher than the standard RS. All models sported Panther Black metallic paint with a matte black effect.
Ford Focus Mk3 RS Edition
During summer 2017, Ford released the Mk3 Ford Focus RS Edition. Based on the standard RS model, it features a turbocharged 2.3-litre inline-four engine, also found in the Mustang EcoBoost. Developing 350PS, the RS Edition is fitted with the Quaife ATB Differential, providing a better distribution of torque to each wheel and improving the already class-leading traction from the standard car. Motoring journalists were highly impressed when they tested the RS Edition against the standard model, highlighting the extra grip during wet weather testing. Owners of the standard Mk3 Focus RS can retrospectively get the Quaife ATB fitted without it affecting the manufacturerās warranty, when fitted by Mountune or a Ford authorised dealership.
Ford Focus Mk3 Race Red
Ford announced in December 2017 the introduction of the Focus RS Race Red for the UK market. Based on the RS Edition and limited to 300 units, the Race Red is unsurprisingly named after the carās colour, a hue that was already available to customers in the US and Switzerland. As per the standard RS Edition, the Quaife ATB as fitted to the front axle works alongside the rear axleās GKN Twinster torque vectoring technology ā the system that enables the RS Mk3ās Drift mode.
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