Rendered: 2017 Ford Fiesta RS

2017 Ford Fiesta RS rendering (Credit: Ford)

Attention fans of Ford and small, fast cars that don’t cost an arm and a leg: thanks to TopSpeed, we have a rendering of the 2017 Ford Fiesta RS. The pocket rocket has been spied testing in the wild, and thanks to numerous photographs and dutifully studying, TopSpeed is giving us a view of what the production model could look like.

Ford is on a real roll when it comes to performance vehicles lately. The Focus ST and new generation of the Mustang have been widely praised, and the F-150 Raptor is pretty much in a class all by itself. The new Ford GT turned a lot of heads when it debuted recently. And let’s not forget about the Shelby GT350R and Focus RS. The Fiesta RS will be joining the lineup for 2017, providing the most budget-friendly option for tasting the Blue Oval’s need for speed.

Technically, the Fiesta RS doesn’t exist. Ford says that it might or might not be happening. Thanks to the spy photos, we pretty much know it’s coming. While the car shares some of the same design elements as the Focus RS, it likely will also draw off the Fiesta WRC racer.

As you can see from the rendering, TopSpeed thinks a bigger trapezoidal grille will be a prominent feature, along with other aggressive elements such as apron inlets, different side air dams, and a splitter. There should also be more aggressive side skirts and special lightweight wheels. The Fiesta RS will also likely have a rear roof spoiler that could be pretty big, plus a rear diffuser. While the car could have a twin tailpipes like the Fiesta ST, it might come with a dual exhaust setup similar to the one on the Focus RS. It’s possible that the car will wear some carbon fiber parts to add lightness.

More details about the car are limited, but don’t expect an all-new engine like the in the Focus RS. Instead, Ford will likely just squeeze more out of the turbo 1.6-liter engine, putting it well above 200 horsepower.