Video: Focus RS Beats Them All With 345 Horsepower

2016 Ford Focus RS (Credit: © Ford)

Lately, Ford has liberally applied versions of the phrase “in excess of X horsepower” when talking about upcoming products. One of the latest to receive this non-committal phrase was the upcoming Focus RS, which Ford said was “well in excess of 315 horsepower.” The other day, just ahead of its dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Ford revealed a video (below) along with a press release that laid out its official power number, and it is “well in excess of 315 horsepower” indeed.

The video is absolutely outstanding, as you get to hear all that 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine has to offer, including its insane exhaust crackle, but the real story is in the press release. This is where Ford announces that the Focus RS’ official power output will be 350 PS and 440 Nm of torque. In U.S. money, that converts out to 345 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque between 2,000 and 4,500 rpm. What’s more, an overboost function allows the torque to hit 470 Nm (347 pound-feet) for up to 15 seconds.

I expected Ford to exceed our expectations a little with the Focus RS, but to do so by 30ish horsepower is simply incredible. A 345-horsepower Focus with all-wheel drive that can send up to 70 percent of the power to the rear wheels, and up to 347 pound-feet of torque sounds like a hell of a lot of fun to me.

I just recently lumped down a hefty sum to pick up my Focus ST, and I am now seriously considering upgrading to the RS the millisecond its rubber touches U.S. dealers.

Stay tuned for more details, like the 0-to-60 time, U.S. release date, and U.S. pricing as we move toward 2016.