A track day in a range of sporty Focuses culminates in discovering whether the addition of a torque-biasing front diff and stickier rubber makes the Ford Focus RS Limited Edition an even greater hot hatch.
Ford Australia has acknowledged an issue with the 2016-17 Focus RS, where excess coolant consumption makes the car produce white smoke under acceleration. According to the local division, just one Focus RS is known to be affected in Australia, though more of the circa-1200 units sold locally could potentially be included, too...
The next-generation 2018 Ford Focus has been spied almost completely undisguised this week, giving us the best look yet at the Blue Oval's upcoming hatchback. Wrapped in colourful camouflage and stamped with "#TimeToFocus", it appears the new Focus isn't far from its global reveal, expected to occur sometime early next year...
With its clever GKN Twinster all-wheel drive system and an electronic Drift Mode, the Ford Focus RS is already better qualified as a drift car than most hot hatches. That hasn't stopped Ford Performance in the USA from teaming up with Ken Block to create an optional tailor-made for tail-happy hooligans...
The upcoming 2018 Ford Focus ST Wagon has been spied at the Nurburgring, sporting a set of Volvo-esque daytime running lights. Although the prototype doesn’t wear any badges, its gaping front grille, prominent rear spoiler, diffuser-style rear bumper and twin exhaust all strongly suggest it's the performance-focused ST variant...
This week Mandy Turner and Mike Costello talk about Porsche trialing a new subscription service, the Toyota Century has been unveiled, and Mazda tops the Roy Morgan owner satisfaction survey. Honda is pleading for Takata-affected owners to get their cars fixed with 94,000 cars still to go, the 2018 Suzuki Swift Sport will be in Australia in the first quarter, and the open-topped 86 hybrid Toyota GR HV Sports Concept will be revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show...
Four cars based on the Focus RS and ST will be among the 50 vehicles on the Ford stand at this year's SEMA show. The Rally Revival Ford Focus RS (top) looks as though it's ready for a bit of dirt-track racing, thanks to its vinyl graphics pack and white 19-inch OZ Racing Superturismo GT wheels...
Ford has issued a recall for 42,988 examples of its Focus small car built between 2011 and 2015, over concerns the fuel tank could crack and leak. The Blue Oval reports that certain vehicles "under particular environmental conditions" may ingest excessive levels of dust, which may block the carbon canister during a purge cycle, causing the fuel tank to reach vacuum levels that exceed design limits...
An even more hardcore version of the Ford Focus RS will be reach Aussie shores in November, when the 2018 Ford Focus RS Limited Edition touches down. It'll be limited to just 500 units, and the price of the new version will put it $6000 higher than the existing Focus RS - but there are plenty of changes to justify the extra expense over the "standard" model...
Dual-clutch transmissions have not had the best reputation in Australia. From the Volkswagen experience to the latest spout of issues with Ford’s PowerShift transmissions, the concept of ditching the conventional torque converter in favour of a ‘next-generation’ transmission has not been the smoothest experience for both customers or manufacturers...
Ford Australia has strongly denied claims made by the ACCC today that it mishandled customers suffering through issues with Ford Powershift transmissions. A press conference held today by Ford Australia CEO Graeme Whickman confirmed that Ford Australia would contest the ACCC's allegations in court, but agrees that it could have handled complaints better...
