The new Focus RS has been generating a lot of buzz for the Ford Motor Company [NYSE:F], but with its $36,605 starting price the car is still out of reach for many hot hatch fans. That’s where the oft-rumored Fiesta RS could fill the gap, and according to a new report the car, or at least something like it, is still very much on Ford’s radar.
Based on its sources, Autocar is reporting that Ford could launch a performance-oriented Fiesta hotter than the current ST. Rather than adopt the Blue Oval’s storied RS badge, though, the car is said to be called something else, possibly a “Fiesta ST Plus”. The British publication also reports that the car would likely pack a version of the current ST’s turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine but with power increased from the current 197-horsepower rating.
To go along with the extra power, we’d also expect sports-tuned suspension, uprated brakes, a standard six-speed manual transmission and aggressive looks inspired by Ford’s most recent Fiesta RS WRC racer. However, we doubt the car would get the new Ford Performance all-wheel-drive system debuting in the Focus RS, as that would see the car step on the toes of its bigger and most likely pricier brother.
The current Fiesta range is on its way out as prototypes for the next-generation model have already been spotted. Launching the hotter Fiesta would be a good way to send out the current car.
Stay tuned for an update.
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