Ford has revealed it will launch a behind-the-scenes story of the all-new Focus RS.
“Rebirth of an icon” shows the development of the latest generation of an automotive icon through a “warts and all” video documentary series covering every stage of the vehicle’s evolution.
The inside story of the all-new Focus RS pulls no punches — following the car across the world as Ford Performance engineers and drivers put it to the test under the scrutiny of RS consultant and Gymkhana superstar Ken Block and Ford’s group vice president for Global Product Development and chief technical officer, Raj Nair.
“The Focus RS is a unique performance vehicle with an incredible heritage. This creates enormous expectation and intense pressure that demands teamwork, sheer determination and a single-minded focus on delivering the ultimate Focus,” said Raj. “This access-all-areas documentary perfectly captures what is at times a bumpy ride.”
The Eight weekly episodes will start on 30 September:
- Episode 1: Project kick-off – Ken Block and Raj Nair debate what the car should deliver, from behind the wheel of an early prototype
- Episode 2: Design and development – Crunching crashes put the new design to the toughest of tests
- Episode 3: Hitting the road – A 1,600-kilometre (1,000-mile) drive through epic terrain takes prototypes from high in the Rocky Mountains to the Arizona desert
- Episode 4: Test-track trials – Block heads for Ford’s top-secret test facility, and indulges in some “hooning”
- Episode 5: Arctic extremes – Winter testing in Sweden, and the team is under pressure to improve performance
- Episode 6: Power struggle – It’s all about performance, as the Ford manufacturing plant in Saarlouis, Germany, gears up for production
- Episode 7: Close scrutiny – The day of the critical sign-off drive follows Block’s headline appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed
- Episode 8: Final chapter – It’s time for the nail-biting management review
Just last week Ford announced that the all-new Focus RS is available to order now for £28,940, with customer delivery expected in early 2016.
The UK’s waiting list is already topping 500 prospective owners before prices were announced. The car debuts new Ford Performance All-Wheel Drive with Dynamic Torque Vectoring for outstanding traction and grip with unmatched agility and cornering speed, and features a specially engineered version of Ford’s new 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine delivering 350PS for 4.7-second 0-62mph acceleration.