Hot Wheels 2009 and 2016 Ford Focus RS
Hot Wheels is on a roll with the Ford Performance line for 2016: 2017 Raptor, 2016 GT350 Mustang,, the 2017 GT, and now the 2016 Focus RS. This is not the first time that Hot Wheels has made the Focus, and this is also not the first time the Focus RS has been done either. Time to see if the new Focus RS is better than the old.
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The RS is the performance version of the Focus line that has been around since 2002. The RS uses some components that can be found on the WRC rally Focus as well as modifications for the street. While the SVT Focus in the U.S. is similar, it does not employ the turbo I-4 that the RS has. The second-generation really split between the US Focus and the world Focus: while the US version still carried the previous-generation lines the world Focus is completely new. The new Focus shared platforms with the Mazda 3 and the Volvo S40 and had a more modern and a bit of a futuristic look to the Focus lines. A facelift in 2008 brought the front-end more inline with the 2010 Taurus for a more sleeker and updated look. The interior shares similarities with the Mondeo and featues quality materials, larger radio and dual-zone HVAC controls, and even an auxiliary gauge pod in the center. The front seats get Recaro sport buckets and have the option of two-tone colors. The engine went from the typical Ford I-4's to the Volvo-sourced 2.5L DOHC turbocharged I-5 that produces 301 horsepower and 325 Ib-ft of torque through a six-speed manual to the front wheels. The RS also gains suspension modifications that include a RevoKnuckle for the front strut that adjusts tire scrub radius, and exterior enhancements that has a rear spoiler, ground effects, and dual exhausts 0-62 arrives in 5.9 seconds.
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Hot Wheels released this RS casting in 2010 as part of a five-car International release where these five castings arrived outside of the U.S. first before everyone else gets the same casting. The lime green was the first, followed by the red that also joined its first Super Treasure Hunt in 2012, and the blue with white tires for the 2013 Holiday series. The front has detailed projector headlights with black center grille with Ford logo (note the blue on my tester somehow migrated to the center of the hood), and the larger lower grille that is a hallmark to the Focus RS. The hood has dual vents that mimick the 1994 Cosworth Escort, while the sides have flared fenders, multi-spoke wheels, RS graphics, and the three-door fastback roofline. The rear has slim LED taillights on the C-pillars. rear spoiler, and lower diffuser with dual exhausts. The interior has nice details from the 3-spoke steering wheel to the center auxiliary gauge pods, while there is seating for four with the bolstered front seats. It was a nice casting, yet I don't think may others agree as the green one was a constant pegwarmer during its initial release. Can the new Focus RS reverse that?
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Hard-to-tell, but the new 2016 RS is now available worldwide for the first time with 5-doors and all-wheel drive to add to the roster. Power is now provided by a turbocharged 2.3L DOHC I-4 from the Ford Mustang that produces 350 horsepower through a six-speed manual and to all four wheels with the Torque-Vectoring All-Wheel-Drive system that sends power to the wheels that have the most grip, and with Drift Mode activated can turn this car into a rear-wheel drive drift machine. 0-62 arrives in 4.7 seconds. The new RS is toned down a bit and tends to look close to the ST version with only a larger grille with revised foglights, rear spoiler, and dual exhausts.
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Standing in grabber blue the RS looks pretty sharp despite offset headlights and lack of detailed taillights in the rear. The Focus also got an upgrade for 2015 that includes new headlights, taillights, and a revised dashboard. The front has detailed projector headlights with LED lights near the center next to the large black grille with RS logo, larger lower grille, and side foglights and front brake ducts. The sides have the 4-door layout with not much flare or side graphics, and the PR5 wheels are nice but the dark gray 10-spoke wheels would look proper here. The rear has a larger spoiler, taillights with one gas cap door (get it, Greenlight?), lower diffuser with dual exhausts, and a nice RS badge stamped to the rear gate just in case you confuse the RS with the ST. The base does not show much, so onto the interior: It now has more room with seating for five and a vast cargo area over the 3-door RS. The dashboard is more edgier and unique in this generation of Focus with 3-spoke steering wheel, the famed auxiliary gauges at the center of the dash, and a MyTouch infotainment touchscreen with dual-zoned HVAC controls in the center. The front seats also are bolstered, though not as much as the 3-door RS. Pretty much it looks like a typical ST or Focus interior. Now how does the new one compared to the 3-door on the track? Both offer excellent handling dynamics, but the 3-door is more fun to toss around as the new 5-door is more refined thanks to the lower stance and all-wheel drive setup. The new one is faster, but not really much difference here.
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While the new Focus RS is nice, it has the issue of looking rather like an ordinary Focus model with only a hint of styling flare and this Hot Wheels model could use more detail painting at the rear. Plus, the Greenlight Focus ST was so nicely done that it makes the RS look like a slight advancement. So for me I still like the 3-door RS, but I will admit the new 5-door is a nice addition.
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