NEW FORD FOCUS RS PRODUCTION STARTS

The first production example of the exciting new Ford Focus RS rolled off the production line today at Ford of Europe's Saarlouis plant in Germany.

The 305 PS (224 kW) / 440 Nm top of the range performance version of the Focus extends the flexible production mix at the Saarlouis Plant. The German facility already produces the Ford Focus range in 3- and 5-door hatchback, wagon and sporty ST bodystyles, plus the
C-MAX and Kuga models.

Saarlouis is one of Ford's seven vehicle assembly plants in Europe. More than eleven million vehicles have been produced there since its opening in 1970, including the Ford Escort, Fiesta and Capri.

The new Ford Focus RS will be available in more than 20 European countries including Russia, with the UK, Switzerland and Germany expected to be the highest volume markets.

The Saarlouis team will build into the car a number of unique exterior and interior design details including new body parts to incorporate wider wheel arches and a wider track, complemented by revised, deeper side rocker mouldings and unique front and rear bumpers.

At the rear a large venturi tunnel and a dramatic rear spoiler create a purposeful look. Such is the exclusivity of the new RS, that customers will have a choice of just three expressive exterior colours: Ultimate Green, Performance Blue and Frozen White.

"We are excited that a new RS-badged Ford performance model is back in our portfolio and that production at Saarlouis is starting on schedule," said John Fleming, Ford of Europe Chairman and CEO. "We've had a huge amount of interest in this model from the loyal army of Ford RS enthusiasts as well as potential customers who have never owned an RS before. I am confident that they will fall for it the moment they get behind the wheel."

Rally GB - after stage 3

Image via Wikipedia

Treacherous road conditions greeted drivers in mid-Wales as this 15th and final round of the FIA World Rally Championship began this morning. Following last night's start ceremony next to Cardiff's festive winter wonderland show, competitors discovered winter wasn't quite so wonderful when they entered the remote forests more than 150km north.

Snow and ice covered the gravel tracks in many places and organisers last night cancelled more than half today's scheduled 123.68km of competition on safety grounds. More freezing temperatures overnight brought the cancellation of the already shortened 3.67km Hafren speed test, due to open the action this morning, because of ice.

The action finally began with the shortened 4.28km Sweet Lamb special stage and the early starters found conditions hazardous. BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally team drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila were ninth in their Focus RS World Rally Car, with team-mates and 2007 winners Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen 11th in a similar car.

Latvala was then fastest through the reduced 18.28km Myherin to reach the service area in Builth Wells in third, just 3.9sec from the lead. "I couldn't see where the slippery parts were in Sweet Lamb but started to gain confidence in Myherin, although I had two close escapes on ice near the finish. The tyres are working well on the gravel, which they are designed for, but it's hard to stop the car in the ice and snow. It's a shame the stages have been shortened because they are great roads but it's the right decision. I would be happy on these roads with winter tyres, but not with this rubber," said Latvala.

Hirvonen was 11th in Myherin to hold 11th overall, the 28-year-old Finn admitting he was too cautious. "Conditions were difficult but maybe I was too steady. I need to step up my pace now and while I need to be cautious, I don't need to be this cautious. I can see the lines on the road from Sébastien Loeb ahead of me so I can follow those and get more grip, but it's hard to stop on the ice with gravel tyres. It would have been too dangerous to run the first stage because the grip was changing all the time – from gravel to ice to snow. Conditions are improving with every car so those further down the start order have had the better of the morning," said Hirvonen.

Khalid Al Qassimi, on his debut here, and Michael Orr lie 27th in a third Focus RS WRC, the Abu Dhabidriver admitting: "I don't have confidence in these conditions and I have to learn what to do."

Leaderboard after stage 3 of 19

1. S Ogier/J Ingrassia , FRA, Citroen C4, 13min 55.0sec

2. M Østberg/O Unnerud, NOR, Subaru Impreza, 13min 57.3sec

3. J-M Latvala/M Anttila, FIN, Ford Focus RS, 13min 58.9sec

4. P-G Andersson/J Andersson, SWE, Suzuki SX4, 14min 01.7sec

5. S Loeb/D Elena, FRA, Citroen C4, 14min 03.1sec

6. C Atkinson/S Prévot, AUS, Subaru Impreza, 14min 05.5sec

7. P Solberg/P Mills, NOR, Subaru Impreza, 14min 06.0sec

8. T Gardemeister/T Tuominen, FIN, Suzuki SX4, 14min 07.8sec

9. D Sordo/M Marti, ESP, Citroen C4, 14min 08.6sec

10 F Duval/D Giraudet, BEL, Ford Focus RS, 14min 10.0sec