Focus Cosworth on the way! engine pic.
21 January 2004, 08:05 PM
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According to Auto Express, it'll be based on the new Volvo. Apparently their new sports models are
ST = dolphin
RS = shark
Cosworth = White shark
Right...
ST = dolphin
RS = shark
Cosworth = White shark
Right...
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21 January 2004, 10:57 PM
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Nicked this report from passion ford
Ford's legendary Cosworth is back! And the big news for blue oval fans is that the name will be used on flagship versions of hot Fiestas and Focuses all developed by the company's new performance division - Team RS.
Jost Capito, the German boss of the newly formed Team RS division, has exclusively revealed the first details of the new Focus Cosworth, allowing us to bring you these exclusive pictures and giving us an exciting taster of the supercar-chasing hatch, which is due for launch next year.
Capito revealed that the RS and ST brands will also be expanded to cover other Ford products. And although these will be the top-sellers, it's the Cosworth models which will be the true 'hero' cars. He told us that some within Ford thought that Cosworth should become a luxury sporting brand. "This was wrong," he said. "The Cosworth should be even more ex-treme than the RS Focus. It should be lightweight, stripped out, have more performance and be more extreme. Maybe it wouldn't even have air-conditioning."
Capito - whose past experience includes working on BMW's M3 and Porsche's 911 - also told Auto Express that a future Focus Cosworth is unlikely to be front-wheel drive. "Would a Cos-worth ever be front-drive? A Cosworth would have to deliver 225bhp-plus. When you see what we had to do with the front differential on the RS Focus to make it work properly, that power would be too much for the front wheels.
"There's a limit on front-wheel drive. But it depends on how the power is deployed. You can take it off with the traction control system - so in theory you could have a 300bhp front-drive car. But what's the point? The driver would not feel the power. For real performance we need 220-240bhp - that's hard in a front-drive car like the RS."
According to insiders, the new Focus Cosworth would see it based on the next Focus (due to be unveiled in May) and powered by either a turbo-charged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine or a new version of the Volvo V50's 225bhp turbocharged five-cylinder unit. But Capito hinted that the new powerplant would have to be able to rev freely to 7,000rpm and beyond.
This car would also use the same basic 4x4 chassis as the new V50 T5 AWD. But the Cossie - which won't appear until late next year at the earliest - would be much lighter and more raw than the baby Volvo. Expect minimal noise insulation, lightweight race-style seats, a quick-shifting six-speed manual transmission and suspension and braking components directly inspired by Ford's WRC Focus cars. On the outside, it will take its cue from today's RS, although stylists want the Cosworth's trademark wing to return. And the chassis will also be honed for driving pleasure by Team RS engineers on UK roads - unlike the RS Focus.
Said Capito: "Not enough of the chassis work on the Focus RS was done in the UK on B-roads. It was set up for German roads and the Nürburg-ring race circuit - it is fantastic there. Yet some drivers really wanted a beast of a car - and why not? But we rec-ognise that the majority of Ford's performance car customers are in the UK.
"If the new car can be made to handle well on UK B-roads and motorways, it should work on any roads. Every change we make to the chassis during development will be tested on B-roads and motorways."
By establishing the Cosworth brand, Capito says that the next-generation Focus RS can be less extreme. His team has already sat down to define Ford's three performance brands - ST, RS and Cosworth. "We had to agree what an ST is, what an RS is and what a potential Cosworth is. We thought of analogies with animals - an ST is a dolphin, an RS is a shark and a Cosworth would be a white shark." He describes how this will translate: "An RS will be for driving fun and track day use. And it should be a surprising car that might only be on sale for 18 months or so." Capito hinted the next RS wouldn't have a turbo engine and would be able to rev up to 8,500rpm - like key rival, the Honda Civic Type R.
But Capito pretty much ruled out an RS Mondeo, which would be too big for B-road driving. However, the next-generation Mondeo (due in late 2005) will have the option of four-wheel drive, so a stripped-out Mondeo Cosworth, inspired by touring cars, is possible.
Capito's team will also be developing ST versions of the Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo. "I want the ST brand to be better known," he said. "I want the ST experience to be consistent, like VW's GTI brand. It should be a great compromise between sporting handling and everyday use."
Capito wouldn't say, but it's thought the next Focus ST will have a light-pressure turbo engine delivering around 180bhp - enabling it to challenge the MkV Golf GTI. At last, it seems that Ford is finally back in the fast car game and fighting for supremacy.
Ford's legendary Cosworth is back! And the big news for blue oval fans is that the name will be used on flagship versions of hot Fiestas and Focuses all developed by the company's new performance division - Team RS.
Jost Capito, the German boss of the newly formed Team RS division, has exclusively revealed the first details of the new Focus Cosworth, allowing us to bring you these exclusive pictures and giving us an exciting taster of the supercar-chasing hatch, which is due for launch next year.
Capito revealed that the RS and ST brands will also be expanded to cover other Ford products. And although these will be the top-sellers, it's the Cosworth models which will be the true 'hero' cars. He told us that some within Ford thought that Cosworth should become a luxury sporting brand. "This was wrong," he said. "The Cosworth should be even more ex-treme than the RS Focus. It should be lightweight, stripped out, have more performance and be more extreme. Maybe it wouldn't even have air-conditioning."
Capito - whose past experience includes working on BMW's M3 and Porsche's 911 - also told Auto Express that a future Focus Cosworth is unlikely to be front-wheel drive. "Would a Cos-worth ever be front-drive? A Cosworth would have to deliver 225bhp-plus. When you see what we had to do with the front differential on the RS Focus to make it work properly, that power would be too much for the front wheels.
"There's a limit on front-wheel drive. But it depends on how the power is deployed. You can take it off with the traction control system - so in theory you could have a 300bhp front-drive car. But what's the point? The driver would not feel the power. For real performance we need 220-240bhp - that's hard in a front-drive car like the RS."
According to insiders, the new Focus Cosworth would see it based on the next Focus (due to be unveiled in May) and powered by either a turbo-charged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine or a new version of the Volvo V50's 225bhp turbocharged five-cylinder unit. But Capito hinted that the new powerplant would have to be able to rev freely to 7,000rpm and beyond.
This car would also use the same basic 4x4 chassis as the new V50 T5 AWD. But the Cossie - which won't appear until late next year at the earliest - would be much lighter and more raw than the baby Volvo. Expect minimal noise insulation, lightweight race-style seats, a quick-shifting six-speed manual transmission and suspension and braking components directly inspired by Ford's WRC Focus cars. On the outside, it will take its cue from today's RS, although stylists want the Cosworth's trademark wing to return. And the chassis will also be honed for driving pleasure by Team RS engineers on UK roads - unlike the RS Focus.
Said Capito: "Not enough of the chassis work on the Focus RS was done in the UK on B-roads. It was set up for German roads and the Nürburg-ring race circuit - it is fantastic there. Yet some drivers really wanted a beast of a car - and why not? But we rec-ognise that the majority of Ford's performance car customers are in the UK.
"If the new car can be made to handle well on UK B-roads and motorways, it should work on any roads. Every change we make to the chassis during development will be tested on B-roads and motorways."
By establishing the Cosworth brand, Capito says that the next-generation Focus RS can be less extreme. His team has already sat down to define Ford's three performance brands - ST, RS and Cosworth. "We had to agree what an ST is, what an RS is and what a potential Cosworth is. We thought of analogies with animals - an ST is a dolphin, an RS is a shark and a Cosworth would be a white shark." He describes how this will translate: "An RS will be for driving fun and track day use. And it should be a surprising car that might only be on sale for 18 months or so." Capito hinted the next RS wouldn't have a turbo engine and would be able to rev up to 8,500rpm - like key rival, the Honda Civic Type R.
But Capito pretty much ruled out an RS Mondeo, which would be too big for B-road driving. However, the next-generation Mondeo (due in late 2005) will have the option of four-wheel drive, so a stripped-out Mondeo Cosworth, inspired by touring cars, is possible.
Capito's team will also be developing ST versions of the Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo. "I want the ST brand to be better known," he said. "I want the ST experience to be consistent, like VW's GTI brand. It should be a great compromise between sporting handling and everyday use."
Capito wouldn't say, but it's thought the next Focus ST will have a light-pressure turbo engine delivering around 180bhp - enabling it to challenge the MkV Golf GTI. At last, it seems that Ford is finally back in the fast car game and fighting for supremacy.
21 January 2004, 11:17 PM
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225hp? what’s the point, they are still living in the 80`s
Get it right Mr cosworth, produce 350+ as standard, and lift the BAR, set new standards, push all the expectations out, and be COSWORTH. Blow us all away with a car that lives up to its name.
Go on.....be different
Or you could just be average like all the others L
[Edited by catflap - 1/21/2004 11:18:15 PM]
Get it right Mr cosworth, produce 350+ as standard, and lift the BAR, set new standards, push all the expectations out, and be COSWORTH. Blow us all away with a car that lives up to its name.
Go on.....be different
Or you could just be average like all the others L
[Edited by catflap - 1/21/2004 11:18:15 PM]
21 January 2004, 11:29 PM
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It'll never live up to the old cossie of yore...for 1 reason:
It's not a homologation special. That was the reason why the original cossies existed and were so easily tunable, because most the goodies were already fitted.
This one will be alot more compromised because of this
Bring back homlogation specials (and race catorgories)...then perhaps maybe we would see some really special cars hitting the streets akin to the RS200's and 6R4's
It's not a homologation special. That was the reason why the original cossies existed and were so easily tunable, because most the goodies were already fitted.
This one will be alot more compromised because of this
Bring back homlogation specials (and race catorgories)...then perhaps maybe we would see some really special cars hitting the streets akin to the RS200's and 6R4's
21 January 2004, 11:36 PM
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It could end up looking something like these! agree 250bhp isnt much but it will be pritty light and they may do what surbru do and bring a more powerful model out.
22 January 2004, 08:21 AM
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The Auto Express article is 95% fiction.. for a start the picture they've printed is a Photoshop special (4 stud wheels show it's the old Focus with RS wheels and some other bits drawn on).
I'd agree that a Volvo engine seems likely, considering the Cosworth will probably be very similar in spec/performance to the S40R/V50R - not the T5 as mentioned - but without all the creature comforts (which will keep Volvo ahead as a premium brand and the Cossie lighter and, presumably, that much quicker).
Finally, 225bhp? Rubbish. I can only imagine this is Ford being misleading deliberately. The Volvo 'R' will be around 300bhp and the T5 engine would suit the next RS car surely?
The only good thing about the article is that it shows Ford are committed to bringing back the Cosworth badge at some point.
I'd agree that a Volvo engine seems likely, considering the Cosworth will probably be very similar in spec/performance to the S40R/V50R - not the T5 as mentioned - but without all the creature comforts (which will keep Volvo ahead as a premium brand and the Cossie lighter and, presumably, that much quicker).
Finally, 225bhp? Rubbish. I can only imagine this is Ford being misleading deliberately. The Volvo 'R' will be around 300bhp and the T5 engine would suit the next RS car surely?
The only good thing about the article is that it shows Ford are committed to bringing back the Cosworth badge at some point.
22 January 2004, 09:13 AM
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Why do people always bandy up the same old pictures of either some SVT Focus, development model/prototype, or some old Auto Express photoshopped picture, and claim it's the new Cossie.
If it's out before 2007, I'll eat my hat......
If it's out before 2007, I'll eat my hat......
22 January 2004, 04:08 PM
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I am just glad they've seen sense to have 4wd, there were rumours it would be fwd a while back!
I must admit I would be quite tempted with a focus cossie! Lets hope they dont' put a daft great ironing board on the back again!
I must admit I would be quite tempted with a focus cossie! Lets hope they dont' put a daft great ironing board on the back again!
22 January 2004, 05:32 PM
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I ask myself why people still have an interest in what ford say anymore about this car, how long has this been in the pipeline and now with that power after all this time is laughable , surely they should match other cars that it will be compared with i.e impreza and lancer by giving it at least 270 break and torque out of the box, whoooop fecking weeeeee it will rev to 8500rpm, so bl00dy what lol it needs more power
, surely they should match other cars that it will be compared with i.e impreza and lancer by giving it at least 270 break and torque out of the box, whoooop fecking weeeeee it will rev to 8500rpm, so bl00dy what lol it needs more power
22 January 2004, 06:56 PM
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Ford own a lot of car companys like jagaur and aston martin so are they american now as well then?
Cosworth and the above will always be british companys no matter who owns them! thats like saying beckham is spanish because madrid own him!!! british born and bred.
Cosworth and the above will always be british companys no matter who owns them! thats like saying beckham is spanish because madrid own him!!! british born and bred.
23 January 2004, 01:12 PM
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Cosworth and the above will always be british companys no matter who owns them! thats like saying beckham is spanish because madrid own him!!! british born and bred.
There's nothing special or revolutionary about the majority of their streetable engines anyway, I don't see what the hype is all about. And spare me the "cuz its british, mate.".