Skip to main content

Raj Nair on the Ford Focus RS: ‘For now the manual stays’

Ford Focus RS
Image used with permission by copyright holder
The debut of the new Ford Focus RS was an exciting moment for all hot hatch aficionados, but it looks like the turbocharged five-door will have a greater impact than we thought.

Speaking to Autocar, Ford’s VP of Product Development Raj Nair said that manual gearboxes would be prominently featured in the future of the RS lineup, slowing the inevitable decay of stick shifts across the automotive landscape.

Recommended Videos

“All our current research says that customers really like these kinds of cars to have a manual gearbox,” he said. “We’ll keep looking at market trends, and of course we’ll give customers what they want, but for now the manual stays.”

According to Ford, the RS’ 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine makes “well in excess of 315 horsepower” and is mated to a six-speed manual. Unlike the Volkswagen Golf R with which it will compete, the Focus has no dual-clutch option.

The Focus RS will also be the company’s first vehicle to equip All-Wheel Drive with Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control, but it likely won’t be the last.

“It would be fair to suggest that we’ll be looking to use the technology in other ways in the future,” said Tyrone Johnson, engineering manager of the RS.

The technology utilizes two electronically controlled clutch packs on each side of the car’s rear drive unit, which govern both front/rear torque split and side-to-side power delivery. To keep the hot hatch on its toes, the control module monitors vehicle sensors 100 times per second.

What does it do with all that data? Depending on steering angle, lateral acceleration, yaw, and speed, it directs varied amounts of torque to the rear outside wheel during cornering. The result, Ford says, is a virtual elimination of understeer and lateral grip of more than 1g.

As if we didn’t need another reason to want this thing.

Andrew Hard
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…
Tesla and Elon Musk sued over use of AI image at Cybercab event
tesla and spacex CEO elon musk stylized image

Tesla’s recent We, Robot presentation has run into trouble, with one of the production companies behind Blade Runner 2049 suing Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, for alleged copyright infringement.

Tesla used the glitzy October 10 event to unveil its Cybercab and Robovan, and also to showcase the latest version of its Optimus humanoid robot.

Read more
Qualcomm wants to power your next car with the Snapdragon Cockpit and Ride Elite platforms
Qualcomm Snapdragon Cockpit Elite and Ride Elite automotive platforms

It’s been a big year for Qualcomm. Alongside its massive launch into laptop chips through the Snapdragon X Elite series, Qualcomm is now entering the automotive space. The company has announced the new Qualcomm Snapdragon Cockpit Elite and Snapdragon Ride Elite platforms at its annual Snapdragon Summit, which it flew me out to attend.

The two platforms are designed for different purposes, and can be used togetheror separately. The Snapdragon Cockpit Elite is built for in-vehicle infotainment systems and services, while the Snapdragon Ride Elite is built to power autonomous vehicle systems, including all the cameras and sensors that go into those systems.

Read more
Scout Traveler and Scout Terra forge a new path for EVs
Scout Traveler and Scout Terra.

Electric vehicles are inseparable from newness, whether it’s new tech, new designs, or new companies like Rivian, Lucid, and Tesla. But the Volkswagen Group’s new EV-only brand also relies heavily on the past.

Unveiled Thursday, the Scout Traveler electric SUV and Scout Terra electric pickup truck are modern interpretations of the classic International Harvester Scout. Manufactured from 1961 to 1980, the original Scout helped popularize the idea of the rugged, off-road-capable utility vehicle, setting the stage for modern SUVs.

Read more