USA - The Limited Edition Focus RS is limited to 1500 units for the USA and Canada only.

• Ford followed Focus RS enthusiast conversations on blogs, forums and Facebook groups, which helped inspire the new 2018 limited-edition Focus RS
• Limited-edition Focus RS to deliver enhanced driving experience with new standard mechanical limited-slip differential to improve performance, unique interior and exterior styling, and new color combinations
• 1,500 Focus RS vehicles for United States and Canada offer customers last chance to get their hands on this generation of Ford’s critically acclaimed performance hatchback

Ford Performance fans talking to each other and posting comments online about the Ford Focus RS hot hatch performance car have led to a special 1,500 unit limited-edition celebrating the end of run of this generation hot hatch. 

Passion from the enthusiast community led Ford to introduce an exclusive new version of its critically acclaimed Focus RS for North America. Ford was listening.The new 2018 Focus RS limited-edition hot hatch adds a few commonly requested features that unique interior and exterior styling, and a new mechanical limited-slip differential.

Available in new Race Red or signature Nitrous Blue body color – both featuring striking new gloss black roof and mirror caps. The rear roof spoiler also features gloss black finish, with blue RS logos on the side wings. Now standard are 19-inch premium painted forged alloy wheels with blue RS center caps.

From the cockpit, the door handles, handbrake lever and turbo boost gauge surround are wrapped in carbon fiber skin, while equipment from the RS2 Package is standard, offering black leather-trimmed RECARO® seats with Miko-Dinamica eco-friendly suede microfiber inserts and RS logo, heated front seats with eight-way power driver’s seat, heated steering wheel, heated exterior mirrors and voice-activated navigation system.

To really excite driving enthusiasts, the global Ford Performance team developed a standard mechanical Quaife® limited-slip differential for the front axle that further improves Focus RS performance. This limited-edition Focus RS will more easily carry speed through a corner on the track, and allow for maximum acceleration on the way out.

“To satisfy strong demand for the ever-popular Focus RS, I’m very excited that we’re bringing this limited-edition vehicle to North America,” said Henry Ford, Ford Performance marketing manager. “We have spent a great deal of time listening to our customers, speaking to owners’ club members, reading comments and suggestions on enthusiast websites, and even studying various forum Photoshop renderings.”

A tight grip on performance

By controlling the torque delivered to each front wheel, the Quaife limited-slip differential enables 2018 Focus RS drivers to fully tap the 2.3-liter EcoBoost® engine’s 350 horsepower. The limited-slip differential limits engine torque delivered to a particular front wheel that has reduced traction on the road surface, redistributing torque to the wheel with more traction to reduce differences in wheel spin that can hamper acceleration and stability.

“Our new limited-edition Focus RS represents accessible performance at its finest,” said Jamal Hameedi, Ford Performance chief engineer. “Improving on the thrilling driving dynamics of the Focus RS is no small task – but our Ford Performance engineers have delivered a drivetrain capable of wringing every drop of performance from the engine.”

The new system seamlessly integrates with standard Focus RS driving technologies, including:

• Ford Performance All-Wheel Drive, which varies front-to-rear torque distribution to suit a given driving situation – monitoring inputs from vehicle sensors 100 times per second and sending an average of 70 percent of drive torque to the rear axle
• Dynamic Torque Vectoring, which uses electronically controlled clutch packs on the rear axle to send 100 percent of an average 70 percent available torque to either rear wheel, and can switch drive from one side to the other in as little as 0.06 second – or about the time it takes a humming bird to flap its wings 4 times.
• Torque Vectoring Control, which automatically applies small amounts of brake force to limit wheel spin at the front axle, further enhancing the tractive force available
• Focus RS Drive Modes, which include Ford-first drift mode for controlled oversteer drifts under circuit conditions, and launch control for ultimate performance off the start line and 4.7-second 0‑62 mph acceleration

Coming to a track near you

Only one thousand limited-edition 2018 Focus RS performance cars will be available in the United States and 500 in Canada, with deliveries beginning in late 2017, marking the last opportunity to order the current generation Focus RS in North America.

The limited-edition Focus RS joins Ford’s iconic Ford Performance vehicle range in North America, alongside the recently launched Ford GT supercar, F-150 Raptor, and much-loved Shelby GT350 Mustang, Focus ST and Fiesta ST.

Note: Vehicle horsepower ratings achieved with 93-octane fuel.

Tracker announces that the bulk of it's recovered cars are less than £20,000

• 32% of stolen vehicles recovered, valued at under £5,000 reveals TRACKER
• www.tracker.co.uk

A whopping 32% of all stolen vehicles recovered by TRACKER in 2016 were valued at less than £5,000. The age, mileage and even brand of a vehicle doesn’t appear to matter to vehicle thieves as much as motorists may think, which should serve as a stark warning to the average car owner, advises stolen vehicle recovery expert, TRACKER. 

Interestingly, confirming the demise of the prestige car as the thieves’ number one target, the average value of cars stolen and recovered by TRACKER in 2016 was just over £16,000, down from over £19,000 in 2015 – a 13% drop in value. Over £11.5 million worth of stolen vehicles were returned by TRACKER to their rightful owners last year, a notable 10% year-on-year increase for TRACKER.

Whilst the most expensive car recovered by TRACKER in 2016 was a Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG worth £120,000, the reality is that less than 1% of stolen vehicles TRACKER recovers are worth between £75,000-£120,000. 

Andy Barrs, Head of Police Liaison at TRACKER and a former Chief Superintendent for South Yorkshire Police, comments, “Understandably, many vehicle owners think that organised car thieves typically target high end prestige cars. Yet our data tells us that criminals continue to target more affordable, popular brands, such as Ford, Vauxhall, and VW models. Indeed, these were stolen in record numbers last year, with the lowest value car stolen and recovered being a VW Golf worth £400. 

“If people think their car isn’t worth enough for thieves to steal it, think again. 3 out of 4 stolen cars we recovered were worth less than £20,000. The message for all motorists is to protect their car from thieves or as we say at TRACKER – if you love it, track it!” 

Unlike other devices, TRACKER’s unique technology can locate stolen vehicles anywhere, even when they are hidden in a garage or shipping container. TRACKER has been reuniting car lovers with their vehicles for over 20 years, and it’s this expertise which makes TRACKER the leader in stolen vehicle recovery. TRACKER stolen vehicle recovery systems work like an electronic homing device. A covert transmitter is hidden in one of several dozen places around the vehicle. There is no visible aerial, so the thief won’t even know it’s there.

Percentage of vehicles stolen and recovered by TRACKER, by value
£1000 or less 3%
£1001-£5000 29%
£5001-£10,000 17%
£10,001-£15,000 11%
£15,001-£20,000 11%
£75,000-£120,000 0.8%
£10,000 or less 49%
£20,000 or less 72%
£20,001-£74,999 28%

A 2009 Ford Focus RS with just 45 miles on the clock to go under auction at the upcoming CCA Event in Birmingham.

• A ‘brand new’ 2009 Ford Focus RS, with just 45 miles on the clock, will be auctioned at Classic Car Auctions’ (CCA) next sale.
• The car has been kept in storage since new.
• The car joins a host of other highly collectible Fast Fords for sale at the two-day auction.

A 2009 Ford Focus RS, with just 45 miles on the clock, is ready to be sold at Classic Car Auctions’ (CCA) two-day auction at the Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show, taking place at the NEC, Birmingham.

The delivery mileage car is essentially brand new having been kept in storage for the last seven years. One family owned from new, the car has had just two registered keepers, a pair of husband and wife Ford fanatics.

The Performance Blue car has had one service, carried out in October 2016, and was MoT'd in 2015 and 2016 with the current MoT valid until October 2017. It is estimated at between £32,000 and £36,000 when it goes under the hammer next month.

“The MK2 Focus RS has all the makings of a future classic and indeed are proving popular at auction. Back in February our sister company Silverstone Auctions offered an Ultimate Green example with just 1,800 miles which sold for an amazing £41,063 including buyer’s premium,” comments Guy Lees-Milne, general manager and classic car specialist at CCA.

“With the launch of a new Focus RS to much fanfare and continued demand for all things Fast Ford we expect a similar amount of interest with this amazingly low mileage example,” added Guy.

At CCA’s biggest ever sale, there’s a huge selection of other Fast Fords on offer with everything from a Fiesta XR2 to Escort RS Turbos and Capris.

Highlights include a low mileage 1992 Ford Sierra Sapphire 4x4 Cosworth, estimated at between £20,000 and £25,000. The ex-Ford demonstrator example was restored by RS Classic Cars and Service last year, after being professionally stored from 2005 to 2016.

A 1983 Ford Escort 1600i in concours condition is estimated at between £18,000 and £22,000. Also restored by RS Classic Cars and Service in 2016, the car is totally standard and even includes the original radio. It comes with the original handbook and service book with nine stamps, plus full restoration invoices.

“Our biggest ever CCA auction is a perfect opportunity for Ford fans to purchase their dream classic and so I’d encourage potential buyers to come and visit us at the NEC”, concluded Guy.

USA RECALL - Ford issues two separate recalls on the Focus, C-Max and the F-150

Ford Motor Company is issuing one safety recall and one safety compliance recall in North America. Details are as follows:

Ford issues safety recall for certain 2016 Ford Focus and C-MAX vehicles to inspect and repair left-hand body apron joints located on the floor pan

Ford is issuing a safety recall for 18 2016 Ford Focus and C-MAX vehicles to inspect and repair left-hand body apron joints located on the floor pan. In the affected vehicles, improper left-hand body apron joints may have reduced front-end structural integrity, potentially increasing the risk of injury in a frontal crash.

Ford is not aware of any fires, accidents or injuries associated with this issue.

Affected vehicles include certain 2016 Ford Focus vehicles built at Michigan Assembly Plant, Oct. 26, 2016 to Oct. 27, 2016 and 2016 Ford C-MAX vehicles built at Michigan Assembly Plant, Oct. 26, 2016.

There are approximately 17 vehicles located in the United States and one in Canada. The Ford reference number for this recall is 17S03.

Dealers will inspect and repair left-hand body apron joints as required at no cost to the customer.

Ford issues safety compliance recall for certain 2017 Ford F-150 vehicles to reprogram instrument cluster display

Ford is issuing a safety compliance recall for approximately 8,000 2017 Ford F-150 vehicles to reprogram instrument cluster displays that may experience a loss of functionality immediately after startup in cold ambient temperatures.

In the affected vehicles, the transmission shift position indicator located in the instrument panel cluster may not illuminate and display the selected transmission gear position. 

This may increase the risk of injury or crash from unintended vehicle movement. In addition, an inoperative instrument panel cluster display may prevent activation of certain warning chimes, messages and warning lights.

Ford is not aware of any fires, accidents or injuries associated with this issue.

Affected vehicles include certain 2017 Ford F-150 vehicles built at Dearborn Assembly Plant and Kansas City Assembly Plant, Oct. 4, 2016 to Nov. 23, 2016.

There are approximately 7,974 vehicles located in North America, including 6,792 in the United States and federalized territories, 1,057 in Canada and 125 in Mexico. The Ford reference number for this recall is 17C01.

Dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster display at no cost to the customer.

The 10 most searched cars on auto Trader for 2016 include 7 German brands, two Fords and a Vauxhall.

Auto Trader has announced the most searched for cars of the year, revealing the 10 make and models most popular amongst the circa 60 million monthly visitors to the marketplace in 2016, which currently has almost half a million cars listed for sale on the site.  

The BMW 3 series was the most searched for car on Auto Trader in 2016, a title the vehicle has held on the UK’s largest automotive marketplace for a sixth consecutive year. 

Beating two of its BMW stablemates in both the 1 Series and 5 Series, the 3 Series topped a list that was dominated by premium vehicles in 2016, which made up 75% of the Top 10 list.

Jon Quirk, Auto Trader’s Editor-in-Chief, said, “The BMW 3 series continues its dominance as the most searched for car on Auto Trader, while the overall popularity for premium vehicles continues. This is due, in part, to an expansive new car portfolio and the availability of low rate finance. Small family cars have been big news in 2016 too, as they can provide superb levels of in-car technology, safety and refinement in more compact, more efficient and cost effective packages.”

The rise in UK car buyers on the lookout for more premium models led to a significant rise in searches for the 3 Series rival, the Mercedes-Benz C Class, which rose two places in the Top 10 search list in 2016 to take the Bronze spot from the Ford Focus.

The Volkswagen Golf also continues to be a highly desirable for UK car buyers in 2016, as it becomes the second most searched for car on Auto Trader for the eighth year running.

Making a prediction for 2017, Quirk said, “2017 is going to be the year of the small car. The small car league table will see a host of new competition - the Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Polo, Citroen C3 and Seat Ibiza will all have brand new models in 2017, not to mention the totally reinvented Nissan Micra.”

Looking at how some of next year’s new car launches might impact search behaviour, Quirk added, “We're also expecting to see an increase in the number of searches for electric vehicles, with refreshed models like the Renault Zoe promising better range and the release of the Tesla Model 3 – the Ford Focus-sized electric car with a 200+ mile range costing £30k – which should bring mass appeal for UK car buyers.”

Top 10 most searched for cars on Auto Trader in 2016

Rank	Make	Model
1	BMW	3 SERIES
2	VOLKSWAGEN	GOLF
3	MERCEDES-BENZ	C CLASS
4	FORD	FOCUS
5	BMW	5 SERIES
6	BMW	1 SERIES
7	FORD	FIESTA
8	AUDI	A3
9	MERCEDES-BENZ	E CLASS
10	VAUXHALL	ASTRA

USA - The Ford Focus RS has been awarded one of the Wards 10 Best Engines.

The 2.3-liter EcoBoost^® I-4 powering Ford Focus RS has earned the prestigious 2017 Ward’s 10 Best Engines award − the first time the specially engineered engine has taken home a prize.

Ford’s high-output 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine delivers 350 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque on 93-octane fuel. It features a bevy of tricks up its sleeve to offer a premium driving experience for customers of the performance hatchback.

Impressive engine output comes courtesy of an all-new, low-inertia twin-scroll turbocharger with a larger compressor wheel that delivers more airflow and power throughout the rev range – taking Focus RS from 0-62 mph in just 4.7 seconds. The hot hatch also offers four different drive modes, and pioneers innovative Ford Performance All-Wheel Drive with Dynamic Torque Vectoring for class-leading cornering speed and unsurpassed driver enjoyment.

The 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine is also available for the 2017 Ford Mustang. In that application, it churns out 310 horsepower and 320 lb.-ft. of torque.

Click here to learn more about the Ward’s 10 Best Engines award.

UK SALES - November see's a 2.9% growth and is still running ahead for the YTD.

• UK new car market rises 2.9% in November, with 184,101 vehicles registered on British roads.
• Alternatively fuelled vehicles achieve record market share of 3.6% in the month, with demand up by a quarter.¹
• 2,514,764 new cars registered from January to November – a record for the period.

184,101 new cars were registered in the UK this November, with the market increasing by a steady 2.9%, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 

The growth has helped deliver more than 2.5 million new cars on to British roads so far this year – the first time the milestone has been reached in November.

Demand for alternatively fuelled vehicles (AFVs) remained strong in the month, growing 25.1% to 6,663 units, representing 3.6% of the market – the highest ever achieved. 

Petrol registrations grew 7.9% to 88,541 units, while diesels just edged ahead on market share with 88,897 vehicles registered, a fall of -2.9%.

Superminis continued to be the most popular body style – making up more than a quarter (29.7%) of all cars registered in November, followed by small family cars and SUVs. Executive and city cars enjoyed the biggest growth, up 27.7% and 25% respectively. 

Meanwhile, fleets accounted for more than half of the market, as registrations to private buyers fell slightly by -1.2%.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “Our industry continues to make vehicles that are ever safer, more refined, more efficient and more enjoyable to drive – and the latest advanced technology and cutting-edge designs are continuing to attract buyers into showrooms. 

It's encouraging to see that alternatively fuelled vehicles, although still a small proportion of the market, have seen strong growth this month achieving a record market share. 

Long-term government support and incentives are essential if these vehicles are to command a larger market share in the future.”