Welcome to the third in a series of videos set to answer the crucial question: will it drift?
We have four 4wd hot hatchbacks - the new 2021 Volkswagen Golf R, the latest Mercedes-AMG A45 S, the Toyota GR Yaris and a Mk3 Ford Focus RS. And we're taking them all to a low-grip skidpan to answer that most vital of questions. Will they go sideways?
Then we have a two-wheel drive not-exactly-conventional-hatchback, too. The Renault Clio V6.
This time it's the third-generation Ford Focus RS. It has a funky four-wheel drive system with two clutches on its back axle that can torque vector to give one wheel or another as much or as little torque as possible. The rear axle can take anything up to 70% of overall system torque and is even geared 2% faster than the front axle. Will that be enough on this very low grip, very slow, Thruxton skid pan?
This series complements a written Autocar feature about torque vectoring, that includes full technical details and interviews with the engineers behind these cars. We'll update this description when it goes online - but for now, don't forget you ca pick up the magazine in all good newsagents and via digital subscription.
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Compared to jumping into a 1989 Sierra sapphire Cosworth no, but in a convoluted electronically controlled way well probably. In the right conditions.
Thanks for the video though, it helps to understand how the suspension and steering has been set up to work with the electronic control system.