In the brave new low-carbon world, fast cars won’t be able to be special cases, something Ford and other manufacturers are about to start making abundantly clear in next-generation models.
The fourth-generation Focus RS, planned for two years hence, will be one of a whole crop of 48V mild-hybrid icons Ford wants to use to ‘sell’ electrification – and the integrated starter/ generator of this model is just the beginning.
2020 Ford Focus RS due with 400bhp hybrid powertrain
There’s ample evidence that Ford has been working hard for years on even more advanced pollution-killing technology – further downsized engines with electrically driven turbochargers (which cut lag and pollution), electrified rear axles (incorporating twin electric motors to provide better torque vectoring) and much more.
It’s a positive story: bosses at Ford Performance, enthusiasts themselves, know that future customers need fast, responsive, inspiring cars. Meeting new clean air laws is a modern means to a familiar end.
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Mmm, reality gap...
A small turbo charged engine with all manor of "showroom magic boxes" is not going to be good for people that buy Ford cars unless the government compels them to issue a minimum 10 year waranty
Slipping Halo....?
Every car makers has a Halo Car, the fastest of the lot, but, it’s the Bread n Butter models that make the money, why if you can squeeze near a 130bhp out of a 1.0Turbo do you need to put a big Engine developing three and half times that in a Car?, a 1.6Turbo with say 250bhp would be enough because at least you could use all the bhp most of the time, whereas a 400+bhp you just can’t?
The assumption that
The assumption that downsizing helps pollution might be true in the lab but isn't borne out in the real world. When an award-winning three cylinder 1.0 downsized turbo engine entered my life as a direct replacement for 1.6 four cylinder n/a engined-car my average fuel consumption increased. And stayed there. Same journeys, same commute, same routine. It just used more fuel.
That the stated CO2 for the new car was significantly lower than the older car means someone is lying. And winning awards for it.