Why the new Ford Focus RS’ Drift Mode is awesome…and incredibly important

The RS that everyone over here in America has been salivating over for years? Well, it’s finally coming to the United States next year.

And the best news? It has drift mode — seriously.

Recently, the 2016 Ford Focus RS was on display in New York City. Manufactured in Germany, the car won’t be available in the United States for about a year, with a potential release date being eyed sometime in the spring of 2016. Ford’s yet to announce any pricing details, but for car enthusiasts, that might not be as important as checking out what this bad boy’s got packed under the hood.

Impressive functionality
Powered by a 2.3-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, the RS generates 315 horsepower. What’s more, the car boasts an all-wheel drive system that allows all back-end power to go to a single rear wheel.

But beyond that, what’s perhaps most exciting is the fact that the RS will have a legit drift mode. The new system disables the traditional electronic stability control and tweaks other facets of drive mode.

A lot of excitement for a Focus, eh? But getting drift mode approved by the authorities wasn’t the easiest task, according to the car’s marketing manager. His legal team had to put in one caveat about drift mode: It’s for “track use only,” so drive appropriately.

What else sets the RS apart from the pack?

Any car enthusiast will tell you how exciting drift mode functionality is. But the Ford Focus RS has many more attractive features beyond simply that. Let’s take a look at some of them:

• Sexy colours: Ford is bringing its artistic mastery to the RS. Customers will be able to choose from four different colors, one of which — nitrous blue — is exclusive and won’t appear on any other Ford cars. What better way to make your ride stand out than to paint it a color no one will see anywhere else?
• There’s no lift: The car’s makers claim the street car won’t have any lift, even when you’re racing around at speeds upwards of 155 mph. That’s thanks to the car’s front splitter, rear diffuser and rear wing, all of which are fully functional. Sounds fun, doesn’t it? You can also get plenty of add-ons such as racing wheels and cold air intake systems.
• Modern tech: Though the RS is primarily designed for the track, chances are all owners will enjoy driving it as they go about their day-to-day lives, too. That’s because the car’s been outfitted with many of the comforts that modern technology provides, like a heating steering wheel, heated seats and an optimal moon roof. What’s not to like?

The entry-level luxury performance car
Ford is positioning the Focus RS to appeal to the younger generation, particularly those folks who earn more than their peers. Believe it or not, Ford brass hopes to position the RS against similarly entry-level luxury cars made by juggernauts like BMW and Audi.

The release of the RS is another step by Ford to target customers who like performance vehicles, something that makes complete sense, as sales in that category have outpaced traditional sales over the last five-odd years.

As pricing details aren’t yet available, there’s only one bad thing that follows from this announcement: We’ll have to wait a year to take an RS out on the track.