Rumors about a hardcore Ford Fiesta RS are not new, but this time it appears the performance model is likely to happen, as Ford Performance has finished developing the Focus RS and can now concentrate on other models.
The newly-established Ford Performance arm, which reunites previous divisions such as RS and Ford Racing, has announced it will launch 12 models by 2020, including the new Focus RS, GT supercar, as well as hot versions of the Mustang and F-150.
The Fiesta RS may be among these future models, as Autocar has learned from Tyrone Johnson, Ford Performance manager. The executive confirmed the company is working on a new, higher-performance version of the Fiesta that could theoretically be a Ford Performance product.
However, he declined to say whether the new Fiesta would be an upgrade of the Fiesta ST or an RS model. What he did say is that the performance version would be based on the current Fiesta, which means the market launch shouldn’t be too far off.
“There’s more to come from the current Fiesta,” Tyrone Johnson said, adding that the global success of the standard Fiesta ST prompted Ford to make this decision.
According to Johnson, the difference between ST models and RS cars is that the former are considered “enhanced” versions of existing models, whereas the latter are part of the high-performance category.
When asked whether Ford would consider launching a high-performance Fiesta, in other words an RS model, the exec replied: “If there’s a business case and if it’s technically feasible.” He added that if those two criteria were met, a Fiesta RS would be “theoretically” possible.
Note: Ford Fiesta ST pictured
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