Ford Says Focus RS Is America’s First Car To Offer A Factory Winter Wheel&Tire Package

Ford has announced that new Focus RS will become the first car in North America to get a winter tire and wheel option, as a factory accessory.

Customers of the new 350hp all-wheel drive hot hatch are now able to order a fully certified winter kit for increased performance, with a unique set of rims. According to Ford, it’s “the first time an original equipment manufacturer is making a check-the-box winter tire option available in North America”.

“We started this project knowing what our RS customers really want out of their cars. This tire package allows RS owners to continue spirited driving event in the snow“, commented Ford Performance chassis supervisor, Adam Wirth.

To make sure that the new winter package suits the needs of Focus RS owners, the rims and tires were put to the test in extreme cold and snow, in Northern Michigan and Sweden. Engineers tested a wide variety of setups to determine the optimum combination for the car.

The winners were declared the 18×7.5-inch wheels, which look similar to the base Focus RS option, finished in sparkle silver for a good reason: to hide salt spray. The rims were wrapped in 225/40 Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 tires and the set is complete with tire pressure monitoring sensors and center caps fully mounted and balanced.

For the Focus RS Winter Wheel & Tire Package, Focus RS owners have to pay $1,995. In Canada, the package comes standard with the car.