The RS Anthem: RS Over The Decades

For more than four decades Ford has been churning out championship winning Rallye Sport (RS) vehicles and in celebration of the new RS they have released a new video called The RS Anthem starring, you guessed it, the Focus RS.

Ford has a history of producing RS cars that are known for their performance, practicality and affordability. Beginning in 1969 with the 17M RS, they then went on to create the Escort RS1600 which is shown in Ford’s video commemorating their racing history. The Ford Escort RS1600 was what started it all, based on the Ford Escort Twin Cam it was the RS that brought performance to the masses. For £1,447, people were able to get their hands on a 120bhp performance car. That power doesn’t seem like much now but it was quite a big deal back in 1970. This first market ready RS paved the way for future models like the Escort RS2000 and the RS1800 World Rally Car.

Today, the new Focus RS will carry the torch with its 2.3 litre EcoBoost engine producing an impressive 350 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque, allowing the car to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 4.7 seconds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Rem_5_KADE