Surely the hot hatch of 2016. With its 2.3 litre direct injection Ecoboost engine, this is the fastest and most capable Ford RS to date.
Its twin scroll turbocharger gives a strong, linear, almost normally aspirated feeling power curve and is a great example of how things have moved on with turbocharged 4 cylinder engines. However, as with most production cars, it feels a little “soft” out of the box so we bought one on launch day and set about creating a solution!
Having long been fans of the Focus since owning our own Focus RS MK1 over 20 years ago, plus being the first tuner in the world to tune a MK2 Focus RS via the OBD port, we naturally had an order in with Ford to have the MK3 Focus RS delivered to us on launch week!
We had a strategy ready to roll on the dyno in no time because the Focus RS MK3 is controlled by a Bosch PCM we have many years of previous experience with… the MEDG17. This has been fitted to previous Ecoboost vehicles like the Focus ST and Mustangs we had been tuning for years so we were one of the first companies able to offer power upgrades for the MK3 RS platform.
Whilst the car admittedly feels a little flat as standard, it really comes to life from the 380 package upwards as we have tailored the calibration to bring the driving experience to life… it really is awesome to drive with 520Nm of torque and 380PS, and its simply incredible with 580Nm and 420PS. Of course, should you wish to fully forge the engine and add a few extra bolt ons, 700NM+ and 530PS+ makes for a VERY serious road car!
Before you choose your power level, there are decisions to be made. You must first of all consider the two different approaches to tuning that we offer on this vehicle. The most cost effective (and more traditional) option is to send the calibration in via the OBD port and all you receive is the data.
The second, more expensive way is to utilise the amazing COBB Accessport. As if owning one of these amazing handsets wasn’t enough, it also unlocks many additional benefits, such as being able to display gauges and its data-logging facilities but also the ability to install and remove the tune yourself at home.
As fully approved COBB Pro Tuners we are able to offer our Focus RS Mk 3 MSD tunes integrated within the COBB custom ECU firmware which offers all the features of the factory firmware but adds some special COBB hardware and software sauce on top! The Accessport handset is quite beautiful and provides you a way to tune, data-log and diagnose the car as well as to give the driver some valuable real time data on screen.
Have questions, comments, or ready to schedule an appointment? We’d love to hear from you! Please fill out the form below, and one of our team members will get back to you as soon as possible. Your satisfaction is our priority, and we’re here to assist you with any inquiries you may have. Let’s connect and ensure your automotive needs are met with precision and expertise.
