We're counting down the days until next month's Detroit Auto Show, and apparently so is Ford: We're hearing from multiple sources that the company will bring a plethora of performance models to its hometown show. Here's what we know about the hot-rodded Fiesta, Focus, Mustang, and F-150 that could grace the Ford booth at January's show.
At the tiny, flingable end, we expect to see the newly facelifted Fiesta ST unveiled in Detroit. The tiniest vehicle in Ford's performance lineup, the Fiesta ST may have been the slowest car at our 2014 Lightning Lap competition, but it was definitely one of the most enjoyable to toss around the track. Compared to its most natural competition, the Fiat 500 Abarth and the Mini Cooper S, the fastest Fiesta runs away from the pack, and we expect the mid-cycle refresh to sharpen up its aesthetics without dampening any of the little speedster's spunk.
At the screaming horsepower end of Ford's performance spectrum, we hear rumors that the Blue Oval will use Detroit to unveil an even hotter, track-focused version of the Mustang Shelby GT350. The new variant, dubbed GT350R, will likely pack upgraded brakes, tires, and aero–all of which are already significantly improved on the Shelby GT350. Think of the Shelby GT350 as the fast, sharp street car that won't be out of place at a track day, with the GT350R being something more like a track rat with just enough padding and federally-mandated equipment to legally qualify for license plates. In other words, Ford's answer to the Camaro Z/28.
Sitting right between those two extremes, we hear Ford will show off the new 2016 Focus RS at Detroit. Think of the RS as the Focus ST with even more adrenaline, plus all wheel drive. We've heard before that the RS will pack damn near 300 horsepower from the 2015 Mustang's 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbo four, sent to either the front or all four wheels. We're hopeful that the Focus RS's appearance in the U.S. means it'll be sold here as a 2016 model–otherwise, waving it under our noses would be a pretty cruel joke.
Finally, our friends over at Road & Track have heard whispers that the new aluminum-bodied F-150 SVT Raptor will make its debut in Detroit next month. We've seen spy shots of a suspiciously Raptor-esque variant of the new F-150 before, and given the enthusiasm around Ford's desert-blasting off-roader, we can't imagine the company would let the Raptor die with the end of the steel-bodied truck.
- 2016 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350: Everything You Need to Know
- 2016 Ford Focus RS Spy Photos: We Want It Here, Now
- Ford Fiesta ST News, Reviews, Photos, and Buyer's Guide
We'll have to wait until January to see which of these rumors play out, but one thing's for certain: Detroit is going to be a fantastic show for fans of American performance cars, of just about every variety.
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/nSHy27
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