Ford hints at Focus RS hatchback, likely for 2016

Ford executives have reportedly dropped fresh hints that engineers are developing a performance-tuned Focus RS hatchback.

Rumors surrounding an RS build have grown stronger during the past year, with separate reports pointing to US availability and Ford’s new 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine — borrowed from the 2015 Mustang — as a potential powerplant.

“I can’t give you any confirmation today, but let’s say there’s a strong desire,” Ford’s Europe COO, Barb Samardzich, told Auto Express. “Something like that makes a great halo car.”

The four-cylinder EcoBoost mill produces 305 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque in the Mustang, however the latest RS rumors suggest it could be retuned to produce as much as 350 horsepower. The higher output would match the limited-edition Focus RS500 that was sold in Europe for the 2011 model year.

The company is believed to be working on the RS package for the end of the current generation, suggesting it may arrive in 2016, though specific details remain unclear.