Ford has finally given in to popular demand, and starting this year the 2015 Ford Mustang will be available in markets around the globe. Previously, places like the UK got their own take on Ford performance in the guise of the Focus RS, a hot hatchback with up to 350 horsepower on tap. We have long heard rumors that a new Focus RS was in the works, even sharing the 2.3 liter EcoBoost engine that the 2015 Mustang is getting.
But the UK’s AutoCar recently reported that Ford’s European chieftain Stephen Odell reportedly said “There’s nothing to talk about,” in regards to a new Focus RS. Has this hot hatch been cannibalized for fear of stealing sales from the Mustang?
That seems like a legitimate concern, as the Ford performance lineup is already feeling a bit full. Now that Europe will get the Mustang, buyers will have their choice of at least three different go-fast cars with a Ford badge, the Fiesta ST and Focus ST being the other two. Adding in the Focus RS would only further clutter Ford lots, stealing sales from the now-global Mustang, as well as the ST twins.
It’s an unfortunate reality of the car business, as there just isn’t enough room for everybody’s favorite vehicle through every product cycle. The Focus RS has its fans, no doubt, but 2014 is the year of the Mustang, and with two other hot hatchbacks already hypnotizing fans, perhaps its best if RS fans move on to greener pastures. After all, which would you rather have; a faster Focus, or a shiny new Mustang?