Ford Focus RS Winter Wheel&Tire
Package
Ford has announced that new Focus RS
will become the first car in North America to get a winter tire and wheel
option, as a factory accessory.
Customers of the new 350 hp all-wheel
drive hot hatch are now able to order a fully certified winter kit for
increased performance, with a unique set of rims. According to Ford, it's
"the first time an original equipment manufacturer is making a check-the-box
winter tire option available in North America".
"We started this project knowing
what our RS customers really want out of their cars. This tire package allows
RS owners to continue spirited driving event in the snow", commented Ford
Performance chassis supervisor, Adam Wirth.
To make sure that the new winter package
suits the needs of Focus RS owners, the rims and tires were put to the test in
extreme cold and snow, in Northern Michigan and Sweden. Engineers tested a wide
variety of setups to determine the optimum combination for the car.
The winners were declared the
18x7.5-inch wheels, which look similar to the base Focus RS option, finished in
sparkle silver for a good reason: to hide salt spray. The rims were wrapped in
225/40 Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 tires and the set is complete with tire
pressure monitoring sensors and center caps fully mounted and balanced.
For the Focus RS Winter Wheel & Tire
Package, Focus RS owners have to pay US$ 1,995. In Canada, the package comes
standard with the car.
