MOTORING FACTFILE
MODEL Ford Focus RS
PRICE From £30,000
PERFORMANCE Top Speed: 165 miles per hour 0-60 mph: 4.7 seconds
CO2 EMISSIONS 175g/km (manual)
FUEL CONSUMPTION 36.7 mpg
The Focus RS offers plenty of room up-front Even so, good pedal-placement and adjustability to
the leather steering wheel means all drivers will be able to get really comfortable. The dashboard isn’t that much different from that of
a standard Focus, apart from a small binnacle right in the eye-line on top of the dash with turbo boost, oil temperature and oil pressure readouts showing. The eight-inch colour touchscreen works well and has good functionality and has a menu that’s easy to use and understand. If all-round roominess is a priority, then the Focus is
perhaps not the best choice. Plenty of room up-front, yes, but the rear would struggle to cope with two
Cars built at home become more British
Cars manufactured in Britain are becoming more British, according to a new Automotive Council study. The report, Growing the Automotive Supply Chain – Local Vehicle Content Analysis, shows that 44% of all components used by UK car makers now come from domestic suppliers, compared with 41% in 2015. The figures are a significant
move in the right direction as efforts to reshore the automotive supply chain continue. In 2011, local vehicle content stood at just 36%, which itself was an improvement following years of decline in UK automotive manufacturing.
British car manufacturing hit a
17-year high in 2016 with more than 1.7 million vehicles made and, since 2009 when the Automotive Council was formed, production has risen more than 72%. Another measure of success is the amount of locally sourced parts and components used in vehicle manufacturing, because much of the sector’s value added is created at the start of the production process. In pure financial terms, with
regard to output of the UK automotive parts sector, turnover has increased from £9bn at the start of 2011 to £12.7bn today. Secretary of State for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Greg Clark, said: “This Automotive Council report shows that we are still making good progress in increasing the UK content of the vehicles we produce. It also highlights that there are many more opportunities for us to exploit. “Through our modern industrial
strategy we will build on our strengths in the automotive sector in R&D, creating skilled jobs and further extending our supply chain.”
business network July/August 2017 61
adults for leg room as the Recaro’s impinge into the cavity. The Focus RS is reasonably priced, undercutting all
of its rivals when you compare list prices. However, the cult following it has means that demand is very high, which in turn means a discount is a big no-no. This also means that residual values will be high,
which is encouraging news for any potential owner. You’ll probably want the luxury pack, which brings to the mix rear parking sensors, keyless go and cruise control, which will, as a result, add many hundreds of pounds to the price. Yes, it’s just a Ford, but what a hoot it is.
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