Drag Race: Shelby GT350 vs. Ford Focus RS
Battle of the Ford Performance all-stars!
The Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 is the current king of the Ford Performance stable, but the fresh, young upstart Focus RS has something to prove. Luckily, someone decided to pit these two against each other in a drag race.
Before we watch the video, let’s look at the numbers, boxing-match-style. In the left lane, the new Ford Focus RS. Weighing in at 3,227 pounds, the turbocharged Focus RS pushes 350 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels.
In the right lane, we have the normally aspirated V8 of the Shelby GT350. At 3,650 pounds, it’s a bit heftier than the Focus. The GT350’s flat-plane V8 is good for 526 horsepower. That’s a substantial difference, and should be more than enough to overcome the RS’s lighter weight and all-wheel-drive drivetrain, right?
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Indeed it is, but not by as much of a landslide as you’d expect. A combination of a faster reaction time and a superior, all-wheel-drive launch propel the Focus past the Mustang. It holds the lead for much of the race, eventually being edged out by the GT350 at the end.
The final score? A 13.17 @ 106.81 MPH for the GT350, and a very respectable 13.41 @ 104.1 MPH for the Focus RS. With a more skilled driver, the GT350 would have done much better, but the point stands: the Focus RS is a serious performance machine. You’d do well not to tangle with one unless you have some serious machinery yourself!
Via [MotorAuthority]
