A Look at Ford's New Performance Division So Far

Mar 01, 2015 02:00 PM EST | Jordan Ecarma

Ford is on its way to offering a full Ford Performance lineup as the automaker looks to streamline its high-performance division.

The Dearborn, Mich.-based automaker has been developing a new Ford Performance division that will comprise the GT along with 11 other models, including the Focus RSF-150 Raptor and Mustang GT350R

Ford Performance is intended to bring together SVT models in the United States, Team RS in Europe and Ford Racing, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Here's a look at the lineup so far:

GT

Ford announced earlier this month that the new 600-horsepower GT supercar will be built in Ontario when it goes into production in 2016.

Manufactured by Ford partner Multimatic Motorsports, the car will be mainly composed of carbon fiber and aluminum, Automotive News reported. Ford will benefit from Multimatic's experience since the Canadian company has previously worked with carbon fiber, according to Joe Hinrichs, Ford's president of the Americas.

Analysts predict that Ford will produce just a few hundred of the supercars each year.

"Performance vehicles are a growing part of the industry," Hinrichs said at a press conference earlier this month. "The RS is an extension of that."

The new GT will run on a next-generation twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V-6 engine that generates more than 600 horsepower. It's expected to be available later this year with pricing in the $200,000 range.

F-150 Raptor

Touted as the Dearborn, Mich.-based automaker's toughest off-roading pickup, the Raptor sits 6 inches wider than the standard F-150. Aluminum alloy used in the body makes the updated Raptor 500 pounds lighter than its predecessor.

Besides being 500 pounds lighter, the 2017 Raptor will have plenty of updates, including new 17-inch wheels; its first dual exhaust; new all-wheel drive; and calibration changes for improved performance. The interior has added comfort and includes three color options.    

Ford says an all-new 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine will give the 2017 Raptor improved horsepower and torque compared with its predecessor, which has a 411-horsepower, 434 pound-feet V-8.

Focus RS

Sliding into the Focus ST's slot, this hatchback is slated to make its way to the U.S. market in the near future. The Focus RS in the standard trim is equipped with the 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine that powers the 2015 Ford Mustang; the automaker says it will have "in excess" of 315 horsepower. All-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission will also be standard.

The Focus RS will be available in four exterior paints: Absolute Black, Frozen White, Nitrous Blue and Stealth Gray.

U.S. sales are expected to start in 2016.

Shelby GT350R

Scheduled to go into limited production for the U.S. and Canada this year, the GT350R is track-ready after axing any unnecessary equipment and losing more than 130 pounds in the process, compared with the Shelby GT350 Track Pack.

The Shelby GT350R has carbon fiber wheels in the base trim, making Ford the first major carmaker to include the lightweight wheel option as standard. Its new 5.2-liter dual-overhead-cam V-8 engine marks another record--it's the first production V-8 from Ford to include the flat-plane crankshaft architecture seen in exotic European sports models. The V-8 gets more than 500 horsepower and more than 400 pound-feet of torque. 

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