With the unveiling of the brand-new Mk7 Ford Fiesta yesterday comes the very real possibility that the world could finally get its hands on the much-anticipated Fiesta RS.
Fast Fords have never been as high profile or as popular with the introduction of the critically-acclaimed third-gen Focus RS last year, along with the Fiesta ST200 and the new Mustang.
Ford recently reported that sales of its hot hatches are going through the roof with sales up by 21 per cent in September alone, and there’s never been a better time for Fiesta RS to finally arrive.
A render of the potential Fiesta RS, courtesy of French car site Auto Moto, shows how the model could look based on the appearance of the new seventh-generation model.
The Fiesta RS, which has been alleged to be in consideration for a number of years now, has been rumoured to get as much as 250bhp in the past.
This would put it considerably above the 178bhp Fiesta ST but without encroaching on the territory of the much more powerful 345bhp Focus RS, and would rival cars like Renault’s Clio RS 16.
Ford has previously stated in the past that it’s actively looking at expanding the RS performance lineup, and a Fiesta RS would likely be the first car in the lineup to receive the Rallye Sport treatment.
Earlier this year, Ford’s executive vice president of global marketing, sales and service Steve Odell spoke about the value of the RS cars and also the manufacturer’s willingness to build more models.
He said: “The RS brand is really valuable. People race it. People collect it. I believe there is room to expand.”
The larger size of the all-new Fiesta would also mean that it could accommodate four-wheel drive for the first time, something which Ford has also said it intends to roll out into other models.
However, given that RS models are usually reserved for the end of a car’s life cycle, it’s unlikely we’ll see a Fiesta RS on the market any earlier than 2019.