The Ford Focus RS's 'Nitrous Blue' Signature Colour Has Been Revealed

Here we have some new photos of one of the most hotly-anticipated cars of the year, and it’s showing off its new signature colour. The Ford Focus RS is making its North American debut next week at the New York International Auto Show; gone is the gorgeous Liquid Blue from its European reveal in favour of this brighter shade, named ‘Nitrous Blue’.

Ford is using the colour reveal to build up hype around the car’s appearance in New York, as this model is the first Focus RS that has been made available across the pond. It’s also one of the first cars released as part of Ford’s ambitious plan to have 12 performance vehicles in its lineup by 2020.

The Focus RS ditches the front-wheel drive setup seen in previous generations in favour of a new all-wheel drive system that could also underpin further Ford models. At the car’s reveal in Cologne, Germany, it was also announced that a ‘drift button’ would allow customers to channel their inner-Ken Block.

Power comes from an uprated version of the 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine found in the new Ford Mustang. Improvements include a new low-inertia twin-scroll turbocharger with a larger compressor, as well as a bigger intercooler and air intake. All-in, that’ll equate to somewhere in the region of 340-350bhp, and more than the Mustang’s 320lb ft of torque. Crucially for fans of driver involvement, the RS will have a six-speed manual gearbox.

What do you think of the signature colour? Personally, I prefer the deeper shade of the launch car - its ‘liquid’ look gave the car a menacing presence. The new shade is a little too light for me, and mutes the aggressive styling, particularly from the rear. Let us know what you think in the comments!