Focus RS GGR340 & GGR370

mikeyb

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01 BMW 325xi Touring
Thanks to UK tuners, GGR, Ford's hot-hatch is now a scorcher.





How much more can the Focus RS handle? After being given a 40hp upgrade in the Graham Goode Racing RS 340, the UK tuners have been at it again, boosting a standard RS from 301hp to 370hp.

The Focus RS GGR 370 represents a more comprehensive upgrade than the GGR 340, which was mechanically identical to the standard car apart from some new engine management software.

Among other things the 370 adds a new intercooler, new exhaust and more effective fuel injectors, which all work together to help the 2.5-litre turbocharged engine produce 22% more power than the standard unit.

Concerns about putting 370hp through the front wheels have been answered by GGR's Alistair Mayne who said gaining sufficient traction can be a problem... we've made a conscious policy decision to limit the engine's torque.

At 4312 the upgrade isn't cheap, but it does come with GGR's own 12-month/ 30,000 mile breakdown cover.

The Focus RS GGR 370 is available now and can be fitted at GGR headquarters in Leicester.
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Needs AWD with that many ponies. Turning the front tires to black powdery strips on the road isn't a performance gain IMO.
 
so that means MS3 is no longer the high hp FWD car.

E-diff VS regular LS torsen ftw. Honestly I wouldn't consider it a factory car though.. as other's have stated it's in line with a tuning company option.


I wish ford would bring the RS over.. it would be a....everything killer.
 
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We'll see our own soon enough...I've already heard and seen parts being produced by US suppliers for the car to be built here.
 
Ford Focus RS GGR340












It was only a matter of time. A little bit of light electronic hacking and the Focus RS now has even more power for the front rubber to deal with. We can only assume there must be some sort of competition in tuning-land to be the first to bust open an ECU, have a rummage around and offer the results to owners, especially when the car in question is one like the Focus RS, very much a now car and turbocharged too, which is always good for gains. So congratulations for getting there first, Superchips.

Graham Goode Racing uses Superchips Bluefin handset to upload the new software through the RSs data port, the only underbonnet change being a stiffer air intake pipe. Thats optional, but recommended because it helps prevent negative pressure building up between air filter and engine, which can cause the standard pipe to collapse in on itself at high engine loads.

So are the mods worth 435? On paper, certainly. Peak power is up 40bhp, while torque rises from 324 to 402lb ft, a whopping 78lb ft gain. Thats slightly misleading, though, because, like our own RS (which you can read about on page 140), most cars are putting out about 355-360lb ft before GGR gets to work. Call it another 45lb ft, then.

As youd hope, its a bit faster. Objective analysis first. At the Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground we manage to lop 0.3sec off the 6.0sec 0-60mph time we recorded in our long-termer, and a far more impressive 0.9sec from there to 100mph, the GGR despatching that increment in just 7.5sec. 0-100mph? 13.2sec plays 14.4.

Worthwhile gains, then, but its the way this power is delivered that makes the upgrade compelling. In a standard RS the real fireworks only happen beyond 5000rpm, forcing you to hold on to each gear to really get the most from the roaring 2.5-litre. Not any more. From 2750rpm onwards the GGR340s torque and power curves climb well clear of the standard cars, giving you extra mid-range might you probably didnt know you were missing. It subtly changes the way you drive the car, and because the extra power arrives earlier, the front wheels arent put under too much extra pressure. Torque steer is no worse than in the standard RS, but its still a hard car to drive smoothly.

Its worth remembering that the work will invalidate the Ford warranty if detected, although GGR believes this is practically impossible. The firms next stage would be hard to explain away at the dealership, though 370bhp, using the same chip upgrade but adding a carbonfibre airbox, larger intercooler and new exhaust.

As we understand it, Ford is highly unlikely to offer its own officially sanctioned upgrade (even though Mountune is known to have already developed it), forcing power-hungry owners to run the gauntlet of the diagnostics machine come servicing time. Whether its a risk worth taking is down to you.
 
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