The biggest problem with the RS has nothing to do with its mechanicals, and everything to do with Ford's idiotic distribution strategies. It's not on a first come, first served basis, but rather a lottery of available allocations from a greater number of orders that won't all be fulfilled.

I had chances at MSRP on two of them, but unfortunately both were black and optioned to the hilt and at $44,500. I was unable to find any lesser ones at MSRP, and lots of dealers with abandoned orders are asking for $5k ADM and are actually getting $3k ADM.

From all the information I can find being active on the RS forum, they don't intend to ramp up production, and will keep the car super limited; 2017 might be the last year of production. This drives prices even further up and will make their resale values untouchable. Cars are almost always depreciating assets, but this one makes a great case for excellent resale. To go along with this, they aren't the easiest things out there to modify, so a good tune on an otherwise stock car might be the best $40k value in the USA on wheels right now.

If you find an MSRP deal on one you like, don't mess around, buy the sucker!

 

Unless they are trying to stimulate demand by saying numbers will be limited. That's what I'd do LOL.

Black, with all options. That's, like, the last thing I'd want LOL. I guess a base version is about as popular as the Evo RS was. Bummer.

 

VW did the exact same marketing BS with the MK6 Golf R.

 

Dude, I'm so with you. Barf. White or Blue base RS1, no sunroof, please

 

That's what I found. Base package, nitrous blue, forged wheel upgrade with standard super sport tires. $39,900 with $1k mark up. Probably have to pass though. Don't want to sell my current two vehicles.

 

I approve

 

They called me about it yesterday morning, an order the buyer backed out of. Even if I did change mind, someone probably snagged it by now.

 

I want white, grey, or blue. In that order. Cheap wheels are fine with me, base model with an added moonroof, if possible, since my Evo doesn't have one.
Man, what a fun daily driver it that would be.

 

I don't agree at all on RS availability into the US being anything like the Golf R or the early Evos. Ford has this dumb lack of availability for halo cars that doesn't conform to any rational means of distribution.

They have proven with the GT350 and GT350R that they can sell more units than they are making, as those suckers come down the same line every other Mustang comes from. It's a simple matter of retooling. Heck, they could line their own pockets with a $6000 MSRP increase and probably easily get it.

In the case of the RS, it's substantially worse, as they are coming over from Europe. Considering price, content, and cost of bringing them over, they're making a lot less on every RS in the USA than they are on any Mustang. Aren't all the other Euro Fords assembled in Michigan or Mexico?

 

Fiesta ST for US market (4dr) is built in Mexico, engine is built in Germany. Fiesta ST for Euro market (2dr) is built in Germany. Some other Fiestas are built in Brazil, India, Vietnam, etc.

Focus RS is built in Germany. Others are built in USA, Mexico, Argentina etc

 

Forgot to mention. Had our black one delivered a few weeks back. What a fun car. Someone I know got a white one as well. Both are fun to drive but I would prefer the black. The blue looks like a girls car imo.

 

Good to hear both are fun to drive. Can't wait to see how the blue measures up.

 

I had a black TA and I spent more time maintaining that paint then I did driving it. White is boring. What the car needs is a dark red or maybe something exotic like coffee and cream.

 

+1 on maintaining black cars. My ITR was black. never again.
I like light colored cars because you can see all the dark-colored accents. I.E. An Evo IX in black hides all the vents, blacked-out lights, etc.

 

I'd want the girly blue if I was getting one