At first, admittedly, it didn’t look like we were flexing as hard as we could with the Focus RS. With our full PTU/RDU cooling kit installed, we extended the time on the track with all four wheels producing power by about three minutes. However, after some reassessment, Dan transplanted the PTU temperature sensor from the gear oil into the coolant stream, producing great prospects for a fully functioning AWD Ford Focus. Since it would be a while until we could take our RS to the track, we decided to reach out to a third-party tester known for thrashing their cars … Continue Reading ››
When you’re hurtling towards a concrete-walled turn at over 90 MPH, you’d better know that every nut and bolt in your car is torqued to spec.
Photo: Nick Thomas
We’ve all had to prepare for something before—a date, an interview, a test. It’s always a stressful experience. Now imagine you were about to go on a date with somebody you were pretty sure is trying to kill you. Or, imagine that your desk would be pushed off a 100ft cliff if you failed that test. Preparing for a track … Continue Reading ››
The movement on the 2016 Ford Focus RS intercooler project may seem slow, but it couldn’t be more alive. Our lead engineer for the project, at my request, has completed a plethora of testing configurations to get the most detailed amount of data possible. For the past three months, we have been rocking out on testing, testing, and more testing for the RS, the primary objectives being movement on the upcoming diff cooler and this front-mount intercooler. We know that the RS crowd loves their data, so we want to overload you with what’s finally available.
I won’t sugarcoat anything here. … Continue Reading ››
The mood for the past few days here at the Mishimoto office has been a little giddy. Scrawled on our calendar in one of our project manager’s less than impeccable handwriting are the words “Focus RS track testing”. There’s a lot of hard work being done, but underneath it all lies a childlike wonder for what’s going to happen in the next week.
We’ve spent countless hours street testing over the past several weeks, trying to learn more about the relationship between the PTU, ECU, and RDU. We’ve learned a lot from this … Continue Reading ››
I told you this project was going to move fast. In the last update, we laid down our design plans for how we will give this RS coolant expansion tank some sprucing up. Not only did we make the tank more pleasing to look at, we also increased the capacity and added a neat sight tube so you can check your levels with ease. You guys have been asking for it, so let’s get up close and personal.
… Continue Reading ››
An inside look at the engineering of Mishimoto products.
We’ve spent countless hours street testing over the past several weeks, trying to learn more about the relationship between the PTU, ECU, and RDU. We’ve learned a lot from this … 
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