BBC TOP GEAR LAUDS FOCUS RS & FIESTA ECONETIC

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We'll probably see it on BBC America in about 2011, but according to Ford Motor Company's "official blog", the internationally-respected "Top Gear" has awarded both Ford Focus RS and Ford Fiesta ECOnetic "Car of the Year" Awards.

The Ford Focus RS, the fastest and the most powerful front-wheel-drive Ford ever produced in Europe, has been selected as "Muscle Car of the Year" by BBC Top Gear magazine, while Ford's lowest carbon emitting model, the 98g CO2/km Ford Fiesta ECOnetic is Top Gear's "Green Car of the Year".

The "Top Gear" awards dovetail well with last month's announcement of Ford Fusion as Motor Trend Magazine's 2010 Car of the Year.

Of course neither the Focus RS nor the Fiesta ECOnetic are available in the United States of America.

One of the principal criticisms of Ford overhead during the 2010 SEMA Show was that Ford had neglected the sport compact market niche by depriving Americans the Focus RS.

The beancounters and marketers among Ford's Glass House Gang apparently believe there's no "business case" for offering the RS in America. Indeed the market for a $30,000+ FWD hot rod may be limited. And for most Americans, considering the RS as a proper "muscle car" would be a bit of a stretch (notwithstanding its awesome objective performance numbers)

But ever since the somewhat underpowered Focus ST170 (known in America as the SVT Focus) was discontinued after the 2004 model year, Ford has offered little more than sporty appearance packages for American customers desiring high performance in something that's smaller and more fuel efficient than a Mustang.

While turbocharging the SVT Focus would have easily answered Chevrolet's Cobalt SS and Dodge's SRT-4 in the marketplace (and likely have conquested a few sales from Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi), Ford didn't make any move to compete in the U.S. It was another missed opportunity to be sure.

Now, the impending 35 m.p.g. CAFE standards leaves Ford little choice but to shift some high performance demand into smaller cars.

Truth With Speedzzter is no fan of front wheel drive and would prefer the high m.p.g. end of Ford's performance line-up to be anchored by a "right-sized" RWD or AWD, powered by a electric hybridized, turbocharged (or "VW/Lancia-style twincharged"), Ethanol Boosting Systems' direct-injected DOHC V-8 (not a V-6 or I-4) of about 2 to 2.5 liters displacement.

With cylinder deactivation, variable valve timing and phasing, and variable geometry intake manifolding, a boosted 2-2.5 liter V8 could run most of the time on a combination of electricity and four cylinders, but still pack a 150+ horsepower-per-liter ethanol-boosted "sledgehammer" punch when necessary. In a lighter RWD or AWD platform (target power-to-weight of ~ 8 pounds per horsepower), such a vehicle would combined startling fuel economy with spectacular performance. And it could produce most all of the traditional V8 sounds that American enthusiasts love on demand.

But short of a such a modern, high-performance "V8-60" for the 21st Century, the Focus RS . . . or a cheaper EcoBoost Focus for America would be a small step in the right direction.

Congratulations to Ford for these "Cars of the Year!"