Ford RS500 Trademark Pops Up In Europe

The AutoGuide research department recently discovered a Ford RS500 trademark application in Europe that could mean the Blue Oval is at least considering a return for the performance badge.

If you're new to the game, the RS500 badge has been reserved for high-performance versions of Ford’s RS models, dating back to the 1987 Sierra RS500 Cosworth. More recently, in 2010 Europeans were offered a limited-run Focus RS500, which packed a 350-hp turbocharged five-cylinder engine and a matte black exterior, making it one of the most aggressive front-wheel-drive cars ever built. Ford was rumored to resurrect the RS500 badge in 2016, with prototypes even being spotted, but the rumors remained just that.

The big question now is: what is Ford up to?

The simple and most likely answer is trademark maintenance. Automakers frequently register or renew trademarks to protect names—and the media reports on it every time—usually leading to yelling on Reddit and heartbreak for enthusiasts. But maybe it's not, what if it's not?

Ok, so the Focus RS was discontinued in 2018, Ford later said it didn't foresee making another because of the tightening emissions environment. The current Focus—not sold in North America—is expected to go out of production in 2025. There could be some kind of a last hurrah for the hot hatch era, but there's literally been zero inclination that this is in the cards.

If the RS500 name does end up making it back to a production car—knowing the Detroit automakers these days—Ford's probably going to make it an electric performance car. The company has already hinted at an EV future for its performance lineup.

For now, there’s no official word from Ford, and without a current RS model in production, it’s unclear what platform a new RS500 would even be based on.

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