RS Focus

Ford of Europe, says it's "an exclusive, ultra high-performance car which revitalises the RS marque and incorporates all the RS brand stands for in driving pleasure, precision handling and heady performance". So does it live up to the RS Badge and what does this awesome package include?

Engine:
The two-litre RS engine is built in Ford's plant at Bridgend in Glamorgan as a development of the standard Duratec unit, and is then shipped to the Saarlouis factory in Germany where the complete car is assembled.

Performance:
The RS has 212bhp on tap, as well as 228lb/ft of torque at 3500rpm, which allows for a 0-60mph time of 6.4 seconds, 0-100mph in 15.5 seconds and a top-speed of 144mph.

Brakes:
The brakes will haul the car down from 100mph to standstill in 4.1 seconds, needing just over 100 yards of dry tarmac.

Economy:
The fuel economy figures place the RS in the real world. It has been tested to return 36.7mpg extra urban and 28mpg combined.
While it isn't four-wheel drive it does use Quaife torque-biasing differential between the front wheels.

Suspension:
Settings are uprated way beyond those of any of the lesser Focus models, and are effectively borrowed from the WRC car in tarmac specification.

The package includes:
OZ Racing for wheels, Sachs Racing for dampers, Brembo - brakes, Garrett - turbocharger, Quaife for the differential, AP Racing for the clutch and Sparco for the front seats. These parts are all used by Ford's World Rally Championship car too.