Ford Focus RS

During the RS’s gestation, Ford toyed with developing a four-wheel drive system and even got as far as running a couple of prototypes, before dismissing 4WD in favour of a front-wheel drive set-up that very much defines what this car is about.

Ford cites reasons such as weight and complexity for the choice of two-wheel drive, but among the most significant factors is cost.

The first-generation Focus RS was hand-finished well away from the regular car’s production line, but this car could be afforded no such luxury.

The new RS rolls down the same production line as all other Focuses, including the ST on which the RS is ostensibly based.

Changes to the RS over the ST run deep, however. To accommodate a 40mm wider track, its bodywork features bespoke panels, including unique pressings for the flared wheel arches that dominate its sides.

On the Mk1 Focus these were welded into the panels after manufacture. Now they’re fitted while the RS rolls down the line, although if the alignment of our test car’s panels was anything to go by, it’ll take a little tweak before they match regular Focus standards.

Other styling changes, such as the aerodynamic modifications signified by their polished black finish, alter the character of the Focus to the extent where an ST looks positively understated in its company.

The RS’s engine capacity, at 2522cc, is shared with the ST, but its internals have been seriously modified to develop 300bhp, with revisions to the cylinder head, pistons and camshaft and a larger Borg Warner turbo producing twice the boost pressure.

The ventilated front disc brakes are huge at 336mm, while the trick front suspension (see Under the Skin) negates the need for four-wheel drive.