Background
Ford has an excellent history of producing rally cars, adapted for the road. The Lotus Cortina in the 1960s was followed by countless Escorts in numerous guises.
The 1980s saw the arrival of the Cosworth generation and magic was worked on both Escorts and Sierras. These iconic cars are even more desirable now as so many were thrashed, crashed and trashed.
The Ford Focus burst on to the motoring scene in 1998 and what a departure it was from the rather staid Escort Mk 5! Striking modern looks were one thing, but the way it drove was a revelation. Here was a workaday hatch that offered genuine thrills behind the wheel.
It was only a matter of time before a hot version appeared and in 2002 the long-awaited Focus RS was finally launched. Better late than never!
The Mk 2 Focus RS burst onto the scene in January 2009. The headline figures of 300bhp and 324lb/ft were enough on their own to excite, but coupled with the striking looks, the motoring press at the time went crazy.
They weren’t disappointed when they got behind the wheel too. Although lacking four-wheel drive, a Quaife limited slip differential was capable of taming all the power from that tuneful five-cylinder 2.5-litre turbocharged engine.
Performance figures from EVO magazine suggested that a 0-62mph time of under six seconds was possible and the top speed a heady 163mph.
A well-equipped interior completed the exciting package.
The Focus is now on its 4th incarnation and sadly the RS is no more. A dying breed perhaps as the car manufacturers rush towards electrification.
We think the Mk2 is likely to become the most collectable of all and we are delighted to bring a wonderful example to market.
