Tuesday 30th June 2015

Ford Focus RS: Spotted

An unmolested fast Ford icon for £10K? Best get in before the new one bumps them up!

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There's a fun game to play in the classifieds, called 'How silly are fast Ford prices today?'. Someone picks an ad (a third person, to prevent cheating), the other two guess the price, closest to it wins that round. Go again. Trickier than it sounds though because everything is so damn expensive!

Now this is stance

Examples? Racing Puma, #339 of 500 and 68,000 miles; £12K. Escort Cossie? £35,000. Sierra RS500? Seventy thousand pounds.

So to see the first Focus RS still available with reasonable mileage for £10,950 is quite a surprise. Sure, you can still spend more on a minter but even a car with 14,000 miles is £18K. Given where the rest of the fast Ford back catalogue appears to be heading that looks remarkable value.

As the car ages the bespoke nature of the Focus RS really appeals. There's that oft-quoted figure that Ford lost £4,000 on every RS thanks to an AP Racing clutch, Quaife diff, Sachs dampers, OZ wheels, Brembo brakes and Sparco seats. Ford's own press release says 70 per cent of the parts were new. On a Focus! That's pretty cool.

So while it may lack the rarity or competition pedigree of other RS models, there's little doubting the Focus as bona fide icon. To this day a debate continues on the driving experience, whether the diff is too aggressive and if the car is unsuited to British roads. Some love them, others hate them. It's also worth stressing again that every Focus RS seems to be different so it's worth trying a few.

Don't forget the starter button!

This car appeals due to being unmodified and having a fairly low mileage if 76,000. Get a proper plate back on there and job's a good'n. The RS seems to respond well to mods - see this 440hp version! - but it will surely prove the standard cars that are the most desirable. More knowledgeable fast Ford fans than us will be able to identify this as a Phase 1 or Phase 2 and the relative benefits of each. Being such a revered car too the Internet is awash with purchasing advice.

So there you have it. A good example of a great hot hatch and a legendary fast Ford as well, interest in which will surely continue to rise over the coming months. It wasn't that long ago the good cars were £7K... Grab it while you can!

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FORD FOCUS RS MK1
Engine: 1,989cc four-cyl turbo
Transmission: Five-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 215@5,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 228@3,800rpm
MPG: 28
CO2: 237g/km
First registered: 2003
Recorded mileage: 76,215
Price new: £19,995
Yours for: £10,950

See original advert here.

[The Don of Croy]

Now that tales of 'classic car' prices have become mainstream then surely the (inevitable) crash cannot be far away?

That aside, £10k for a bespoke performance car from Henry's stable seems actually reasonable.