With all this talk of our
PH Fleet Focus ST estate
being a practical family car and lifestyle accessory the more red-blooded fast Ford fans may be feeling a little betrayed. After all, the real thing should have
an RS badge
, be utterly unapologetic in its masculinity and not be geared towards family life, baby seats or carrying bicycles around. Cue the rallying cry 'this is PistonHeads, not Mumsnet!'
One to slip in under the radar, unlike...
But the ST is as hot as the Focus gets these days and all those moaning about how expensive it is - most of the folk responding in the threads about 'our' ST it seems - should wake up and have a look at prices of the last RS. Because you
ain't going to get in one
for much less than the cost of a new ST, post haggling.
Which brings us to the Mazda 3 MPS, often spoken about in the same breath as hot Focuses and with an all-new version on the way. We can only hope another MPS version follows, but we won't hold our breath and instead concentrate on what a bargain the much overlooked outgoing one is.
Now, the Focus RS is one of those cars that might seem like a good idea for a while. It's basically a blue-collar Black Series but it's not a car for slipping under the radar, be it domestic or of the speed enforcement kind. 'Sneaking' is never going to be on the agenda.
...a Focus RS, even at its most subtle
Which is why for little over half the price of a comparable RS this 3 MPS appeals. OK, it's not a hero car in the RS mould. Nor is it quite so rabidly fast, at least in standard form. But a
Phase One BBR chip kit
can unleash 290hp for £550 and if you're willing to channel a bit more of that up-front saving into a Phase Two kit for £1,645
you get 318hp
And the great thing about the MPS is that it's already got the foundations to take this kind of power, a proper mechanical limited-slip diff in place and a sense that it was always built with headroom for some truly Banzai performance. A few more quid on some nice dampers would be the finishing touch, this stealth grey version subtle enough to sneak by when required, in possession of five doors for the family man in a hurry and tempting at £12,990.
Three doors enough? Your half price RS rival...
There is a cloud on the Mazda's horizon beyond those odd looks and anonymous reputation. And that's a glut of
temptingly affordable
Megane Renaultsport 250s
. OK, they're all three-door and not quite as family friendly. But there are plenty to choose from in this price bracket and if you get one with a Cup chassis (complete with proper brakes and diff) and invest a bit with a respected tuner like
K-Tec Racing
you too can go chasing Focus RSes for a fraction of the cost.
RS Fords traditionally have a strong reputation for holding their value and a few years down the line an unmolested Focus will probably still be commanding a five-figure pricetag. But that's several years' worth of fun you'll have had for a fraction of the cost in these alternative diff-equipped and equally tuneable alternatives. Time better spent than worrying about residuals, perhaps?
MAZDA3 MPS
Engine: 2,261cc 4-cyl turbo
Power (hp): 260@5,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 280@3,000rpm
MPG: 29.4 (NEDC combined)
CO2: 224g/km
First registered: 2010
Recorded mileage: 31,000
Price new: £21,900
Yours for: £12,990
See the original advert here.