Fast Fords have always stood as affordable performance heroes. So news that the new 350hp, four-wheel drive
Focus RS
will cost less than £30K - £28,940 in fact - yet boast performance stats to match much, much more expensive 'mega' hatches can only add to the sense of expectation about the car.
Of course, numbers only tell part of the story of what the RS will be like
to drive
. But as they're all we have for the time being and still matter for hot hatch buyers so let's crunch some. That price is significant, especially when you hear about the 4.7-second 0-62mph time and 165mph top speed, Ford claiming it as the fastest RS model it's yet built. Inevitably - and like much of the competition - a launch control function is provided to help you live up to those claims.
And while spec sheet bragging isn't the most important measure of a car's performance the numbers do give a hint about just how potent the Focus will be. Nearest on-paper rival is, inevitably, the similarly four-wheel drive Golf R which starts at similar money but is down on power and can 'only' do 4.9 seconds to 62mph and even then only with the optional DSG gearbox. Yes, Golf R actually beaten by a cheaper, more powerful car. Are premium image and nicer feeling interior fittings enough to maintain R owners' sense of superiority? Consider the pin pulled on that one...
Even premium mega hatches like the
A45 AMG
Audi RS3
are going to have trouble showing the Ford a clean set of heels, both of them a little quicker (RS3 4.3, A45 4.5) off the line but, equally, both costing at least £10K more and probably a little erked by just how close the Focus is to them. Exactly the kind of blue collar hero behaviour we'd expect of a fast Ford though.
Meanwhile the nearest spiritual rival to the Focus in terms of character though is probably the Civic Type R, which is a little quicker at the top end (167mph) but a whole second slower off the line due to only having two driven wheels. On the road it'll be a fascinating comparison though - twin test as soon as we can arrange it!
A little vid below to hammer the point home, Ford now confirming order books open and first deliveries next spring. Consider expectation - and excitement - raised another notch!
video