Focus RS detailed, comes in October
27 July 2002: When we drove the Focus ST170 earlier this year, there were those amongst us who thought it a little less than it might have been. But the reason was the imminent arrival of the RS, the 'real' hot-hatch Focus, which now goes on sale in October.
This 212bhp 2-litre will pick up 'gimme' kudos from the 'RS' tag association with the World Rally Car Focus, and according to Ford the dominence of the Subaru Impreza WRX's 5.7sec 0-60mph for a road car will no longer be.
The RS will have revised suspension, wider tyres and race-ready Brembo brakes. On the body there's none of the loud boy-racer metalwork beloved by Subaruists, but a new nose has a larger grille and side cooling vents for the brakes. There's also a deep air intake scoop on the lower front bumper.
The standard Focus dashboard shape remains, though the goddies it holds are likely to be out of the top drawer of the parts chest. We like the restful green backlighting to the instruments, not as sexy as red but much quicker to read and assimilate.
The sports seats are trimmed in the same electric blue as we saw on the Racing Puma, and like the small cat, there's similar material on the steering wheel.
The car will be shod with 18in OZ alloys. Gearknob, handbrake and pedals are stainless steel, and there's that reviving control of the past, a starter button.
July 2002