When Ford UK wanted to replace the aging and quite frankly abysmal Escort, they decided to create something brand new to raise bar in small car design. Many years of painstaking development was put into the new concept because Ford didn’t want to leave anything on the table. After much discussion, the new model was christened “Focus” due to the focused nature of the overall product. It heralded a new era in design, practicality and handling, finding huge success with buyers both in the UK and abroad. We got it down here in Australia too, where it also found many buyers. The second gen Focus improved on this recipe, ultimately culminating in the manic RS variant with 300 HP, front wheel drive and a 5 cylinder turbocharged engine. This wild little car will be the focus of today’s blog post.
Puns aside, the RS badge is reserved for the best Ford models from the UK. The Escort had it, the Sierra had it and of course the RS200 had it. Much like the Black Series badge with Mercedes-AMG, the lineage is decorated and very much inspired by motorsport activities across a range of disciplines. With the first gen Focus RS, Ford essentially created a front-wheel drive rally car for the road, limiting numbers to only 500 units and sporting a rather aggressive widebody kit. For the second gen car, Ford took things a step further, yet they didn’t limit the numbers as much – a totally insane decision from the higher-ups. I guess they wanted more people to experience the thrill of an RS model.
To make the second-gen RS a truly memorable machine, Ford called up the folks at Volvo for an engine – a turbocharged five cylinder that gained fame with the 850R sedan and wagon. It actually debuted in the Focus ST/XR5 Turbo, producing 250 HP before being beefed up to 300 HP in the RS – a power output that seemed impossible to believe for a front wheel drive hot hatch. I still remember hearing the number and being totally floored by it because it was “just a Focus” instead of a Mitsubishi Evo. Little did I know how long the car would stick with me. In 2026, seeing a second-gen Focus RS in THAT green from the Top Gear episode fills me with joy.
I suppose the best way to describe this car in one word is “purposeful”. The wheelarches are bulging out of the sheetmetal, the roof spoiler and rear diffuser work together to keep the rear end down whilst the front air intake allows the diff, engine and driveline to remain at the optimum temperature. Performance may be the name of the game but because it’s still a Focus, you can use it as a practical hatchback for your shopping. Yes, really! That’s the beauty of this car – it can be a total hooligan around tight mountain passes yet still be sensible when it needs to be on busy suburban roads. How can you argue with that? Ford were wrong to kill this car off…
The second-gen Focus RS is one of the best cars ever made. It packs both practicality and punch like very few before or since. A lot of today’s hot hatches lack the personality that enthusiasts prioritise, but when you have five cylinders up front, a big boot out back and a communicative chassis with a highly intelligent differential, you can’t go wrong. This car has all the boxes ticked, which is absolutely ideal for anyone looking to have a bit of fun everyday.
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