The Ford Focus RS – The one you've been waiting for.

A mere six months after dropping the eagerly anticipated Ford Mustang in our laps, Ford expands on its Ford Performance offerings by giving us the latest in hot hatch lunacy – the fire-breathing Ford Focus RS.

Much has been said about this car already, so much so that I feel that if I were to give you a full run down of the car that most of it would be old hat. So I will merely skim over the facts and figures and get down to the juicy bits.

Quick Stats

2.3-litre EcoBoost engine.
This 4-cylinder, turbocharged motor produces 257kW and 440Nm torque – that's right, more than 100kW per litre and 150hp per litre (figure out which one you prefer). It will rocket the RS from a standstill to 100km/h in a brisk 4.7-seconds and will cruise to a top speed of 266km/h. Yes, it's the same engine found in the EcoBoost Mustang, but with revised head, intake and turbocharger. The cooling is also a different system because of the transverse layout of the engine.

AWD system

It sends this 257kW to all four wheel. While in many a straight line the RS is mostly front-wheel drive, in the corners it transfers power to the rears. As much as 70% of the power can be transferred to the rear and of that power, 100% (100% of 70) of it can be sent to an individual wheel, either left or right – this makes for massively entertaining cornering. It is aided by torque vectoring which can use the brakes to ensure that the front end stays planted, braking the inside wheel in tight turns to help kerb understeer. It also means you can play with the RS!

Drive modes

Several drive modes are available to the driver, staring with the mundane(ish) Normal mode. ESP is left on and the drive is fairly light and easy enough to live with.

Sport mode livens up the throttle, the steering, tweaks the AWD system and opens up the exhaust valve for a better sound.

The Track mode does all of the above but then stiffens up the dampers as well. It also switches the ESC to a sport setting, allowing for a little more slip before intervening and spoiling your fun.

Then there is the Drift mode – yes, you read right, Drift Mode. Switch to this and all of a sudden, you can live out your aspirations of driving like Ken Block, provided you have a place to play and a budget for tyres. This mode REALLY does make sliding this AWD car around very easy – as we were able to sample. It directs power to the wheels that need it, the rears, while still sending a small amount to the front so that you don't totally face the wrong direction.

Trim Level

Do you really care about this? I didn't think so. Either way, in short, it's a Focus ST with some fancy Recaro seats (and hardback shells are a small cost optional extra) and coloured stitching. Yes there are a few extra buttons, but nothing worth noting.

This is probably the biggest let down of the RS, especially when you consider that it's being pegged up against the Audi RS3 and Mercedes-AMG A45, who have considerably better interior trimmings. That said, spec-for-spec, the RS offers reasonable value for money, surprisingly enough.

It is fitted with Sync2, the touchscreen infotainment system that one gets in most Ford offerings, and this will be morphed into Sync3 into later release models.

Price.

Here's the bit you've been waiting for. Deep breath... it's R699 900. For a Focus.

But trust me when I say that it is worth it. If you are like me that doesn't mind paying for engineering and can see through party tricks and frilly hats, then the RS is justifiable. Fully specced out, with the hardback seats and sunroof, you're only going to part with R710 000 – not bad money for a car that is this clever and seemingly well-engineered.

This is because it does what it says on the box. It goes, turns and stops like it just walked off of the WRC circuit. It may not be the princess in the ball gown and certainly isn't the tarted up socialite, but it's a hard hitting, game for a night out, stunner that can throw back a whiskey or two. That is of course, if you're man enough to take it on.