Jeremy Clarkson
Clarkson on: the new Focus RS
See more pics of Jeremy in Ford's 300bhp monster
I'm reliably informed, by my 14-year-old daughter, that there are two types of people in the world - Chavs and Sloanes. And there are no prizes for guessing which type will be most interested in the new Focus RS - a car that comes in a choice of three colours: DFS blue, Stiletto white and Bacardi Breezer green.
On the very day production of this new car started in Germany, I took it for a spin up herein the Cotswolds and, frankly, I couldn't find one house outside which it might look even vaguely appropriate. If it were a garden ornament, and it sort of is when it's parked outside your house, then it would be a stone lion and, as a result, I feel fairly sure that if you were to apply the Top Gear cool test - would Kristin Scott Thomas like it? - the answer would be: "No thanks. I'll go on the bus."
So let's ignore the Sloanes, shall we, and start off by saying, "Chavs. This one's for you."
I'm the man for the job, because I'm a sucker for flared wheel arches. I've often said that in the same way a man can never be too rich, his wheel arches can never be too flared. And the RS, to accommodate its wider track, has some whoppers.
There's another reason I'm a man for the job, though. I love fast Fords. My first love was a GT40, my first car was a Cortina 1600E and back in the Nineties, I ran two Escort Cosworths. And I've always loved RSes too. From the X pack Capris through the Escort 1600i to the 150mph Sierras.
That's why I was so quick off the mark with the new car. I wanted to see what it was like. And when it arrived at my house, the aural promise of greatness was unmistakable. Its big exhausts, through which the Palestinians of Gaza could smuggle the entire contents of a zoo, make the sort of rumble that rattle even the most beautifully finished sash windows. I honestly thought as it reversed into my yard that my wife was out there in her Aston. It's low loud. Bass loud. Dog- frighteningly loud.
And then came the crushing disappointment. Despite the enormity of Ford's global operation, they had fitted the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car. The man who had brought it tried to argue that in other parts of the world people drive on the wrong side of the road, but obviously he was covering up for some other bloke's massive cock-up. Wrong side of the road? Whatever next?
"The engine is epic. Yes, it is essentially the blown 2.5-litre Volvo five-pot from the ST, but with a new, dog-baiting exhaust"
Assuming that they get this fixed before the car goes on a sale, and I'm assured they will, the interior is much as you'd expect. Extra dials (which you can't read), a satnav with a woman who cannot be silenced unless you are Steve Jobs, and excellent bucket seats. If you have a tweed jacket in your wardrobe, you will hate it in there. If you do not, you will find it great.
But what about on the road?
The last Focus RS was a huge disappointment. It looked good - better than this one, in fact - but to tame the engine's not particularly stratospheric power, it had been fitted with a front differential of such monumental hopelessness, it probably thought it was a biscuit. You got a ton of torque steer when you set off, then the steering system would jam and then you'd hit a tree, fly through the windscreen and be killed. Technically, engineers called the system ‘shit'.
I was hoping, as the new RS produces 300bhp, it would have four-wheel drive. But no. That would have been too expensive to engineer, so they've stuck with a diff. I'm told it's all new, and softer in its responses. In other words, it's designed for people who like to drive on roads and not be killed.
Does it work? Well, because it has a revo knuckle - and if you know what this is, you are James May - the driveshafts always stay level with something or other. This means you can blast one wheel through a puddle and not have the steering wheel wrenched from your hand. It also means the car doesn't follow the camber of the road with anything like the hopelessness of the previous RS.
I have to say that even when the weather is awful, the grip and the poise are excellent. Better than excellent. I can't imagine that even an Evo X is going to pull away. I know for a fact that on a damp road, it would leave my CLK Black for dead. It's that good, and not once did I encounter any of the dreaded tread shuffle that seems to plague the testers on other magazines.
But there's no getting away from the fact that the torque steer is still there. I suppose it's a consequence of putting 300 horses through a system that also has to deal with the steering. It's physics. Get used to it. It's worth it.
The engine is epic. Yes, it is essentially the same blown 2.5-litre Volvo five-pot from the ST, but it has new pistons, a new blower, a new intercooler, a new inlet manifold and that new, dog-baiting exhaust system. Of course, there's some lag, but from less than 3,000rpm you can feel the shove, you can feel the urgency, you can feel the 324lb ft of torque. And unlike most turbo engines, which run out of puff when you get near the red line, this one keeps right on singing. Well, shouting.
Ford says the ST is like a dolphin, and the RS is like a shark. I'd like to laugh at them for this, but they're right. It's a good analogy.
Except the RS is nowhere near as hard as you might imagine. Of course it's firm, but it's not "Oh Christ. My Teeth!" firm. It's more sort of reassuring.
So let's talk money. The Focus RS costs £24,995, and at that sort of price, this sort of speed and this sort of engineering is unheard of. Especially as it comes with seating for five, a big boot, fold-down rear seats and lots of buttons.
As a result, I wouldn't hesitate for a moment. I'd have a slower but more discreet Golf GTI. But that's because I've moved on. My house is yellow, and my wellies are French. But if you haven't moved on. If your hat is still on back to front. If you still think the Boss is God and your collar's still blue, then trust me: life has never been better. The RS glory days, after a momentary blip, are back.
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Sounds fantastic. I´d like to drive one of these one day. @ Jeremy: I think you fit perfectly in this car :)
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"Of course it's firm, but it's not "Oh Christ. My Teeth!" firm." - I couldn't stop laughing. Priceless!
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"I know for a fact that on a damp road, it would leave my CLK Black for dead" CLK63 Black is a car made for going sideways because of its lively back end like you mentioned in your video, and furthermore, any well set up FWD car will grip better on a wet road than a RWD car, even quattro sends most of the power to the front wheels when a slip is detected so WHY WOULD YOU COMPARE THE GRIP?
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Not really an RS kind of guy. I don't hate it, but it's not going to be something I'm ever really going to think about after closing this web page. I think with 300bhp it should be four wheel drive really, but what are you going to do. By the first month of this being released there won't be a McDonalds in sight without about 20 of these parked at the drive through with sub-woofers attached to the wheels while blasting out songs from some American rapper or something. At least the chavs will be happy.
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well im not a Golf GTI man because we can all admit it you have never seen a more boring car in your life... well appart from maybe a diesel Golf. im 16 so i dont actually own a car, but i think you would be better going for an Focus ST it looks more restraned and to show you childish side(which i have a lot of) get it in bright neon eye screaming orange haha.
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I love this car, it looks mental and from the review it sounds really good but if i am going to buy one then i'll need a baseball cap to go with it
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Also, I don't think 4wd would be too expensive for Ford to engineer. Even tho German experts are overpaid as hell, they already use 4wd in their WRC cars, and it apparently works very well.
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This one and the ST are a perfect opposition to boring VW GTI. Haha in your face VW
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Jeremy - I dare you to test this on TV with a hat on backwards! :-) Sounds great - I had a Fiesta ST which was a heap of fun and this sounds fun plus fast.
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My Uncle has ordered. Cant wait to borrow it of him.........
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the best hot hatch ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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the best hot hatch ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I heard another reason for not fitting 4WD, which actually sounded quite plausible: 4WD'd make the car dull. Heavier & reluctant when cornering. 2WD, be it front or rear, makes for a livelier ride. They said it, not I. But considering that that specially made diff is probably nowhere near as cheap as a 4WD off Ford's extensive racks, I believe.
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Consider this also: it's more than likely that the WRC will turn 2WD next year or so. Loeb already sulkingly announced his retirement if and when that happens. So Ford doesn't invest in 4WD, but instead prepares for 2WD. Maybe they want to ask Loeb to reconsider and join. Citroën is out anyway.
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FWD high-performance to me is... well, not really convincing. I believe 300hps are the ultimate limit of power that can be handled by the front wheels only. And that even works only with the differential system. Unless you build a FWD dragster.
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I've got to admit... this ford sounds fun, the kind of fun that can only be had in vietnam with a purple suit :-P
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Was dead-set on a Scirocco GT until this came to light. Would easily take the RS instead if it didn't look so moronic. ...but that power is sooo tempting...
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The main reason is that 4WD had made the car too developmentcostly i.e. later too expensive for ?normal? (Ford-fan) customers, despite Ford says ?lim-slip diff/revo-knuckle solution? makes 4WD unnecessary. Offcourse it?s not as optimal as 4WD would have been. It?s simply a cost issue ! Ford can?t put 4WD on the car and then sell the RS 4WD at a 2WD-price. So at the end of the day better sell more of 2WD RS? (improve Ford?s rally image/?fastcar segment visability?) than fewer 4WD RS?. Obviously you can?t just use a 4WD from any Ford rack for such a (new) car !
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FYI: In Denmark the car costs 577.756 DKK = 72.130 GBP !! (full version incl. xenon, autoclimate, metallicpaint but excl. heated front windscreen). We are paying for nearly 3 cars each time we buy 1. Not see many RS in old DK. PS. I own a ?06 Fiesta ST (7x17?, 205/40V Mich. Pilot Sport) and a ?07 Focus ST (5-door, bluefin, 275hp, 435Nm), H&R 35mm, 8x20? 235/30Y R20 Mich. Pilot Sport, 2x2 90mm Wolf exhaust (left/right) etc. etc.) (both RS blue).
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I love it when Ford goes a bit mad with their hatches, I really do.
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ehhem the 2 types of people are chavs and EMO'S!
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"...that even when the weather is awful, the grip and the poise are excellent. Better than excellent. I can't imagine that even an Evo X is going to pull away..." Ok. Big statement considering the application in technology. Show me, JC!
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I'm a bit surprised that you say that a focus (of all things) can outstrip the CLK Black (which if I remember correctly had 1000 pounds of torque?) But don't be surprised if you see an acid green focus with a spoiler, flames up the side, thumping out dance music....because it WILL be driven by a chav!
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this chave bisness is crap in from and midle cass family i have this car chave cart aford it enway and its a dame good car with rally hirtig. vw is the car for man who given up life it look slow and in dosent look hot why bover if you what fule efishence buy a diesle ford are an allrounder im from essex and you see moor chave in bmw an vw eny if you buy a car like this your not a bage snob you by this car because you love dring the foce is a drivers car not a chave wagon rembuer that and if one gose you know you look and whant it.
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14 now so in like 5 years this will be my job driving round in cars for chavs and cars for sloanes watch out MAY
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Swwy. By the time you're 19 there'll be only electric cars left. The rest will be banned, I'm sure. Thank god I'm old enough to have driven several (quite a lot actually) pretty nice cars on petrol.
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it's really the only hatch that would win over an alfa... and that's a high place in the spotlight!
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Ford are the masters of the hot working mans car! Just have to look at them over the years! Nothing better than smashing something expensive with your blue oval!
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i love the sound of this car but i don't want to look like a chav
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Why do I live in America where we still have the 1st generation Focus with a ugly new body???
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Why do I live in America where we still have the 1st generation Focus with a ugly new body???
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goooooooooooooooooood
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Ford have engineered a great car here with some real suspension innovation - and all other UK car magazines agree (Autocar, Autoexpress, Evo, Car, etc). So forget this chav/no chav thing and accept the RS for what it is - a well engineered fast hatch that will make a lot of people happy irrespective of their preferences to personalise their cars in an annoying ways.
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Ford have developed another fantastic RS it will be hard to beat, love the write up about this car, but dissagree about the mk1, it is a fantastic car! I have been driving 1 for 4 years!!!
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offensive, fast and probably not a very good idea....hmmm, what colour shall i have??
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I was saving up for a Focus ST, but then they bought out the the RS, it looks FANTASTIC, but for the money what is better value. You would pay £25,000 for the RS, but out there you could get a 2007 ST for about £10,000, so what is really better, I know the RS certainly looks better, What would you say.
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i think anyone who slates this car has ob never driven one regardless of weather it should be 4wd or not thew fw drive system works i have had 2 escort cossies and as fast as they where theres noway they could have beaten this round the track rs brand is a cult following but regardless of what people think there still better than french cars
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Hopefully, ASBO Orange will not be added to the choice of colours. Deeply disappointed that they skipped the 4WD. How much power is lost thru just the front. 4WD too hard to engineer? Pure tosh, the Engine is practically the 2.5T unit from the S60R/V70R and they had AWD and 300bhp 6 years ago! The S60 isn't that much different in length and the WRC car has it... come on Ford sort it out if the Swedes managed it so can you. We want something to take on the Mitsi's and Scoobs.
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Hopefully, ASBO Orange will not be added to the choice of colours. Deeply disappointed that they skipped the 4WD. How much power is lost thru just the front. 4WD too hard to engineer? Pure tosh, the Engine is practically the 2.5T unit from the S60R/V70R and they had AWD and 300bhp 6 years ago! The S60 isn't that much different in length and the WRC car has it... come on Ford sort it out if the Swedes managed it so can you. We want something to take on the Mitsi's and Scoobs.
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Don't think I'll be swappping my golf R32 for it somehow!!
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why wont they sell them in australia. fu#k sake.
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my god i bet 3/4 of you people havnt ever seen 1 never mind sat inside of 1 or drove 1 this car is amazing the acceleration is fantastic goes through any corner at any speed and to top that costs less that anything like it easly the bargin of the century n thats saying somthing to say the countrys in the biggest financial crisis ever supposidly :)
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Austrian_Stig commented on this article
01 April 2009
Sounds fantastic. I´d like to drive one of these one day. @ Jeremy: I think you fit perfectly in this car :)
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