From The Classifieds: 2010 Ford Focus RS

Ford’s affiliation with the RS (Rallye Sport, in this case) nameplate is as illustrious as that of any other marque.

Who could forget a parade of talented Scandinavians swinging Mk1 Escort RS rally cars beyond 90 degrees on gravel stages world-wide?

Or the flame-belching presence of a Sierra Cosworth RS 500 tearing up tarmac from Bathurst to Belgium?

In short, the first-generation 2002 Focus RS had a massive heritage to live up to… especially as it looked like a WRC refugee, as if Colin McRae had finished a Corsican WRC stage, given it a quick clean and driven it back to the hotel.

Australia never received this first Focus RS, though British press (similarly tough to impress as the Aussies) met it with a lukewarm response and talk of torque-steer and a stiff ride as the front Quaife torque-biasing differential tried to lay down all 158kW and turbo-enriched 310Nm in a futile fight to keep a Subaru Impreza WRX in sight.

The larger, more aggressive LV-series Focus that came in 2005 also (eventually) provided a platform for a new-generation RS fire-breather… and this time Australia was in the mix, the German-built RS arriving on these shores in late-2010.

Delving into the Volvo (yes, Volvo) parts-bin, Ford’s engineers unearthed a diamond in the form of the Swede’s 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine.

Suitably modified for the RS application, this transverse front-mounted engine drove only the front wheels, but produced a stout 224kW with a massive 440Nm from only 2300rpm to 4500rpm.

Coupled to a slick six-speed manual transmission and latest-generation Quaife torque-biasing limited-slip differential, the $59,990 Ford Focus RS arsenal was impressive.

RS engineers worked hard to eliminate the power understeer and wandering nose of the previous vehicle by developing a sophisticated front suspension/wheel hub arrangement.

Known as the RevoKnuckle, this system was the result of six years’ development and incorporates two separate suspension knuckles, allowing one arm to move with the steering axis of the vehicle and reducing the king-pin offset (apparently by over 50 per cent) to minimise understeer.

With large 19-inch alloy wheels and specifically-tuned Continental 235/35/R19 rubber, the Focus RS could grip and go as hard as any front-driver in the market.

It also looked the part; another WRC refugee in-line with Ford’s continued rally commitment.

A large rear diffuser worked around impressively large exhaust pipes, a front-mounted splitter reduced lift and a roof-mounted wing and aggressively-flared wheel-arches (to house an aggressively wider track than standard) gave the three-door only Focus RS a truly envious stance.

Inside, the relatively high-set driving position featured racy Recaro seats (as befitting Ford RS tradition) and a decent-enough level of standard equipment for the time, with partial leather seats, dual-zone climate-control and rain-sensing wipers.

All-up only 315 examples made it to Australia, in a choice of three colours: Ultimate Green, Frozen White or Ford Performance Blue.

To drive the LV Focus RS in-period was quite an occasion, from the moment you first laid eyes on the boldness of its design, through to hitting the button to fire that unique-in-segment motor to life.

What a sound… and it only become more operatic as you stretched it towards the 6500rpm redline.

More challenging was understanding how to get the most out of that RevoKnuckle/Quaife LSD arrangement. Put simply, if you weren’t confident with your inputs you’d be left wondering what all the fuss was about.

Trust the technology, turn in positively and engage the throttle to activate the differential’s tremendous tractive ability, aiming to hit the turbocharged sweet spot as the corner unfurled.

Compared to the current-generation all-wheel drive Focus RS (its abilities are so advanced, it’s drive-splitting capability ensure the car is completely on your side) the LV Focus RS was all about front-drive dynamics in a highly refined form. A more engaging drive? You’ll hear no argument from us.

The current owner is selling simply because it isn’t ‘used enough’, having travelled less than 2000km in the last year and 39,000km overall. It has been fitted with the Bluetooth option, desirable in this day and age of constant communication.

With a full roadworthy certificate included, the $37,500 asking price appears reasonable given the low kilometres and unmodified specification.

The last-gen Focus RS’s future classic status is assured… but are they still sliding down the depreciation curve? Let us know what you think in the comments.

See previous carsales From the Classifieds