Ford Focus RS Mk I

About this Collectable

A standard first generation Ford Focus was already a pretty good driver's car, so this car was the perfect base for a hot hatch. That didn't mean Ford made it easy for themselves. On the contrary, compared to a regular Focus, 70% of the parts were new. Ford used parts from renowned suppliers such as Brembo, OZ Racing, Sparco, Garrett and Quaife. The fact that only 4.501 units were built makes this hot hatch even more special.

This example comes from The Netherlands and has covered only 55.500 km. Like its distant ancestor (the Model T), the Focus RS was available in just one colour: Imperial Blue. Unsurpisingly, this is exactly the colour in which this car is finished.

The production version of the first Ford Focus RS was shown to the public at the 2001 Geneva Motor Show. The RS was based on the regular Focus three-door hatchback, but with tastefully extended wheel arches (65 mm wider track, the same as the WRC Focus) and the 25 mm lowering quickly made it clear that this car had little to do with your neighbor's Focus.

Ford's WRC Team, where Colin McRae was active at the time, has contributed to the fact that around 70% of all parts of the RS are either new or completely redeveloped. Only the hood, doors, roof and front and rear lighting units remained unchanged.

Many parts were obtained from renowned suppliers: brakes from Brembo, seats and pedals from Sparco, wheels from OZ Racing, turbo form Garrett, differential from Quaife, clutch from AP Racing and shock absorbers from Sachs. It is said that Ford has made a loss on every Focus RS sold because of this. Reliable sources (i.e. the internet) indicate that this could be between £4,000 and £6,000 per car. Ford didn't make a lot of money with this first Focus RS. However, as an image booster for Ford and the Focus in particular, the car was very successful.

The RS was based on Ford's proven 2-liter Duratec DOHC four-cylinder engine. The aforementioned Garrett turbo boosted power to 215 hp at 5.500 rpm and torque to 310 Nm at 3.500 rpm. This resulted in a (claimed) acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 6,7 seconds and a top speed of 232 km/h. These numbers might not sound spectaculair today, but around 20 years ago they where.

Getting this power to the ground wasn't always easy even with the Quaife differential, leaving some cars (that were misaligned or on 'wrong' tires) with a 'skating' character. However, this completely original Focus RS is fitted with recent and high quality rubber (Bridgestone Potenza) and does not suffer from this.

Production at the Saarlouis plant in Germany started in October 2002 and ended in November 2003, when the last of the 4.501 units rolled off the production line. Almost half (2,147, or 48%) of those were right-hand drive and were sold in the UK.

This Collectable is number 4.011 and is originally deliverd in The Netherlands. The first owner bought the car new on November 21, 2003. After his death, the second owner (Richard, an avid Ford enthusiast) bought the RS in February 2014. About two years later, in February 2016, Tom, the current owner, took over the Focus RS from Richard with about 40.000 km. Because Tom was still living abroad at the time, he initially registered the car in his father's name. He converted this on November 15, 2020, when he returned to the Netherlands. It currentley has covered just under 55.500 km. The car is of course accident free. 

Equipment

This car is equipped from factory with:

• Driver's seat height adjustable
• Leather steering wheel
• Sports seats
• Sports steering wheel
• Adjustable steering wheel
• 18 inch alloy wheels
• Driver's airbag
• Passenger airbag
• Anti-lock braking system
• Electronic Stability Program
• Upholstery half leather/alcantara
• Alarm class 1 (immobilizer)
• Limited slip differential
• Start button

Modifications

The Focus RS is technically completely original, except for the exhaust system. The original exhaust systems of the Ford Focus RS are unfortunately no longer available. That is why an alternative system has been chosen, with a slightly sportier sound, but cosmetically (in terms of exhaust tips) similar. In addition, two small cosmetic changes have been made: the RS sticker at the start button on the center console and the mud flaps. Both are easy to undo if desired.

Remarks

The car is in neat condition, except for some light stone chips on the front bumper and hood (documented on the photos).

Service history

The car was serviced by the second owner at one of the Cosworth/RS specialists in the Netherlands, Arjan van de Riet, who works at Autobedrijf John Peeters in Zegge. The following service has been carried out there in the past 5 years:

• December 15, 2020 - 52.500 km - Minor service, including replacing rear brake pads, adjusting the shift mechanism, brake fluid change + various minor work - €1.053,53
• November 27, 2017 - 44.804 km - MOT and air conditioning service, engine removal and installation, complete disassembly and assembly, block drilling and mounting cylinder liners (third party work), replacement of pistons, valves and cylinder head, completely cleaning and grinding of all valves, installing of original software on computer, replacement of various gaskets, oil seals, head bolts, oil and air filter, oil and coolant change - €6.206,90
• 31 July 2016 - 41.206 km - Installing sport catalytic converter, replacing engine mounts and gearbox mounts, new 52AH battery - €1.952,05

The RS will receive a fresh MOT in early September.

Included with sale

• All keys
• All original booklets, including the leather Ford Focus RS folder
• Ford Focus RS pen (which fits perfectly in the center console)

About the seller

Tom is a true petrol head. He has obtained a very diverse fleet of cars over the years, simply by buying more cars than he sells. However, as a result, he unfortunately does not have enough time currently to enjoy this Focus RS and several other Collectables. That is why he is looking for a new enthusiast for this beautiful RS.

Summary

Seller - Tom
Seller type - Private 
Location - The Netherlands
VIN - WF0BXXGCDB3Y61975
Year of production/first registration - November 11, 2003
Mileage - 55.500 km
Warranty - No
Body type - Hatchback
Engine - 2,0 liter 4-cylinder turbo (215 hp and 310 Nm)
Lay-out - Front-wheel drive
Transmission - 5-speed manual
Exterior colour - Imperial Blue
Interior colour - Black with blue
Upholstery - Leather with alcantara
Smoker's car - No
Owners - 3 (including current)
Tires - Bridgestone Potenza 225/40 R18 (front: 2017- 2,8/3,0 mm, rear: 2014 - 4,0 mm)

The description of this Collectable has been created with the utmost care, based on information from and validated by the seller. The Collectables performs a (pre) selection based on the information provided and consults public sources for any irregularities. However, bidders themselves must ascertain the correctness of the description and can, if desired, have a personal investigation carried out. All Collectables on our platform can be subjected to any possible inspection, investigation or valuation by buyers in advance, of course in consultation with the seller. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions for more details.