Skip advert
Advertisement

Ford Focus GGR RS370FR

Fast-Ford expert Graham Goode Racing has turned the Focus RS up to 368bhp. We take the front-wheel drive supercar for a spin.

Overall Auto Express rating

3.0

How we review cars
Avg. savings
£2,794 off RRP*
Find your Ford Focus
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

Front-wheel drive hatchback’s don’t come any more extreme than this - the savage in-gear acceleration really has to be experienced to be believed. Taking into account the conversion will invalidate your Ford warranty, although Graham Goode Racing provides 12-month/30,000-mile cover, this performance pack isn’t for the faint hearted. And with a price tag of £3,750 plus VAT before you’ve upgraded the brakes it’s not cheap either. But if you want to stand out from the crowd and enjoy the thought of leaving Porsche Boxters trailing in your wake, it’s well worth a look.

Advertisement - Article continues below

This very special Focus RS is on a power trip! One thing the standard 300bhp RS has never lacked is performance, but that hasn’t stopped fast-Ford specialists, Graham Goode Racing, from turning up the heat on the blue oval’s flagship Focus hatch. We drove the lightly-warmed GGR RS340 back in September, but now it’s time to tackle it’s bigger brother, the white-hot 175mph GGR RS370FR...

Mechanical changes are far more comprehensive than the RS340’s simple ECU remap, although the building block is the same 2.5-litre turbocharged engine. A new carbon-fibre induction system, larger intercooler and bigger injectors all help stuff more fuel into the cylinders, while a large bore exhaust and a further ECU remap finish off the modifications. The result is a juicy 368bhp and 460Nm of torque and like the factory car, it’s all channelled through the front tyres.

In the interests of safety, Graham Goode Racing is also offering an optional AP Racing front brake package. For £2,294 you can replace the front stoppers with larger 362mm grooved discs, clamped by either black or high gloss red calipers.

Graham Goode is keen to emphasise that this is a fast road car (hence the ‘FR’ in the car’s title), not just a track-day special. And it certainly lives up to its name. There are no official 0-60mph times yet, although accleration off the line feels similar to the standard car, but once on the move, the in gear performance is gobsmacking. We hit 160mph on a closed test-track and the car was still pulling hard. Luckily the upgraded brakes wiped the speed off with ease - although we’d be hard pushed to recommend them unless you spend a lot of tiime on track.

In corners it has the same adjustability and poise as the stock RS, but more careful use of the throttle is called for to avoid spinning the front tyres and understeering off your intended line. Like on the GGR RS340 torque steer is unavoidable, but there’s far less than you’d expect from what’s essentially a front-wheel drive supercar. Our only disappointment though, is that the extra induction noise has hushed the standard model’s fantastic five-cylinder warble.

Rival: Subaru Impreza STI 330S
The fastest model the Japanese firm officially offers has the advantage of 4WD traction - dropping it’s 0-60mph time to just 4.4 seconds. Vague steering is our only quibble with what’s undoubtedly the best Impreza Subaru currently makes.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Ford Focus

Ford Focus

RRP £20,735Avg. savings £2,794 off RRP*Used from £7,995
Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £35,080Avg. savings £3,743 off RRP*Used from £25,098
Toyota Yaris Cross

Toyota Yaris Cross

RRP £26,155Avg. savings £2,019 off RRP*Used from £15,299
Dacia Spring

Dacia Spring

RRP £14,995Avg. savings £1,676 off RRP*
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

BMW X3 vs Lexus NX: which premium mid-size SUV takes top honours?
BMW X3 and Lexus NX - front tracking

BMW X3 vs Lexus NX: which premium mid-size SUV takes top honours?

BMW’s much-lauded new X3 is one of the best luxury compact SUVs on the market – but is it good enough to topple the cheaper hybrid-powered Lexus NX 35…
Car group tests
8 Feb 2025
Car Deal of the Day: Bag one of the last Jaguar I-Pace electric SUVs for under £400 a month
Jaguar I-Pace - front cornering

Car Deal of the Day: Bag one of the last Jaguar I-Pace electric SUVs for under £400 a month

The I-Pace shows how good an electric Jag can be. It’s our Deal of the Day for 7 February
News
7 Feb 2025
Car Deal of the Day: handsome, sporty Mazda CX-5 dips under £250 per month
Mazda CX-5

Car Deal of the Day: handsome, sporty Mazda CX-5 dips under £250 per month

The Mazda CX-5 is fun to drive, features a driver-focused, premium interior and is our Deal of the Day for 9 February
News
9 Feb 2025