Ford Focus RS: 2,670 miles

In the words of Nineties’ songstress Gabrielle… dreams can come true! Back in 1992, I desperately wanted an Escort RS Cosworth, but as I was only 14 years old at the time, I had to settle for a poster of it – alongside a Ferrari Testarossa and Porsche 911 Carrera Club Sport – on my bedroom wall.

Fast-forward a few years, and while I’ve grown out of putting up posters of cars – my girlfriend wouldn’t allow it anyway – my love of fast Fords hasn’t dimmed. So it really is a dream come true to be running the Cossie’s spiritual successor, the Focus RS, as my new long-termer.

Packing a 301bhp, 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo, a limited-slip differential and a clever new RevoKnuckle suspension set-up, it’s the most advanced front-wheel-drive car in the world – but just how does it feel compared to the machine of my boyhood dreams?

Thanks to Ford’s heritage centre, I was able to bring the new RS face-to-face with its predecessor. Both certainly pack some visual aggression – and even today the Escort RS Cosworth looks outrageous!

The car you see here is one of the later versions. That means it produces 224bhp from its 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine rather than the 227bhp of the earlier big-turbo rally homologation specials.

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However, while it remains a very quick machine, the Cossie lacks the huge low-down torque and high-rev punch that the new RS has in spades. In short, it wouldn’t see the latest model for dust! And there is no contest when it comes to the soundtrack – the Focus’ gorgeous, offbeat Audi-style five-cylinder warble wins hands down.

The real advances have been made when it comes to the handling. The Cossie still feels beautifully balanced, but it’s amazing just how much the bodyshell flexes over bumps.

In comparison, the Focus RS feels incredibly stiff. And while the newcomer doesn’t get four-wheel drive like its predecessor, Ford’s engineers have worked wonders with its front-wheel-drive set-up.

Of course, with 301bhp on tap there’s still torque steer on uneven roads, but grip is simply fantastic aided by traction control which allows just the right amount of wheelspin. The RevoKnuckle suspension system plays the biggest part, though, keeping the front wheels planted as you accelerate hard out of a bend. What I love most, however, is the Focus RS’s all-round ability. As well as being a hot hatch, it’s a quiet, comfortable cruiser – and after my previous long-termer, a Mitsubishi Evo X FQ-360, its hatchback practicality, decent ride and strong build quality are a real boon.

Predictably, economy isn’t a strong point, but I’m getting 24.5mpg in regular driving which isn’t bad considering the performance. So, is the teenager in me happy? Oh yes! The Escort RS Cosworth is still assured of its place in my fantasy garage – and, now, so is the new RS. I’m in seventh heaven!

Second Opinion

I share Sam’s fondness for the blue oval’s original Escort Cosworth – so I can understand why he gets such a thrill from driving the Focus RS. However, you don’t have to be a fan of old fast Fords to be won over by this latest machine.

Its combination of grip and power ranks it far ahead of any of its hot hatch competitors in terms of pure performance. My biggest complaint concerns its styling, because the in-your-face Focus RS simply doesn’t have the same appeal that made the Escort Cossie the object of my automotive dreams when I was growing up.

-Ross Pinnock
Road test editor