Should You Buy A Ford Focus RS Mk1 - Or Is It Too Late Already? (Drive and Review)
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- čas přidán 28. 04. 2021
- In today's video I am driving the legendary Ford Focus Mk1 RS. The first of the modern breed of RS products, the Focus also found fame on the world rally stages at the hands of Colin McRae. Now available to buy for between £10,000 and £20,000 - is this a sure fire future classic, or just a jumped up Focus?
#Ford #FocusRS #Review
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/ @jayemmoncars - Auta a dopravní prostředky
They got the styling perfect on this car - understated but 'henched'
Just like me
The reason why it is my favourite is because it looks so good. Never seen one in persons
@@artpereira very nice in person as well
Interior not so much
Couple of points to raise:
1) in the wet, the torquesteer isn't actually any worse, because there is less grip, and torquesteer is caused by the DIFFERENCE In grip across the front axle
2) the coneicity of the front tyres is everything on an RS. Put on a new set of "square" tyres and it'll torquesteer about 300 % less! (the original tyres were unique to the car for that very reason)
3) Learn to left foot brake! Trust me on this, the RS loves it!
(how do i know these things? Well, i was part of the small team that developed the car for Ford all those years ago now :-)
Thats epic Max, we usually never get to hear from the engineers. Any other notable cool cars you've helped with?
Take a bow for one of the worst handling fwd cars ever
@@tippyb8355 If you call a mk1 rs one of the worst handling fwd cars ever you are either delusional or a troll.
@@Nakke144 The Mk1 Focuses in general handle very well. lol
Torque steer is caused by the rotational inertia of the wheels and driveshafts. It’s nothing to do with the level of grip. It’s to do with the acceleration of the spinning bits
I drooled over this as a teenager and I still do today some 20-odd years later. Best looking Focus by far, and one of the best looking rally cars of the modern era without a doubt too 😍
Mk2 by far
These cars look unbelievable imo. The wheels are perfect and I've heard a few in real life and they sound like WRC car on full tilt. Great video.
That bodykit is soo good looking!
'bodykit' suggests an aftermarket solution. This was factory.
@ Louis bamber it’s not a body kit
Colin played a big part in testing the RS. Giving feedback over various points throughout development. All adds to the value I think!
I swear they managed to get something so brilliantly right about the new edge cars. I had a base 1.6 focus and even that was still enjoyable, everything just felt right.
I'm surprised you liked it James. When we discussed a little while ago about you driving my MK1, I was convinced that if you drove it, you'd hate it. Nice review though. Definitely a car with holding onto I think. Mine is tucked up in my garage. A good fun car to blast along B roads on, only when the sun is shining!
Great WRC looking fast Focus!!
Bought an 1,800mls 1 owner example '3086' back in late 2005. Good looking car these with superb handling out of the box if a little underpowered from the factory. A few months in to ownership a Bluefin map, Milltek exhaust/sport cat and a K&N filter gave it circa 265 bhp, what it should of came with from the factory with in my opinion.
I think these have aged very well and still look good on the road today.
The Mk1 will always be my favourite Focus RS, the later models may have more power, but they don't look anywhere near as good as the Mk1
Great to see someone having honest fun :)
Such a good looking car!
I can still remember that morning after my dad came back from Liverpool to watch a match there. We lived in Germany and as such he had to fly there and back. I woke up to find him drinking his coffee and he put down his mug, and pointed to the "stuff" on the kitchen counter, that he had brought with him as a gift. A large tube of smarties with a figure as a lid (which were one heck of a treat, don't get me wrong) but standing there beside it was a RC Focus RS in a rally spec and BP livery. That was the day that my love for the Focus RS ignited. That fire is still ablaze in me, but I never got one for real. Ended up in the same place as you James, with ze Germans. I wonder if I ever will... Great Video James, really brought a smile to my face even though I am going through a rough time :D Thanks
I had an SVT Focus, here in the States. I drooled over this SO MUCH. Such an underappreciated car, especially over here. The SVT Focus was my first performance car, when I was in college, and I definitely am picking one up for nostalgia before too long.
Isn't it's very similar/same as a mk1 focus st (st170) in the Uk? Definitely looking forward to when James finally reviews it.
@@kieranmz4614 svt is the same as st170...owned an st170 myself...fairly nippy and can take a thrashing..
@@rossturnbull8632 I heard people on pistonheads saying they are quite oversteery, have you found it to be the case? (I'm looking for my next car to be a bit more classic hot hatch in dynamic terms)
@@kieranmz4614 YES they are a bit but in a controllable fun way... in the wet with the t.c. switched off the back end can be entertaining although it never caught me out or switched ends...with quality rubber on each corner the st is a very good handling car for its time...the rs is a bit of a gem imho but the prices they are commanding nowadays is silly..
Huge Fast Ford fan so will never tyre of these reviews so keep them going Jay 👍
Only people who know what this is will respect it to the average person it's a normal focus
Doesnt look sporty enough mk2 is the king
Keeping the classics alive thanks m8 👍😎
The styling and wide track remind you of Colin McRae and his martini sponsored focus WRC car it looks the nuts
I had 3363 from new, made some of my happiest driving memories on detachment in southern Germany, great roads, great car, great fun
That grin when it tried to ri the steering wheel out of your hands......priceless 👍😁
Congrats on the 150k subs
Used to see these around Essex all the time as a kid, one of my favourite cars ever
I've got one, had it since Feb 2012. Used as a daily, just got 80k on. Lovely car, I've had loads of cars over the years. But I'm glad I kept hold of this one. It's getting some restoration this year, an a re spray. Looking forward to it
I have one to 109k on the clock 😉
@@bertbird2510 how long u had yours?
@@craiger82 About 2 years now always wanted one have a MK2 st as a daily still runs and drives sweet 😁
@@bertbird2510 I had a MK2 Rs mountune 375. Was awesome bit of kit! Had to sell as my ex owned half of it lol!
@@craiger82 My wife owns half of my Rs so I think I'm stuck with her 😂
I've doubled my money on quite a few cars...they're one of the few things you can invest in without paying tax when you sell them. Cars have always been and remain a great investment if you know your stuff, far better than speculating on rigged or volatile stocks and shares markets.
Technically capital gains tax is chargeable on the sale
Love the proportions of these. Exactly how a medium sized hot hatch should look. It's such a shame that all hot hatches now are 5 doors.
Pretty sure the golf R still comes in a 3 door model
@@jordanbotham Mk 8 Golf R is only available as a 5 door.
@@johnmitchell2269 Mk8 Golf is a horrible looking car, mk7 is just right.
Great looking car. Love the untinted look as well
Many years ago I owned a mark 1 Focus ST 170 as a stop gap car following a tax rebate and I loved the thing. Fine steering and handling and ride and brakes but never any torque steer problems as you had to rev the nuts off it to get anywhere quickly. We have a Mark one Focus RS near where I live now and I see the car often and it always turns my head and makes me smile I must say. It is a truly gorgeous car. In standard spec it could be a handful especially in the wet and I believe it's diff came in for a lot of criticism but the car had one thing that even my Golf R that I own today is lacking. Character. By the bucketful. This certainly is the last chance to buy one though at sensible(ish) money for sure. 👍
Been looking at these for ages to have alongside my regular mk1 focus (featured here already). Mint ones I see are 30k sometimes. Rust is a worry since you can’t get body panels anymore. These look soo good and best looking focus RS imo.
Great review. Thanks :)
Used to own the last one. Number 4501 back in 2007. (Since had loads of owners and written off I think.) Chris Harris drove it back from Germany to UK for Autocar. It was ok, looked great (on the outside). Nothing I look back on and miss tbh.
ouch you will upset fan boys, i just look and its meh just a fast focus. inside looks cheap
I also had one, a few memorable dives but most of the time it was a pita. Got a r32 after and preferred it.
I have an st170,looks just like this; imperial blue, bi xenon lights, full leather recaros, good fun to drive, was £1500
JayM. Damn quick for their time dude ! Do remember testing the 1st Gen ST170 model for my cousin as her first car to learn to drive a stick shift manual and it had way too much power back in '04 ? V.
Guy at work gave me a shot of his 12years ago and still remember it. Great car, even better slightly tweaked by bluefin
Never viewed this as a homologation special but I guess it is. That will always help with values.
Buying one this Sunday 👌 can't wait
Had one, loved it.
+1 on the Yokohama, had them on my mk4 seat ibiza cupra 20v turbo running 250bhp, 300ft pounds and they were lethal In the wet, nearly crashed multiple times doing under the speed limit on roundabouts, on boost things got hairy really quickly, remember going down teesside park to a focus rs meet in the 2000s, seen about 6 of them, backs were that stiff on these ones that they use to bounce around corners, fantastic little cars, a friend had the sparco seats from one in his mk6 fiesta st, good times
How funny is that I'm currently looking for one of these I've been all over CZcams the last couple of days greatness video 📹
Good luck, only going up in value
Join the mk1 focus Rs club great group and will help you with your search. Buy on condition rather than mileage and owners would be my advise 👍
I think you hit the nail on the head here. Yes hold on with both hands as it can pull either way but its that shear unpredictability that lets the drive down......and i think the std output gets the best mix from it.
Sublime video, thankyou.
I was going to write: Great, another affordable car review and...Wait a minute 🙂
I grew up watching and wanting the RS. And that colour with those alloys does it for me somehow. However I could only afford a used 1.6 petrol. And I loved that thing. Great car.
Unfortunately we only got the ST170 in Australia and they’re super rare but super cheap. I would love an 06-08 VW R32 though, they were beasts.
Great styling, great wheels and great colour
I can remember they weren’t very popular at the time I can’t remember the exact details, but I recall Ford promised something much better and then gave this, which Ford fans weren’t happy about. I’ve not driven an RS but even the standard mk1 Focus handled pretty sweet for what they were.
I love the wheels.
I have a mk2 focus rs witch ive had for 5 years it's amazing how they have climbed in price in the past 12 months. What does worries me is a bubble that will burst.
Why does it worry you if you are not planning to sell?
if i won the lottery. id buy one of these, and an FRP, and a Cosseh.
Loving the videos mate. Think the reason fords are going stupid in price is because its a car your dad probably owned so you're buying memories. My mk1 focus actually was my dad's before he passed away. It's still his car and I'm just the custodian. I love driving it albeit not very often with it being 24 yrs old now .....Old x reg 1999 zetec se in panther black. Keep up the cracking uplads James.
My focus RS is currently sold and being held and will be on the way to Canada next month. Can’t wait to have this home. Got number 2722.
I think a cheap Ford that would be good investment right now would be a mondeo st220 as it's the last of its type and a great car and still looking good
Try finding one thats not rotten is the problem.
I had one for 12 months, it was sound.
Steven Truman
I recently bought one that’s a bit of a lemon, there are few the things that need repairs. Hopefully won’t be too expensive.
I bought a TVR Tuscan 7 years ago. It's appreciated 30%. Pick the right car, keep it dry and turn it over regularly. The last 6 cars I've owned I've sold at a profit. Includes 2 mk1 audi TTs and a Defender.
Really want to pick up an TVR Sagaris in the next 3 years, just love the design and quirkiness mixed in with drooling about it in video games. Living in Poland forms some challenge in terms of the buying process, but am fully committed to put in the effort required to drive it around a little and sell it with profit.
I had one, great car!
This is my car, thanks Jay
I think I made the right choice of buying the ST170 and not the RS. My ST170 has always stuck to the road Like glue and I have made no mods other than upgrading the breaks to the RS Version.
Great Review Jay, I’ve had mine since 2011 it had 56k miles on the clock and cost me........ £6000 YES £6000.. it’s now sitting on 87k miles and is currently used for track days but have ever single original component still so can put it back to completely standard when I retire it from its duties..
You wouldn’t happen to have the front brake pads would you? I assume you’re using racing pads now, do you have the original pads?
Great looking car. Even the standard mk1, which was also a joy to drive.
Nice car but not a patch on the Sierra/Escort Cosworth or the Escort MkI/II RS versions for sheer character.
I’ve hah 0724 since 07 and love it even being on front page of fastford magazine 😎
ST170 are creeping up in value. I got one on low mileage stashed away in an ISO in my dad's farm 😂
I remember when the Focus came out. It was HiDe0uS! Now, I think the mk1 RS is one of the tastiest looking cars of all time. Just like the E60 BMW's, it has aged magnificently.
Why Ford didn't have the 4x4 option the Escort had I will never know, it wasn't rocket surgery.
Agree with everyone here. The styling is really nice.
If I was a bit older when these came out. At least I've got to drive one great classic car.
Of course it was a Europe only model. We got stuck with the SVT which is nice but man that RS with a turbo is awesome. Absolutely love the blue paint and the body style.
yep, i would love to get my hands on one of those here in the U.S.
I have one since 2011 and will never sell it. It may be rare in the UK but over here in Belgium it is a bit of an alien😁. Only people who know what it is have big respect for it. I even got pulled over by guys in an m4 and a 911 just because they wanted to have a look at the car. Really awesome looking thing. It's not a daily but I drive it very often which is what you should do, enjoy it. I'm also a massive Colin Mcrae fan and this car reminds me of him and his tarmac spec WRC focus. To all owners : please take care of your car and drive it, drive it, drive it!
I love the mk1 Ford Focuses, and I love the RS trim!
Love the MK1 RS had one build number 1429 brilliant car
Being a handful makes it more fun
My dream MK1 focus!
Best colour Ford have ever done
Would love a Mk1 FRS, to run alongside my hooligan Mk2 FRS of course! Neither car is perfect, far from it, but that's part of the appeal. Perfect = monumentally dull!
Allways loved the looks of mk1
Thanks J! Great review. This or the Lotus Excel then as your classic car recommendation.........?
Special these 💙
I’m glad you mentioned the torque steer issue.....but I’m a bit surprised your criticisms weren’t more severe. It is after all, a fundamental (vs a minor) problem when you can’t put the power down. Having owned a mazdaspeed3 I’m familiar with this fun-interrupting issue. Having also had a 2016 focus RS .... you can see the benefit of torque management through 4wd (and in a thoroughly modern unit, excellent torque vectoring). The late model one is an absolute assassin (but not without its troubles.
As you mentioned briefly.....the lower power output would serve this older platform better.
Having never driven the civic type r (because the styling choices make it impossible for me to be a serious buyer), I get the impression that years of development (and Honda ingenuity) deliver nothing short of black magic to deal with all that torque through the front wheels
My ST150 has a fair bit of torque steer and I find it fun because you have to try and control it, it adds to the experience imo
@@alfmoore7606 - I appreciate what you’re saying, and I’m not saying I can’t relate.....but for each time I found torque steer to be a fun aspect of the driving experience, there were many more times that it’s fundamentally what I didn’t want to happen. Call me old school, but I’ve had loads of fwd and rwd and some awd.....give me rwd as the optimal set up.
@@stms4411 yeah that's fair enough, have scared myself before flooring it not realising the road is quite cambered and nearly going off the road haha
Someone who lives a few doors down has a MK1 Focus RS, a late 90’s Fiesta Sport in an identical colour, a neon yellow Lotus Elise and an E30 BMW 3-Series.
Having owned one for 11 years. A few points.
1. It’s not just part availability it’s the cost of the parts too! They are 4x a normal focus. 70% of the car it totally different to a normal focus.
2. Tyres, tyres, tyres. The torque steer is actually fine is you know how to drive it properly. It’s just the mechanical diff can really catch you out if your used to electrical gadgets pulling you out of trouble. It’s a drivers car.
3. Prices are rising but so is the ongoing maintenance. They are now 20 years old which means sills and arches, wings are almost certainly rusty and need doing... which you might as well just give the car a full respray... along with that there’s the £3000 underside restoration + rebushing and changing all the rubber stuff.
So you buy a £15,000 car that’s pretty good. And you spend another £10,000 on it. Isn’t such a great investment now tbh.
They are also now slow by modern standards and if you mod your limit is 300bhp really. After this it’s just people pretending it’s ok.
All in all though. Not a good investment (IMO) but if you really love WRC and Classic Fords. A real nice car to have in the garage :)
Very nice car and looks great fun to drive, some ways wish I bought one whilst they were at reasonable money.
I think now I would struggle to justify spending the minimum £15k (according to AutoTrader) for one unless you have a passion for the Ford brand and or hot hatches.
Me personally if I wanted a future classic hot hatches of around that era I would look at the Mk5 Golf GTI / R32, Honda Civic Type R or Renault Clio 182
Great cars, love mine and won't be selling it anytime soon. Its not strictly a homologation car like the Escort Cosworth was. At the time Ford used the same parts company's on the WRC Focus and the RS, Brembo brakes, AP clutch, Quaife front diff, Sparco seats, OZ Wheels, Sachs suspension...
Jayemm, im looking forward to watching this video over a nice £3 meal deal at work but, on a separate note, i dont know much about vauxhall as a brand but im often told by men who around the 40-50year old mark that they used to make solid hot hatches.
Can you do a video on one of their newer hot hatches and kind of explain why they are so overlooked in the modern world of fun cars? I literally hear nobody talking about fast vaxhauls AT ALL. Its almost taboo!
What was their downfall?
Cheers,
The kindest pastry on the internet.
Vauxhall don’t make any VXRs anymore and the only ones that really were any good (that weren’t rebadged Holdens) were the Insignia and Astra GTC. One of those two 2012 onwards would be a good review.
Boots meal deal? Not had one for a while, no idea what they cost now.
@@sparky4878 tesco meal deal bro! Individually scanned in the items ive got come to £7.40, then you priced to payment and it reduces it to £3.
If someone can explain to me how tesco can afford to lose £4 on a meal deal then im all ears
I'm not sure what P B is talking about VXR's & the Astra GTC are all modern cars!!
Vauxhalls back in the day ie Astra mk3 GSI, Astra mk2 GTE, Calibra 2l 16V, V6 & turbo models, Cavilier SRI, GSI & yes Turbo along with models such as Lotus Carltons, I could even mentioned the most notorious models such as Nova 1.2 "onwards all the way to a GSI" & even the later models of the Corsa "again upwards to GSI" if memory serves me they even got offered with a turbo model option?!? etc are all recognisable models back in the day & I'm sure they would turn any younger drivers heads, especially as driver, fun cars to drive around & enjoy not forgetting easily tuneable & modifiable in so many ways.
Modern Vauxhalls especially early 2k ie Holden rebadged models they've taken alot away from the brand, they've only really offered a larger engine ie V8 & more power yet lacked in pretty much everything else... the astra GTC well that's pointless to even mention.
These models the only down fall was age & technology moving forwards, ie along with models moving forwards as we still see the astra, corsa. the others ended in favour of newer models & more upto date engines usually with less power & more eco friendly.
I owned a Calibra 2.0l 16v red top & it was fantastic to drive years ago, even now I'm fond to see them on the roads, however you barely see any, just like old astra's & caviliers etc
@HVACRWrld yes vaguely, however wasn't that just a cavalier with a body kit.... other then that it doesn't really standout at all, I remember the SRI & GSI/Turbo alot more
Greetings from Germany 🙋🏽♂️
A proper modern classic, after this the Focus just got bigger and heavier, there's one near me for sale, it's mint, he wants 18 grand, maybe one day 😁
Such a beautiful car😍
Fast Ford's are some of the best cars for going up in value when you read the journalists magazine reviews years ago it seems like Ford may have boosted some of the test cars as some said they were great then others said they torque steered like crazy I like the later focus rs with the 5 cylinder turbo as well these rs's had a load of trick bits on them as well
Love these cars
Never been a fan of Dagenham dustbins, not the RS models which are only driven by NEETs with ASBOs, but damn this car is making me want to change my mind.
Wish we got this generation of focus RS in the states!
5 year old ditchfinder Yokos... no wonder it's lively. Get 4 decent new tyres on it, and it'll be far better
Such a cool car! Such a shame the the RS is no more and sad that Dagenham now only makes engines and acts as a port for all the cars coming from Germany. Hopefully it survives given the new overheads of being outside the EU.
Needs boost by gear and switchable aftermarket traction control. I really like the mk1 frs.
Luv those Focuses. Need one of the steering wheels.
I had one of these. It was stage 4+ by Demob Pete running 400ish bhp with bc racing coil overs I had no torque steer. Plus good tyres. One of my favourite cars I’ve owned and would love another if it was running 380+ bhp. Very very fun terrible brakes though lol
Just having the right tyres can make a night and day difference on any performance car
Take the plunge, I had a phase 1 and I loved it , it was and still is hands down the best fast ford I have owned and I wish that I had kept it. Yes they are expensive now but if you don't grab one now they will very soon be in the price range of the escort Cossie , I sold mine for 6k 5 years ago and now they are anything from 17k. Do it
I had a stock one but sold it last year never felt a connection with it so replaced it with a MK2 Focus RS Mountune Clubsport MR420 in UG much better car IMO.
Love the UG RS...I have the mk2.5 ST MR290 on a 59 plate at present, great car.
Great looking car but for me, it seems to be a little bit too expensive. Not as a collector's car, but when you actually buy to use it. - Still iconic!
I tried a couple back in the day and they were both very different. One, like this one wanted to kill me at every opportunity. The other was just bloody awful. It just would not grip or corner at all. They were both standard so I have no idea why they were so different. Both were in good condition with good tyres and low mileage so I can't say that one was worn out. Strange cars. If you get a good one just hang on and have fun.
One of them for sale in Ireland a short time ago, was just shy of €20k.
There's one locally for £18k with 40k miles. Looks like a bargain considering it's completely standard and mint.
@@Mybwain Can get an JDM FD2 Civic Type-R for that money though.....The Type-R smokes the RS.
@@v4skunk739 you couldn't buy anything else if you wanted the focus. A car like this you buy because you want it not because of numbers and races.
@@Mybwain Either way the FD2 is better.
@@v4skunk739 smh, you missed my point.
Always loved a fast ford