02 Sep 09
Ford Focus RS
We've been eager to get our hands on our Ford Focus RS long-termer ever since we tested the car on its launch in the south of France. Then, we were bowled over by its excellent drive and were eager to find out whether the car would be as impressive on bumpy British tarmac. And now we've had our chance.
On familiar UK roads, our first impression of the RS is of unexpected refinement. The quality of the clutch sums this up: it's light, smooth and quick, feeling like it only has to deal with 100bhp rather than three times that amount. And it has no clutch drag - that slight hesitation when you dip the clutch on fast gearchanges - which often mars powerful manuals.
Ford Focus RS
Torque steer is absent on smooth roads, and it's manageable enough on rough B-roads, where you can feel the wheel tugging slightly in your hands on full throttle. Unlike the first-generation Focus RS - which tried to go every which way but forwards - this car goes in a straight line when you want it to.
Soon it was time for the RS to head off on its first trip abroad: a 2,000-mile jaunt to Italy and Switzerland. Okay, a car that looks like a refugee from the World Rally Championship wouldn't normally be the first choice for a one-day drive to Italy, but we had every confidence in the Focus.
