Now, the Focus RS is one of those cars that might seem like a good idea for a while. It's basically a blue-collar Black Series but it's not a car for slipping under the radar, be it domestic or of the speed enforcement kind. 'Sneaking' is never going to be on the agenda.
...a Focus RS, even at its most subtle
...a Focus RS, even at its most subtleWhich is why for little over half the price of a comparable RS this 3 MPS appeals. OK, it's not a hero car in the RS mould. Nor is it quite so rabidly fast, at least in standard form. But a Phase One BBR chip kit can unleash 290hp for £550 and if you're willing to channel a bit more of that up-front saving into a Phase Two kit for £1,645 you get 318hp.
And the great thing about the MPS is that it's already got the foundations to take this kind of power, a proper mechanical limited-slip diff in place and a sense that it was always built with headroom for some truly Banzai performance. A few more quid on some nice dampers would be the finishing touch, this stealth grey version subtle enough to sneak by when required, in possession of five doors for the family man in a hurry and tempting at £12,990.
Three doors enough? Your half price RS rival...
Three doors enough? Your half price RS rival...There is a cloud on the Mazda's horizon beyond those odd looks and anonymous reputation. And that's a glut of temptingly affordable pre-facelift Megane Renaultsport 250s. OK, they're all three-door and not quite as family friendly. But there are plenty to choose from in this price bracket and if you get one with a Cup chassis (complete with proper brakes and diff) and invest a bit with a respected tuner like K-Tec Racing you too can go chasing Focus RSes for a fraction of the cost.
RS Fords traditionally have a strong reputation for holding their value and a few years down the line an unmolested Focus will probably still be commanding a five-figure pricetag. But that's several years' worth of fun you'll have had for a fraction of the cost in these alternative diff-equipped and equally tuneable alternatives. Time better spent than worrying about residuals, perhaps?
