RIP. Production of Ford Performance's #FocusRS hot hatch will officially cease on April 6th, 2018.
Ford Motor Company however is planning to roll-out one final hurrah for their infamous hot hatch, with a UK-only special edition model limited to just 50 units.
Dubbed the Heritage Edition to commemorate 50 years of the Ford Escort, the car the Focus replaced, comes with a front mechanical Quaife Engineering limited-slip differential (LSD), and some extra poke courtesy of a FPM375 Mountune engine upgrade that sees power increase from 257kw/470nm to 275kw/510nm - thanks to a high-flow induction kit, uprated turbo re-circulating valve and calibration.
But apart for some minor trim finishes, the biggest change is its blazing orange paintwork - similar to that as seen on the Focus ST.
Its UK price? ZAR 647 000, which is up from the regular Focus RS at ZAR 540 000.
Also worth a look: the Ford Transit Custom and the Ford Escort Mk1 RS Returns as 800kg Track Weapon.
FAQ
Q: What does the Ford Focus RS Heritage Edition cost in South Africa?
The Ford Focus RS Heritage Edition was priced at R647,000 in South Africa, making it significantly more expensive than the regular Focus RS which cost R540,000.
Q: How much power does the Ford Focus RS Heritage Edition produce?
The Heritage Edition produces 275kW and 510Nm thanks to the FPM375 Mountune engine upgrade, which is up from the standard Focus RS's 257kW and 470Nm.
Q: How many Ford Focus RS Heritage Edition models were made?
Ford only produced 50 units of the Focus RS Heritage Edition, making it an extremely limited UK-only special edition model.
Q: What makes the Ford Focus RS Heritage Edition special?
The Heritage Edition features a Quaife Engineering mechanical limited-slip differential, a Mountune power upgrade, distinctive blazing orange paintwork, and commemorates 50 years of the Ford Escort.
Q: Is the Ford Focus RS Heritage Edition worth buying?
At R647,000 for just 50 units worldwide, the Heritage Edition was more of a collector's piece than a practical purchase, especially considering you could get 90% of the performance from the standard RS for R107,000 less.
Should You Buy It?
Well, you can't anymore, but if you could have snagged one of these 50 Heritage Editions back in 2018, it would depend on your wallet and collector ambitions. At R647,000, you were paying a hefty R107,000 premium over the standard Focus RS for some orange paint, a diff upgrade, and bragging rights. The best hot hatch under R650,000 in SA was actually the standard Focus RS at R540,000, which gave you 95% of the Heritage's thrills without the collector car price tag. Unless you're the type who needs the rarest of the rare in your garage, the regular RS was the smarter buy.
