The long, at times fraught history of the Ford Focus occasionally produced some spectacular oddities. From the original RS we never got in the States, to the dreary “second-gen” we unfortunately only got, the Focus represented the potential of what the Blue Oval could achieve when it threw its global weight behind a small car—even if that potential was rarely realized. On this side of the pond, it did result in a few stunning one-offs for shows like SEMA, and wouldn’t you know such a creation is for sale on Facebook Marketplace.
This papaya orange build, located in Sarasota, Florida, combines one of those original RS widebody kits with a Whipple-supercharged, Coyote V8 delivering a purported 725 horsepower. This was well before the days of the all-wheel-drive RS, though, so all that power gets directed—where else—but to the rear axle. A full cage, Eaton limited-slip differential, Cobra brakes, and Tremec T45 five-speed manual complete this tuner’s fever dream, which apparently dates back to the mid-aughts. You know, if the shouty paint job, absurd cowl hood, and big-ass subwoofer in the cargo area didn’t give that away.
Now, this Focus happens to look a lot like one that recently sold in January at a Barrett-Jackson auction in Arizona, for $35,200. A story from Ford Muscle says this build, based on a 2001 hatch, churned “over 500 horsepower” and employed an 8.8-inch live axle out of a Mustang. Either the word “over” is doing plenty of heavy lifting there, or this thing is even more monstrous than it was six months ago. Today, it’s listed for $53,500, or a “cool trade.” Hey, it’s 2024—did you think we were getting out of this without someone turning a big profit?
In any case, we don’t know who was originally responsible for this screaming-hot hatch, but experiments like these weren’t extremely uncommon in the Focus’ heyday. Ford even tried its hand at one itself, called the RS8. Armed with a 5.0-liter, 420-hp Cammer crate motor, this one-off was the ultimate sleeper back in ’03, masquerading as a standard Euro-market RS from the time, from its blue sheetmetal to its rally-style bumpers and big five-spokes fit for a tarmac stage.
Personally, it’s more my speed than the Need for Speed Underground-cosplaying example that brought us here today, but to each their own. The important thing is that if this Focus is your style, now’s the time to make your move.
Got tips? Send ’em to tips@thedrive.com