Drive It Irresponsibly
We are harassed by a tide of goodness and false moralism whose sole objective is to wash hands, aiming a severe warning look in every direction you can lay your eyes – the car world is not exempt and our beloved four wheels are more and more domesticated. But thank God we have hot-hatches, always to be considered against the odds, pocket rockets that meet the needs of young customers and must have enough power for a few miles of fun under the same car that you need for reaching the university or the office.
The Focus RS does not distort this concept, but leads it to a much higher level, especially compared to the previous model, which despite a good handling and endless possibilities for upgrades, has never been able to make me fall in love. The MK3 has all-wheel drive, 350 horses, a look that does not scream war to the cops (not as the legendary Cosworth) and a strong ability for enhancing your driving emotions. It is not so much for the incredible amount of grip or for the 2.3 turbo that pushes hard under any circumstances, but for the continuous relationship of understanding between driver and chassis, which makes it possible to speed on the razor blade from start to finish, after burning some rubber and a lot of petrol. Drive it irresponsibly then, with all the obvious recommendations in terms of road rules (otherwise someone will kill me!), but remember to pull it by the neck, to pinch the rev limiter, to be violent with gearbox and clutch and to brake with decision. It will do the rest, widening the tail (Drift Mode or not) when it will be the case and confirming that it is not only a fantastic hot hatch, but a real hooligan. And like any self-respecting vice, it is addictive.
Check the full article on the next issue of Auto Class.
Words by Alessandro Marrone
Photo by Andy Williams