The Ford Focus RS 500: A Limited Edition with a Price to Match

Last year, Ford gave us the Focus RS, showcasing that it's possible to put around 300 brake horsepower on the front wheels. This time around, they're back with a new limited edition model, the RS500, which ups the ante to 345 brake horsepower.

One of the most interesting facts about this car is its price. For £135,000, you could have not one, but two Clio Cups - a fact that highlights just how good the Clear-cut Cup is compared to the Focus RS. While Ford suggests that the Focus RS is "fine," it needs to be twice as good as the Clio Cup, which is a pretty tall order. However, by driving the car on the road and then back at the track, trying to find out where it can justify its price premium, it's clear that the Focus RS 500 has some unique qualities.

One of these changes is the Ford Delivery System, which has been tweaked to provide more torque, as well as a new exhaust system that remains unchanged from the standard RS. The only notable change is the matte paint finish on the outside, and a few cosmetic tweaks inside. However, it's worth noting that the first two keys for this model come with no noticeable benefit over the standard RS - the car is still torque-limited until you shift into third gear.

As you start to feel the effects of the extra power, it becomes clear that the Focus RS 500 is a different animal altogether. The Clio, which is not designed to compete with the Focus RS, struggles to keep up in a straight line - and the Ford sounds even better than the standard RS, with plenty of pops and bangs on overrun and induction. On the road, the car rides well, thanks to its suspension, but it's clear that you're wielding a weapon when you're slotting third gear.

However, there is one area where the Focus RS 500 falls short - agility. While it's still a fun car to drive on the road, it doesn't feel as alive or energetic as the Clio. The Focus RS has plenty of turn-in and adjustability in its chassis, but it also feels like you're using heavy artillery when you shift into third gear. You need to keep the engine in the ball and maintain momentum through the corners - a different experience from driving the Clio.

Now, let's take a look at how the Focus RS 500 performs on the track. According to our old stopwatch, lap times are respectable but not blistering - and we expect the tires and brake wear to be the biggest expense for any owner of this car. However, in terms of stability and handling through fast corners, the Clio feels more at home - with a firmer rear end that's more stable than the Focus RS 500.

Overall, our experience with the Ford Focus RS 500 has been one of mixed emotions. While it's clear that it's a very special car, both in terms of its performance and its price - £7,000 more expensive than the standard RS, and also more than twice as much as a Clio Cup - there's also a sense that it's not worth the extra cost.

But is it worth anything at all? That depends on what you're looking for in a hot hatch. While the Focus RS 500 is certainly a more refined package than the standard RS, and offers plenty of power and performance, we believe that the Clio Cup does exactly the same thing - and at a fraction of the price.

The Clio Cup costs just £17,000, making it an absolute steal for a car with so much power and performance. And when you consider that the Focus RS 500 is essentially a more powerful version of the standard RS, but also comes with a hefty price tag - we think that there's no better value in the hot hatch market than the Clio Cup.

So, if you're looking for a car that truly embodies the spirit of what a hot hatch should be - performance, agility, and excitement - then look no further than the Renault Clio Cup. It may not have all the bells and whistles of the Focus RS 500, but it's a more enjoyable, more accessible, and more affordable package that's sure to put a smile on your face every time you get behind the wheel.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enlast year four gave us the mark to Focus RS and showed us that you can just about put 300 brake horsepower with the front wheels well now they're back again with this the limited edition rs500 that ups the game to 345 brake horsepower for me though it's not the forged power that's the most interesting fact about the car it's its price because for 135 thousand pounds for this car for that you could have not one but two Clio cups they're not suggesting this focus on I was fine but it needs to be twice as good as the clear cut because that is a pretty tall order but by driving it on the road and then later back at the track trying to find out just where it can justify its price premium or for that matter the premium over the regular Focus RS because the five memory is about seven grand more expensive and that buys you presently that extra forty five brake horsepower and a bit more torque which comes from changes to the field delivery system and the exhaust natural turbocharger that remains unchanged on the outside you've got that mandatory matte paint finish on the inside here just a few cosmetic changes now an interesting point here because we're getting this 500 and done it for the first two keys you're not actually gonna feel any benefit over the regular RS because it is torque limited it's not until you get into third gear that you can feel the read of it all the extra power and talk well this is where the poor old Clio can't hope to keep up with a 500 in a straight line and the Ford also sounds better than that clear we've got loads of pops and bangs on the overrun and induction on bushes and because the suspension on the 500 isn't any different from the regular car the rides pretty good it's just such a fun car to drive on the road you've got a great turn in adjustable chassis and now the extra pace you got in third and fourth gear it's such a weapon and now on the Clio the whole car feels more alive and energetic in the focus there's no lack of agility but it does feel like you're wielding the heavy artillery you're slotting third gear you're unleashing all that power and torque you're somewhat bludgeoning the road and it clear that you've really got to keep the engine in the ball and you're gonna keep the momentum up through the corners and that makes for a different time of enjoyment than you get in the Ford now which is better well that's debatable but I reckon there's more opportunity to enjoy the clear on the road than it is the Ford that's on the road at least now let's see how they can turn the track it's not scientific but going to use the old stopwatch for lap time just be patient how the slow corners I could juggernaut down the streets those so much talk very losing on the road for a circuit just catch you out a little bit what's that then well this is a really entertaining track up but just get the sense you're gonna be paying the price in terms of tires a brake wear and I just expected clear to just feel a little bit home faster just like it's built for this right over the line let's go for a Time in the Clio it just feels a lot more stable but firmer more stability at the rear this is where the clear feels just so underpowered we all that talk deficit shows no different this class so if you get on the power too early you're just gonna waste time and power so confidence-inspiring through the fast stuff - 15 and a half which it's gotta be said it's a pretty respectable time that's worth three and a half seconds off the focuses pacing now to an extent that little debate we're having today is redundant because Ford has already sold each and every one of the RS 500 it plans to make and each one of those owners will have a very exciting striking looking car do I think it's worth the extra over the regular RS well I've got to say I don't look it is now second question do we think the RS 500 teaches a clear cup anything well I reckon you certainly cover ground quickly in the Ford and it is a more refined package but I think it's the runner that better defines the essence of what a hot hat should be given you can buy that car for less than 17 thousand pounds makes it a bit of a steal in fact auric a powerful pound there's no better\n"