@wheelsaustralia 99
crowds. One guy practically trips over an
AC Cobra in his enthusiasm to get close
enough for a selfie. Everybody knows
what it is, and the most asked question is
whether I’ve tried the Drift Mode yet.
While this rolling parade is fun, the
autoroute schlep means I’m not learning
much about the RS beyond the fact it
wants to go faster. The cabin feels like that
of a Focus ST that’s been given a search-
and-replace makeover to turn trim from
red to blue, and the optional bucket seats
prove uncomfortable over a long stint.
AT ROUEN we leave the high-speed péage
for ‘the old road’. When I first came to Le
Mans 20 years ago, there was no toll road
and this was the only route; I remember
that locals would bring deckchairs and
picnics to the side of the road to watch
the exodus of crazy rosbifs heading south.
These days most of the traffic sticks to the
motorway and, figuring the gendarmes will
be sticking close to their natural prey, I let
the Focus off the leash.
Speed makes the RS feel instantly better.
It is one of those cars that wants to play
hard all the time. An accomplished cruiser,
just one that’s happiest travelling at about
twice the speed limit. Extra loadings wake
up the chassis, the heaving ride improves
and the engine revels in a chance to get
past 3000rpm, where it really starts to pull
hard all the way to the 6800rpm limiter.
And switching the dynamic mode selector
to Sport produces some pops and bangs
from the exhaust on overrun.
The road is practically empty and arrow
straight for kilometres at a time. Despite
the need to slow for occasional villages,
our average speed is barely compromised.
What’s missing are corners. Occasional
roundabouts give the magic torque-splitting
rear axle a chance to show off its ability to
tighten the cornering line, but otherwise
it’s pretty much just along for the ride.
Past Alencon, with just 50km to go, I opt
for a further diversion in search of more
demanding tarmac, picking a circuitous
course based pretty much on how twisty the
minor ‘D’ roads look on the map.
It’s not the sort of route anything but
the most drunken crow would fly, but it is
fun. This part of France is rolling farmland
punctuated by vast wind turbines, and
both the D5 and D21 are twisty and three-
dimensional enough to give the RS a
proper dynamic workout. They also deliver
near-instant proof that, unlike many of its
whiz-bang predecessors, it’s far more than
a one-trick pony. While most RSs have been
far better at straights than corners, this
one is searingly fast everywhere, especially
with the monster grip of the optional track-
spec tyres fitted to our car.
A gravel parking area provides a chance
to prove Drift Mode does what it claims,
instantly kicking the tail out and then
attempting to hold it there. But the clever
torque-splitting rear axle is better at real-
world stuff, it’s separate electronically
controlled clutches on each side vectoring
torque to effectively eliminate understeer.
You don’t have to go insanely fast to
feel it working, sending a jolt of torque to
the outside rear wheel to sharpen turn-in
and digging in to tighten the line when
the front runs out of grip. The result isn’tsmoking oversteer – you need to work
hard to make the RS relinquish grip,
even in slow corners – rather it’s a car
that manages to feel both ultra-keen and
impressively stable at the same time.TAKING the scenic route was a good idea.
Arriving in Le Mans immediately ends the
prospect of any further driving pleasure.
It’s clear why the roads have been so
empty; everyone is already here, and in a
vast jam that encircles the town. Having a
racetrack that uses public roads gives Le
Mans a unique character – you can drive
on more than half the course 360 days a
year – but does nothing for congestion.
The long drive across town to the
accreditation centre then out to Arnage
is at barely walking pace, and the heavy
clutch pedal gives a deep-burn thigh
workout. Although the manual gearshift
has been a great companion on the journey
down, I’m soon wishing for the dual-clutch
auto Ford is said to be developing.
Finally arriving in Arnage – the village
that gave its name to one of the circuit’s
more famous corners – the bars are full.
The vibe is good natured, although one
drunk stands in the road demanding a
burnout in return for letting us past. Not
something the all-paw RS would be up for,
even if there wasn’t a gendarme standing
10 metres away, although some heavy
rubber marks on the road suggest that not
everyone has been so careful.MANUFACTURERS come and go at
Le Mans, but Ford’s return after the best
part of five decades away does feel special.Speed makes the RS feel instantly better.
It’s a car that wants to play hard all the time
Model Ford Focus RS
Engine 2261cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, turbo
Max power 257kW @ 6000rpm
Max torque 440Nm @ 2000-4500rpm
Transmission 6-speed manual
Kerb weight 1599kg
0-100km/h 4.7sec
Fuel economy 8.1L/100km
Price $50,990 (estimated)
On sale Now