Regardless of the generation, the Ford Focus RS proved on numerous occasions that it’s one of the best in the hot hatch segment.
As for the four-wheel drive Mk3 depicted on film below, it took on a couple of more established rivals, with surprising results.
Though it’s not a stock example but rather a tuned one, there’s no word on its exact output. Even in standard form, however, its pretty quick thanks to its 2.3-liter four-pot that puts out a healthy 350 horsepower. Combine that with all-wheel drive, and the 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) acceleration takes only 4.7 seconds, while top seed was 165 mph (266 km/h).
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In the first race, this tuned RS went up against a BMW M3 E93 said to have been modified as well. No performance numbers have been divulged, but the naturally aspirated V8, that in this case comes with a 7-speed DCT transmission, was already good for 414 horses before the tuning job.
After going shoulder to shoulder with the older M3, the Focus RS then lined up at the start line for another run, this time against an M3 F80. According to the video uploader, this one hasn’t been tampered with, which means that its twin-turbo 3.0-liter straight-six still pumps out 425 hp.
The races took place on a public road, late at night, somewhere in Mexico. Unlike another filmed in the country last fall, which saw a Lamborghini Huracan Performante going for an unintended off-roading session, this (illegal?) street drag race wasn’t marred by any unpleasant incidents.