What's all this about?
Production of the sensational third-generation Ford Focus RS is coming to an end on April 6 this year.
Boooo! So what am I looking at here?
A celebratory run-out special called the Heritage Edition, limited to just 50 units.
Yaaay! Tell me more about this one, please.
OK, the Focus RS Heritage Edition is exclusive to the UK and it follows December's announcement of the 300-off Red Edition - to be built in February and March only - that featured the Quaife LSD of the RS Edition of mid-2017... we hope you're following this, by the way.
Umm... sort of. So is the Heritage Edition just a fancy colour and a Quaife diff?
No, that was the Red Edition, which was in Race Red (there's a hint in the car's name). Although the Focus RS Heritage Edition does indeed come in a fancy hue, in this case 'Tief Orange', 'tief' being the German for 'deep'. It has been built to mark not only the end of the Focus RS Mk3's glittering time in production, but also 50 years of the Escort nameplate in the UK (forget the 1950s estate version of the Anglia 100E, just think back to 1968's glorious Escort Mk1).
Why the Escort, particularly?
Because it was the forerunner to the Focus, obvs, and also because 1968 was the first year we saw Ford's RS badge - on the back of an Escort Mk1, y'see.
Right, so I get the Heritage Edition bit of the name. What else do I get in my fast Focus?
Aside from the Deep Orange and the Quaife diff, this last Focus RS has the dealer-fitted FPM375 Mountune upgrade, meaning you've got 375hp and 510Nm to play with. It also features grey brake calipers behind black forged alloy wheels, black door mirrors and rear spoiler, part-leather Recaro seats, privacy glass, a sunroof, rear parking sensors, power-fold door mirrors, cruise control with a speed limiter and a heated steering wheel. For this little lot, and for the fact that if you buy one, you'll be part of an exclusive 50-strong club, the price is an Audi RS 3-troubling £39,895. All right, not quite as much as a bog basic RS 3 Sportback, but getting perilously close...
Yeah, but it's an even-more-special Ford Focus RS, so it's worth it. What does Ford of Britain say?
Andy Barratt, chairman and MD for Ford of Britain, said: "The RS brand is hugely important to Ford and is recognised across the globe. However, it has a special place in the hearts of UK Ford fans. This latest model is the best RS we've ever produced, so it seems a fitting tribute as we approach its 50th anniversary."
Matt Robinson - 14 Feb 2018