7 things you (probably) didn't know about the Ford Focus RS MK1

The Ford Focus RS MK1 is a very special and unique car with a very interesting history. Here I cover some of the things that you may not know about the car.

[@martindivall5301]

I have a MK1 Focus RS , I sold my Mk2 Focus RS to buy it, and I much prefer the MK1 , in a way I bought the wrong car, I found a low mileage 1 owner totally standard one...so I don't use it as a daily , I should have bought a cheaper high mileage one and enjoyed using it more ! Very underrated cars, and a joy to drive, the harder you push , the better they respond.

[@FezzaYT]

Lol, yeah, the dilemma! I use mine as my daily. I didn't want a perfect one just for that reason. I wanted to use it. They are great fun but slightly challenging as a daily 😅

[@Patricks_Kanal]

I'm still drive mine since 2010 and I love it every drive. the sparepart situation is like other small production cars but you find still what you need, the community ist still alive and helps where they can.

[@abrahamg4005]

Great video as always. Would love to see a series like this for all you other vehicles. Also I’d be interested in you making a video explaining cars you’ve owned in the past and regret selling, as well as cars you’d like to own in the future

[@FezzaYT]

Thanks mate! Noted 😊

[@SumUnicus]

It has a electric waterpump yes... But that pump circulate the water for the charge cooler, not the engine :O

[@ianoconnell8678]

I think these are very underrated and unfairly dismissed in my opinion there just such an excellent all rounder and proper rally car for the roads😎

[@FezzaYT]

It really does feel like a rally car for the road...which isn't always a good thing 😅

[@Jasonj___8]

I miss the hood old Fezza 360,F430 days. Days of breakdowns,DIY fixes etc.How about returning to type again Justin 🚒👍👍

[@JohnHonda101]

I have had my MK for 12 years and I can assure you the Water Pump is not electronic. I bought a new pump in 2013 for its major service and kept the Original which was sent to SP Water Pumps in the UK (as a backup) for a refurb.

[@RONRS2K]

I'm guessing he's getting mixed up with the charge cooler pump

[@FezzaYT]

Yes, I was! Doh!!

[@trut52]

It's turned unbelievably cold here on the southern coast. Hopefully we get the sun back soon. Interesting story about the pain color. White would also look very nice in my opinion.

[@FezzaYT]

For sure! Black would have been very cool too. There is a white one somewhere, I've seen photos of it. The owner repainted it. It does like nice 😁

[@paulwright9656]

Fantastic cars, loved mine and would have another in a heartbeat if I wasn't (sadly) afraid of using it as intended nowadays due to the values in the UK. So many high end parts used at the time and I think even then, at £19,995 it was still a bargain, hence why they were making well over £20k for such a long time. I paid £16,500 for mine at 18 months old and that was cheap for a 1 owner car with 8k. While the Mk2 and Mk3 RS were undoubtedly great, the Mk1 was the only model I desperately wanted to own.

[@FezzaYT]

I'm the same. Ever since it came out I always wanted one, but at the time I just couldn't afford it. It's good to finally have one in the garage 🙂

[@charlesshamseldin9555]

More mk1 focus content Fezza!!

[@laser-sj]

Good to see you back making videos but i have to say i wish you had kept the Mk 3 focus RS !

[@FezzaYT]

Thanks mate. I do like to change cars every few years as I get bored easily ☺️

[@keithhedley1392]

Good video thanks the mk1 has really grown on me in the last few years

[@FezzaYT]

It is a great car. I've always wanted one. It's very entertaining :)

[@paulmerrett5939]

I almost bought a mk1 RS in 2014.. really wish I had! Great car.. some interesting facts you gave.. didn’t realise it was a 5speed!!

[@FezzaYT]

Yeah, it's a bit of a problem... especially as I forget and try and put it in reverse on the motorway 😅

[@eppyz]

In the USA we never received the RS like in the video. We did get the Focus SVT which looks very similar not sure what all they have in common though 🤔 The SVT had a 170bhp 2.0 naturally aspirated engine and at the time there was a supercharger sold by Jackson Racing that was a complete bolt on kit. We also had available a Roush model that was extremely cool but only sold at specific dealers. Cool cars very underrated and greatly missed😎👍

[@FezzaYT]

I just had to Google the Focus SVT. Didn't know it existed! It's like a baby RS. They even had it in the same colour. How interesting 🙂. Need to research that a bit more

[@m3trix994]

The SVT version is basically the equivalent of the Focus ST170 that was sold in Europe.

[@eppyz]

@@FezzaYT indeed was a great Car and there was a supercharger kit available back when they were new from Jackson Racing. This company made the Supercharger for the SVT focus and for some Hondas. Here in the USA the SVT focus was also available in a 5 door as well👍

[@dhruva08]

called st170 in uk

[@eppyz]

@@dhruva08 Very cool, was there a super charger option for it like here in the USA? Did you folks have the Roush versions too? Or is that just a USA thing?

[@hdmk213]

I didn't know 6 of those... so you taught me. Thanks Justin - an enjoyable video. You certainly get more words out when you're not driving along 😂

[@FezzaYT]

Lol! Yeah, it's hard to drive and talk on a nice road ☺️

[@nick-andre08]

We have a Ford Focus (not a RS). just a more Extreme Version. The People Who watched Rallycross in 2001-2004/2005-2006 knows This Focus. Its the EX Ludvig Hunsbedt Ford Focus T16 4X4 that he built for 2001. It was first yellow, then it got a weird color scheme that he used to 2004 when he sold it to Sverre Isachsen in 2005. Sverre used this car since Guttorm Lindefjell used his car (which was the 2000 focus to Hunsbedt. the Statoil colored one). When Lindefjell was doen with Sverre's car, Sverre let Tommy Rustad use it for about a year since Rustad started driving in Sverre's RX team. We are restoring it to 2005 spec and going to use it in Retro Rallycross. We also have the EX Iversen RS200 E2, EX Martin Schanche 1993-1995 EX Ludvig Hunsbedt 1996-1999 Championship winning Ford Escort RS2000 T16 X-Trac, Gunnar Kittilsen's RS500 Cossie, EX Martin schanche 1979 Winning Ford Escort/Tom Røhne Fiesta MK2 (Othervise known as the Fiescort) and the EX Michael Jernberg Ford Escort RS Cosworth RX Supercar.

[@FezzaYT]

Wow, what a stunning bunch of cars!! Amazing 😁

[@romankirschnick5813]

Hey, really nice and interesting post, I'm already 52 and a passionate mechanic and drive a Ford Focus MK1 1.4i bought by a pensioner a little over a year ago with 42,000 km, and before that I drove a BMW 1 Series Coupe E82 for 10 years. The RS is known to me from the rally and the legend Colin Mc Rae and always wanted an RS. I just found one and will take a look. He drove 110,000 km, everything should still be original, unfortunately I don't have 20,000 euros, is it still worth buying one or this given the economic situation? And no, I didn't know many things about the development and why everything was built like this, very interesting Let's hear from you whether you should buy it or not.

[@FezzaYT]

An original one for 20K sounds like a good price. They are over 26K in Spain if you can find one. They seem to just be going up in value all the time so I think you're never going to lose money it, especially if you look after it 😁

[@tim8deb]

Great little car fun to drive as a daily.

[@FezzaYT]

Certainly is.... although it's a little on the uncomfortable side ☺️

[@STEVEBHPDEVON]

The mk1 focus rs is a modern classic great car,i had a mk2 and mk3 shame they never made a mk4 rs keep up the good work Justin , a driving video of the rs please 👍😀

[@FezzaYT]

It certainly is a modern classic 🙂. They are very rare here. I don't remember the last one I saw on the road. Yeah, big shame no MK4... really don't like where Ford are heading now

[@STEVEBHPDEVON]

@@FezzaYT ford don't have any that I want any more apart from another focus rs big fan😀

[@deancooper7952]

The electrc water pump you mentioned is for the charge cooler system only,the engine is cooled by a belt driven pump,there is something you didnt know about the mk 1 focus!!!.

[@FezzaYT]

LOL! Yes, you're right :)

[@stephencaseyb]

Had too watch again, was listening on Wednesday while getting the dinner on, great insight about the car, not sure was it the mrk 1 or 2 but I heard or read some where , that ford lost money on each car that was building due to all the change to the body panels and custom parts, Anyway roll on next Wednesday, hopefully at that stage, I will have the Black Mariah booked in for her oil change, she keeps asking for it.

[@FezzaYT]

Yes, the talk was always that Ford lost money on every car. I read that Tickford ended up spending twice the planned budget so it wouldn't surprise me if Ford lost money on the project. They must have lost money!

[@russellwade7810]

It would be good if someone did one on the mk2 focus rs.👍

[@t238]

Electric water pump? Do you mean the charge cooler pump? The water pump on the engine is just the same as 2.0 zetec but slightly uprated with higher flow rate. Reputable engine builders use standard 2.0 pump upto 500bhp! The intercooler/charge cooler pump is electric runs of the ignition (i have built two of these cars) but not the mechanical water pump sorry :) ALSO; DID YOU KNOW that the T-series Focus is where the idea of FocusTurbo / Rs started? Yes you could order a specially made Focus mk1 which was sent to Mountune etc for a turbo conversion. Only 8 of each were sold , Focus T230 and 3 very very special T250's were sold - i owned a T230 and T250 - the T250 is being restored and 100% you will see it on KZbin soon! Not by me as I sold it like a dick lol

[@hellraiserMB]

Great car! I’m curious, if you use it everyday, what is the current mileage ?

[@FezzaYT]

It's on 93000km (57800 miles). It's good as new 🙂

[@Phronsias1]

Interesting video Justin.

[@paulolouro7300]

Excellent vídeo. Congratulations from Portugal 🤝 I have the number 4183 and i lovet 🤩 Best regards

[@FezzaYT]

Excelente! That's one of the later cars. It is such a great fun car 😁

[@DriveWithAndy]

Really interesting stuff 🙂

[@FezzaYT]

Thanks!

[@robertpaget809]

Pulley operated water pump but extremely uprated The water pump your thinking of is electric and that’s for the chargecooler system

[@FezzaYT]

Thanks mate. You are completely right! I got it mixed up 🤦

[@timwetherall629]

Is it rear wheel drive or all wheel?

[@FezzaYT]

It's front wheel drive

[@chunnorrixgigatron5642]

GRAN COCHE¡¡ Y TENERLO PARA DISFRUTAR EL FIN DE SEMANA DEBE SER LA LECHE¡¡

[@FezzaYT]

Gracias. Si, es una pasada 😁

[@SecureStart]

Your just up the road from me, love to meet up!

[@FezzaYT]

Whereabouts are you?

[@SecureStart]

@@FezzaYT San Roque

[@dmcracing]

What happened the mk3 rs?

[@FezzaYT]

I had it for 3 years and then sold it. I like to change cars every few years. Inwas convinced they'd do a MK4 but unfortunately it's not to be ☹️

[@dmcracing]

@@FezzaYT yes a pure shame they didn’t make one I decided to keep mine and do a big power build instead kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3THnaSgpK-SrJY

[@FezzaYT]

@@dmcracing hey Derek, just seen your channel and subscribed. Love what you are doing, keen to follow the progress :)

[@dmcracing]

@@FezzaYT get yes keep following @mjperformance until it’s complete

[@purplehazeffc]

I knew absolutely none of those facts. Prob because we never got the RS MK1 here in Australia. We did end up getting the RS MK2 though. Which still command quite a price here. $50,000 AU (32,500 Euro) for a 12 year old car. They were $60,000 new (39,000 Euro) So have kept their value. How does it compare to the MK3 ?? Do you know anyone with a MK2 & a MK3? Be a good video to make..

[@FezzaYT]

The Focus was designed as a world car. I wonder why the RS didn't make it to Oz and US? Emissions maybe? I don't know anyone with a MK2 but I do know someone here with a MK3. May be interesting to get him in my RS and see what he makes of of it....and I can drive his MK3 😁

[@m3trix994]

@@FezzaYT Great video and Mk.1 Focus RS! In Australia at the time we did get the Focus ST170 (ST below a RS), rare car here now. Bringing European Ford cars to Australia has always been a challenge. They want a model that sells well if they invest in bringing it to here.... At the time it probably just wasn't feasible to bring the Mk.1 RS. The first RS brought to Australia was the last batch of 315 Mk.2's in 2010. We did then get the Mk.3 RS in 2016. A Mk.IV would have been interesting.... Only the ST version of the Fiesta was on sale these last few years but completely dropped now. Basically the same for the Focus. All about Rangers, Everests & Mustangs now. I have a Mk.6 Fiesta ST sold as an XR4 in Australia. Not the fastest "hot hatch" but fun to drive. 😀

[@FezzaYT]

@@m3trix994 how interesting that Ford has used the XR4 name in Australia for the ST! That was always reserved for the Ford Sierra

[@m3trix994]

@@FezzaYT Yes, it was so it basically followed the Ford Australia naming convention for the "Sport" models. The number referred to the number of cylinders the car had. We already had the Falcon XR6 & XR8 badges. So after the Focus ST170, they then badged the next model (Mk.1 LS) of the Focus ST as a XR5 and then the Fiesta ST as a XR4. Later from the Focus Mk.3 and Fiesta Mk.7 they retained the ST badge.

[@nyc863]

if anyone wants to buy #0000 I know where it is and its for sale …

[@FezzaYT]

Oh wow! Really?? They must want a fair bit for it

[@nyc863]

it failed to sell on collectingcars a year ago. its now at a dealer. they want 35k euros for it but its dealer and, well, i bet they would take a lot less? maybe?. cannot be imported to australia sadly for my daydreams.

[@Jasonj___8]

I miss the good old Fezza 360,F430 days. Days of breakdowns,DIY fixes etc.How about returning to type again Justin 🚒👍👍

[@FezzaYT]

Yes, will be doing some videos along those lines. Coming soon...🙂