Ford Focus RS 2009
The Ford Focus RS’s official stats are out and it’s time to update those Top Trumps cars.
Here’s how the new Focus RS compares against two of its hot hatch rivals:
| Car | Power | 0-62mph time |
Weight | Top Speed |
 Ford Focus RS 2009 |
300bhp | 5.9s | 1,467kg | 163mph |
 Renault Megane R26R |
230bhp | 6.0s | 1,230kg | 147mph |
 Vauxhall Astra VXR |
237bhp | 6.4s | 1,393kg | 143mph |
Which car do you think is the top hot hatch? Any killer stats we’ve missed out? Have your say in the comments.
High resolution pictures of the Ford Focus RS below.
Click to enlarge
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- Ford Focus RS 2009
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- Ford Focus RS 2009
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- Ford Focus RS 2009
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- Ford Focus RS 2009
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- Ford Focus RS 2009
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- Ford Focus RS 2009
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- Ford Focus RS 2009
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- Ford Focus RS 2009
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- Ford Focus RS 2009
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- Ford Focus RS 2009
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- Ford Focus RS 2009
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- Ford Focus RS 2009
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- Ford Focus RS 2009
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- Ford Focus RS 2009
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- Ford Focus RS 2009
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- Renault Megane R26R
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- Vauxhall Astra VXR
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38 Comments
January 28, 2009 at 11:43 pm
You forgot the ring lap time, fastest production hot hatch
January 29, 2009 at 9:46 am
The Renault Megane is the fastest front-wheel drive production car to lap the Nurburgring when it did it in 8 mins 17 which is 18 seconds quicker than the Focus ST.
I’m not sure if the RS has been officially timed yet, but I’m pretty sure it will be very close to the Megane.
The thing with the R26.R is that it’s completely stripped and properly hardcore and I think the RS will be far better as a daily drive
January 29, 2009 at 12:47 pm
First things first, all the information and figures about the cars are available from the internet, so why they are wrong i dont know.
The astra vxr has a top speed of 152mph.
January 29, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Actually researching the article threw up a range of quoted top speeds for the Astra ranging from 143 to 155mph. The figure quotes is the highest verified figure available, but if you’ve got a link to a higher verified figure I’m happy to go with that.
January 30, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Heard yesterday my RS should be here early March and I can’t wait. Had it in Blue with all the options. Had an Astra VXR which I had tuned to 296bhp and 320ft/lb torque so can’t wait to compare but I’m sure the Ford will be a much better drive.
January 30, 2009 at 6:31 pm
THE ORIGIONAL FOCUS RS WAS IN IMPERIAL BLUE, NOT PERFORMANCE BLUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I THINK A MISTAKE HAS BEEN MADE BY FORD, THEY PICKED THE WRONG BLUE, IMPERIAL IS MUCH BETTER!!!!!! I THINK MOST WILL AGREE.
February 2, 2009 at 11:03 am
Audi S3 anyone?
Figures from Parker’s:
0-60 mph 5.5 s
Power Output 261 bhp
Torque 350 Nm 258 lb-ft
Top Speed 155 mph
So that makes it quicker to 60, more powerful and faster than the Megane and Astra – why is it always overlooked in Autotrader articles on hot hatches?
April 8, 2009 at 6:44 pm
Because its a far better car build, performance and reliability. Say no more Audi is always left on comparisons
February 15, 2009 at 12:36 am
Hi, I think the top speed of both cars, R26R and Astra are wrong, I think they are too short compared with the official ST225 top speed published, and even worst than the RS Focus. Does any body of you has any idea about the turbo that will carry the new Focus RS?
March 24, 2009 at 10:18 am
Hey, i was looking at the figures for the RS focus and it looks absolutely awesome, but if you already have a Focus ST and you are thinking of upgrading, look into the Mountune engine upgrade (mountune is a devision of roush), it gives you a 0-62mph time of 5.9s which is the same as the new RS and 0.6s quicker than a standard ST and the already excellent chasis can more than handle it. It costs just over £1000 + fitting and its ford approved. It’s also more comfortable and more eco friendly. It will still handle as good as it did when it was a standard ST, it will easily keep up through the whole range with the Megane (and on a B road will probably be a bit quicker) and will completely desroy any standard VXR. And because the horsepower goes up by less than 11%, it doesnt affect your insurance by too much. I know this was long but thanks for reading, its well worth looking into.
March 24, 2009 at 10:31 am
Oh, and to a previous comment made about the Audi S3, yes it’s a nice car, but its not all about 0-62 times, my standard ST was quicker than an S3 that took me on down a B road and accoring to the figures its a whole second slower 0-62 doing it in 6.5s. But when it comes to luxury the S3 is good. But i’d say the best all rounder for luxury, comfort, style, pedegree and speed out of the whole hot-hatch range is the Mk5 or Mk6 Golf GTi.
March 29, 2009 at 1:53 pm
i was looking at the figures for the vauxhall corsa vxr apsolute awsome car
March 30, 2009 at 9:15 pm
I have driven the VXR and its a nice enough car. . .untill you put your foot down and then go flying into a tree!! Lol. It just can’t handle its own power, and that was the nurburg ring edition with the up-rated suspension! The Civic Type R and Focus ST are much, much better. I had the Mountune upgrade on my STs engine today, 0-62 in 5.9s and 0-100 in 14.1 seconds and it handles it perfectly well (which to bo honest i am quite shocked about but it really does). http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Drives/Search-Results/First-drives/Ford-Focus-ST-Mountune-2008-CAR-review/
March 30, 2009 at 9:19 pm
Sorry!!! Thought you said Astra VXR!! Although the Corsa isnt much better on the handling front. Sorry again.
April 2, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Cannot believe anyone would say a golf for power. There way to heavy to compete with anything. Golf’s are not a fast cars there just pretenders lol. The new focus rs beats any production golf. And that’s why Iv ordered one, over most hot hatches. Just hope it’s put together better than my fiesta st caus that thing is shaking its self apart. hope they dont build more than 4000
April 3, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Dont get me wrong man, the Golf isnt exactly a powerhouse, its just the way it does a bit of everything very well, and forget what the figures are on the books, my friends MK5 Gti kept up with my standard Focus ST up to around 80mph and then I started to get the edge and left him behind. Shame about the Fiesta ST, i quite like the look of those but havnt had the chance to drive one yet. But if my focus ST is anything to go by then your RS should hold together just nice! I’ve now had the Mountune Kit fitted that brings my performance up to that of the RS and whats incouraging for people like yourself is that without any diff or change to the suspention, shocks or breaks it handles it absolutely perfectly so that RS is going to be one hell of a machine! When you get it come bk on and we’ll compare notes, i’m intrested in the comfort in comaprison to mine.
April 6, 2009 at 12:31 pm
S3 is great, but lists about 6-7k more expensive, its in a different league, call it a hot hatch all you like (and thats what it obviously is) but at a price that high it has to be compared to cars like the 350z.
Which then puts the performance on par with other cars in its class.
April 7, 2009 at 9:04 am
I do agree, it is quick 0-60 but it really isnt as great to drive as you’d think, and for the money you pay for it you would really want it to be, £27,000 without any options at all is a lot of money! And there isnt enough drama for me, its just as quiet on full throttle as it is at idle revs. But to be fair the golf does sound like a deisel and my ST Mountune, as much as its now the same performence as the likes of the S3 and the new RS, and sounds like a V8 under the bonnet, inside it sounds like the inner door panels arent really attatched to the chassis every time you go over a bump. So, (with the exception of the Astra VXR and the Seat Cupra which are just terrible) then all of the petrol hot hatches have there good and bad points, it depends what your looking for.
May 4, 2009 at 2:44 pm
im ordering a new rs in a month or 2 as i want to recieve around my 21st birthday as i can the nget insurance on it, a focus st with mountune upgrade to 260 wont come near an rs, look at power graphs, the rs power and torque is greater and more linear up through the rev range so will pull a lot harder and smoother, plus it doesnt have allthe technology the new rshas such as revo knuckle to get the 300bhp down plus the suspension is unrivaled in th rs. 0-60 times are all good and well but on the go when you drop to 2nd or 3rd the s3 wont pull away from the rs as it dont have the torque to
May 11, 2009 at 8:49 pm
I hate to tell you, but the other day i made an S3 look positively slow in my Mountune ST, Bhp wont make a lot of difference, the RS only has around 30 more NM of torque and it is slightly heavier. And yes, the Revo Knuckle will help it off the line but when you drop it down a cog the computer will interfere a lot more than standard traction control, making the driving experience less exciting. Later this year Mountune are bringing out a new suspension package for the ST, and reports of the Mountune ST’s are all coming back at more like 270Bhp and sometimes more. Dont get me wrong, i’m not pretending for a second that the mountune will beet an RS, but it is certainly going to annoy all £25000+ RS owners when my ST that all together cost me £13600 with the kit keeps up, maybe not on the track but down a B road through the corners its going to be closer that you think with the new suspension. And to top it all off, not only do i get dangerously close to RS performance for half the cost but i have a lot more comfort and better fuel economy combined. So yes, the RS will be quicker. . .just, but that doesn’t make it better. And if its out and out performance you’re after then you don’t want to go bragging about any hot hatch on the planet because lets be honest the likes of Audi RS4’s all the way up to Porsche Carrera GT’s and Veyrons will make you look very slow. So in the real world the difference between even a standard ST and the new RS as a “good, fast hot hatch” so to speak is going to be very minimal and both will have their good and bad points. So i would be careful about saying “Mountune wont come near an RS” because you may just be very unpleasantly surprised if you get that sort of arrogance about it. But i must say, i do have respect that you are getting an RS, especially at the age of 21, it is undoubtably an incredible machine. I got the ST at 20, just about to turn 21 myself and no matter how fast the RS is, i will never regret my decision to get the ST instead because its a better all rounder.
May 29, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Run! Go! Get to ther chopper!
June 28, 2009 at 8:48 pm
I’m a big fan of Vauxhall as my Astra is utterly reliable – yet the Ford Focus RS has something about it. Whatever you want to call it, road presence, a combination of power and size, the outrageous green lime colour, I’m not sure… But it reeks purpose. That purpose is singular hot hatch. Love it.
August 8, 2009 at 10:49 pm
I know its old now but i still think the best hot hatch available is the clio v6 255, the figures are amazing and the only drawback being the lack of back seats. Still though would definitely be mt choice !
August 10, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Now that is a good choice mate!! Can’t go wrong with one of them bad boys, especially in a strait line, they absolutely fly!!
August 8, 2009 at 10:52 pm
my choice*
August 12, 2009 at 10:35 pm
And the Mountune beets the RS to 140 mph! And that’s from EVO mag, so that aint going to be wrong! Happy about that one!