I used to work with a race team that was sponsored by a top-shelf men’s mag. One of the (many) things I learned is that the most popular models are not the most beautiful, nor the ones with the biggest… statistics. It’s the ‘girl next door’ image that sells mags – because they seem almost within reach. Ultra-glamorous models are clearly just fantasy.
Which brings me to the Ford Focus RS500. Never mind its 350HP, which – despite being front-wheel drive – sees it bullet from 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds, it’s the stealth-bomber, matt-black body that sets this outrageous little machine apart. We borrowed one to drive back from the Le Mans Classic last week. Thing is, I have never, ever known so much attention from onlookers – not in a Ferrari, not in a Porsche, not in anything. At the péage on the French autoroute, the blokes were coming out of their booths to take a look.
At £35k, the RS500 isn’t cheap, but it’s still an almost-attainable ‘car next door’, rather than a billionaire’s Ferrari. Except, of course, it isn’t attainable because they’re all sold out. Rumour tells us that the 500 cars built were sold out in five hours…
