Used Ford Focus RS500 (Mk2, 2010 - 2011): review, specs and buying guide for the original hyperhatch

All three generations of the Focus RS have their own unique character, but the Mk2 was arguably the most impressive of them all. When launched in 2009 it was one of the very first hyperhatches, with a power figure to rival those of some much more costly sports cars and an exterior design that wore its fast Ford credentials on its wing tips.

The standard Mk2 RS took the then Focus ST’s 2.5-litre five-cylinder and added entirely new pistons, conrods and camshafts, an uprated BorgWarner K16 turbocharger, a larger intercooler, a less restrictive air intake and an ECU remap to bring peak outputs to 300bhp and 324lb ft of torque. But Ford hadn’t finished yet…

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In mid-2010 the Focus RS500 was launched as a limited-run special with a satin black exterior (courtesy of a 3M wrap) and black wheels. But the big news was under the bonnet, where further upgrades to the intercooler, air filter, fuel pump, downpipe and ECU saw outputs rise to 345bhp and 339lb ft – figures that wouldn’t look out of place on a new hot hatch today.

As with the regular RS, the RS500 delivered its goods to the front wheels alone via a six-speed manual transmission and a torque-biasing Quaife limited-slip differential, with Ford’s patented RevoKnuckle front suspension helping tame some of the inevitable torque steer. The 500’s extra power trimmed the claimed 0-62mph time by three-tenths of a second to just 5.6sec.

Darth Vader aesthetic aside, the engine upgrades are the car’s party piece. Its chassis is identical to the standard RS’s but this isn’t to its detriment: the RS shook off the Mk2 ST’s sense of heft and unwanted body roll, gaining a much more confidence-inspiring front end and considerably more grip and overall composure on tough tarmac.

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What to pay

Limited to 500 cars worldwide, a mere 101 RS500s were allocated to the UK, and every one was snapped up within a week. At the time of writing there are a mere 17 actively registered, while almost 80 are SORNed, which says a lot about where owners feel values are going. The RS500 cost £35,750 in 2010, but 14 years on you won’t find one for much less than £60,000. That’s more than double the price of a standard Mk2 RS with modest miles, but limited supply means values of the special edition are holding strong.

What to look out for

If you do take the plunge, the RS500 is a largely reliable machine. Its engine and transmission have both proven to be very strong even when dealing with more power than Ford intended. That said, beware of an uneven idle, which may take some trial and error to resolve (spark plug, coil or mass air-flow sensor failure are among the possible causes). Also check closely for rusty bodywork, which has affected some Mk2 RSs. But beyond these issues, an RS500 should be a very reliable and useable hot hatch – and one that deserves to be driven.

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What we said

'At low engine speeds the added power is largely undetectable, although the exhaust seems to burp even more readily when you lift off. But once the rev needle swings past 3500rpm you’re aware of extra pressure in your back, the engine feeling even more frantic in the way it piles on revs. There’s also a tad more volume from the exhaust and a greater repertoire of pops, bangs and whooshes. It’s highly entertaining and downright rapid.

As long as it’s dry the Focus is devastating. Yes, the wheel does tug, but it’s manageable (unless you’re in second and deliberately thuggish with the throttle), the diff doing a great job of getting the lion’s share of the 339lb ft to the floor. But in the wet the same isn’t true and the RS500 will happily, readily break traction in third. However, work at it and learn it and the Focus is able to make enormously rapid progress. 

It’s never dull, not for a second, but neither is it particularly polished and it remains a hard car to drive smoothly. But for all that no hot hatch is as much of a blast to drive, and in the final analysis, that’s what matters.' – Ollie Marriage, 2010

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Ford Focus RS500 specs