Ford killed off the Focus globally just last year, and it's a decision the company should reconsider. A nearly pristine 2016 Focus RS with just 2200 miles—now for sale on Bring a Trailer—serves as a poignant reminder of what the automaker has surrendered in pursuit of an SUV-dominated lineup. This single-owner, garage-kept Texas example represents not merely a lost product, but a lost identity for a company that once understood compact performance.
The Focus RS wasn't just another hatchback. Pairing a 350-hp 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a six-speed manual gearbox and clever all-wheel drive, it was Ford's answer to the Subaru STI and the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO. The engineering spoke to a deeper lineage: WRC champion Colin McRae spent considerable time rallying in Fords, and that heritage was baked right into the RS. The all-wheel drive system could direct as much as 70 percent of the power to either outside rear wheel, effectively banishing understeer and enabling the RS to tear up winding back roads with a pace equal to far more expensive machines.
What made the RS truly special was its character. The punchy four-cylinder built boost quickly and possessed far more turbo personality than when it appeared in the EcoBoost version of the Mustang. And yes, it came with Drift mode—fully unlock this ability by switching off traction control, and the Focus RS could lay down Ken Block–style tire-smoking slides with ease. For those who understood performance, the RS was a revelation, a daily-driver compact that could deliver genuine thrills.
The Mustang remains, of course, but Ford has lost something irreplaceable. The Focus and Fiesta provided an entirely different kind of Fast Ford—compact performance you could actually use every day. Dealers often tried to add considerable markup to these cars when new, suggesting demand exceeded supply. Yet instead of doubling down on this proven segment, Ford abandoned it entirely.
This 2016 example, painted in understated Stealth Gray with only a rear wing and blue Brembo brakes hinting at its performance pedigree, is an if-you-know-then-you-know car. With the RS2 package offering heated seats and a heated steering wheel for colder climates, it's essentially untouched at 2200 miles. It's a real shame that Ford doesn't sell anything like it anymore. The company should recognize that some enthusiasts want performance without the Mustang, and they deserve better than today's crossover-focused reality.