Many would argue the first Ford performance car outside of the USA was 1963's Lotus Cortina. Some stellar non-Lotus-fettled models followed, not least rally-proven Escort derivatives, and the '80s and '90s brought some classic collabs with Cosworth.
These days the phrase 'fast Ford' is synonymous with hot hatches, and a stream of ST and RS-badged hatchbacks have graced evo's pages in recent years. But it's worth acknowledging Ford has real supercar pedigree too, with the Ferrari-beating GT40 supercar of the '60s and its two reimagined GT successors.
We could fill every page in this issue with Ford's finest, then, but here we've singled out four top used picks that represent the brand's modern-era performance offerings at their very best.
FORD FOCUS RS500
The ultimate incarnation of a hyperhatch trailblazer
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 fivecylinder 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...
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.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 2024-Ausgabe von Evo UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
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BMW M135 xDrive
The M135 has lost an and gained chassis revisions and a restyle. Is it enough to make it a benchmark hot hatch?
Audi S5
S5 by name, S4 by nature, is Audi's new mid-size petrol-powered saloon a step in the right direction?
Lamborghini Urus SE
Lambo's super-SUV gets a major mid-life overhaul, going hybrid in the process. Has it become any easier to like?
HALL evo OF FAME
The evo Hall of Fame was established to recognise the great and the good of our corner of the universe. Prepare to welcome this year's inductees
CIRCUIT DAY
After three days of assessing their behaviour on the road, it's time to head to the Circuito de Navarra to find out how our nine contenders respond when their handling limits are explored
EVO CAR OF THE YEAR 2024
Nine brilliant cars, from flyweight roadsters to bombastic supercars to a be-stickered estate(!), do battle on some of Europe's finest and most spectacular roads. Which will emerge victorious? Place your bets now.
Porsche Panamera GTS
It lacks the raw power of its hybrid rivals, but does the new GTS’s more traditional approach give it its USP?
Alpine A290 GTS
The new electric Renault 5 has won plenty of plaudits. Is the hotter Alpine version a car to win petrolheads' hearts too?
BEST BUYS BMW M CARS
THE PERFORMANCE CAR LANDSCAPE WOULD HAVE looked very different over the last five decades without BMW. Its M division, founded in 1972, has produced some of the best driver’s cars ever to hit the road, and in the process has provided a stream of benchmark models for its rivals to chase. In recent years, stricter emissions regulations, downsizing and electrification have seen some of those rival cars falter, yet by and large BMW’s M machines have remained strong. In fact, some rank among the greatest the department has made think of the eCoty-winning M2 CS and M5 CS while others are the only options worth recommending in their respective segments. Price tags have risen with performance, however, putting those latest offerings out of reach for many, but the marque’s popularity means there are numerous earlier M models available on the second-hand market for far more attainable figures. Here are four of our favourites.
TYRE 2024 TEST
Want to fit the very best tyres to your performance car? The annual evo Tyre Test identifies the cream of the current crop
