Ford Focus RS500: The Crazed 345 HP FWD Hot Hatch That Should Not Exist

Front-wheel drive and big power don't really mix. The front wheels are already doing all the steering and most of the braking, so when you ask them to also handle a ton of horsepower, things get messy real quick. Try flooring it out of a corner and watch those tires just spin uselessly. You need a really good limited-slip diff to even make it halfway work.

But when someone nails it? Manual FWD hot hatches are absolutely nuts to drive.

The 2010 Ford Focus RS500 Was Completely Bonkers

The most powerful manual front-wheel drive car ever made is the 2010 Ford Focus RS500. Not the newer all-wheel drive one—this older, way crazier version that Ford built right before they looked at the data and went "yeah, maybe 345 hp through the front wheels is too much."

Ford's RS badge only went on their wildest stuff. Escort Cosworth. Sierra Cosworth. That level of car. The first Focus RS had a turbo four making 212 hp. Second-gen showed up in 2009 with this howling Volvo five-cylinder pushing 301 hp, all going to the front.

To keep it from steering itself into the nearest tree, Ford threw in a Quaife diff and this crazy front suspension called RevoKnuckle. Did it work? Mostly. There was still torque steer, just not the "white knuckle death grip" kind.

Then Ford decided to push it even further with the RS500.

They Made It Even More Ridiculous

Five hundred made, that's it. Matte black paint, black wheels, numbered plaque inside so you knew which one you got. But it wasn't just cosmetic—Ford's performance people actually reworked the engine.

Bigger intercooler. Bigger air filter. Upgraded fuel pump. Fatter exhaust. Then they reinforced the internals—new pistons, beefier rods, tougher cylinder walls, better head gasket. Made sure it wouldn't grenade itself. End result? 345 hp and 339 lb-ft. All dumped through the front tires. Six-speed manual.

Zero to 60 in 5.6 seconds. Top speed 163 mph. With front-wheel drive. Like, what.

They left the suspension and brakes alone because testing showed they were already good enough. Which is kind of amazing.

Now They Cost a Small Fortune

Inside you got red stitching, carbon trim, optional red Recaro seats. Most stuff came standard since the car was already pricey. Heated windshield, tire sensors, auto lights and wipers—Ford just threw it all in.

These days? Average sale price is around $90,000. One sold for $64K, another went for over $130K. And you can't even bring one to the US yet—gotta wait for that 25-year import rule. So good luck.

There's a Cheaper Option That's Actually Faster

Can't swing $90K for a 15-year-old Ford? The current Honda Civic Type R makes 315 hp from a turbo 2.0-liter four, also FWD, also manual. Honda figured out their own tricks with the diff and suspension to tame torque steer, plus it's got adaptive dampers.

Hits 60 in 4.9 seconds—quicker than the RS500—tops out at 170. New ones are about $46K, used 2023s go for around $41K. Half the price and probably faster on a track.

But here's why the RS500 matters: it was the last one. Ford went all-wheel drive after this. Nobody's building 345 hp manual FWD cars anymore because it's kind of a terrible idea on paper.

That's exactly what makes it cool.