The Millbrook test track oval unfurls at a sustained 100 mph beneath the Blue Oval stamped on the nose of the matt black stealth hatchback. The Ford feels almost relaxed, suspension absorbing the concrete block surface with only the tug of steering trying to clamber to the outside of the speed bowl, tyre roar and the motor’s 5-pot panting to tell you there’s no strain in this exercise.

Another 45 mph is available with impressive ease and the claimed 165 mph seems credible, if you can push it long enough to overcome the wide stance and a stack of aero parts designed to clamp Ford to track rather than deliver ultimate low drag top speed. It’s an impressive introduction to RS500, but nothing like the whole story on this Ford collector’s hit list.

Today, with tighter motor sport and state regulations on the precise format a competition car takes on street and track, we have a situation where the RS version of the Ford Focus is not the direct relative that an RS1600 or 1800 Escort could be with its competition cousin. The Focus you see streaking across the ITV4 screens to win BTCC races, a full ten years after the Mondeo monopolised the sharp end of Britain’s premier touring car series, is an ST rather than an RS. And even then, the winning formula is actually based on an LPG-burning turbo 4-cylinder, not the street 5-cylinders. It doesn’t matter.

Similarly, it is the 4x4 Focus WRC that wins on loose surface world championship rallies, not the showroom front-drive RS.

It really doesn’t matter anymore, for the second Focus RS has proved a much better customer car than the old school RS-types could ever be. John Wheeler (the man who engineered Escort Cosworth RS) was part of a German-based team reporting to Joe Bakaj, all conscious their task was to create a true road performer, flexibly powerful and worthy of the RS name. Not a flawed basic building block to homologating a competition car.

That Ford have stuck with the RS theme shows the power of the logo. Given consistent support, I have always thought the RS Ford brand had at least the motor sport winning pedigree of BMW’s M for massively profitable division. Even the suits of the Blue Oval must have been surprised just how easily they sold off the second edition Focus RS run. Over 11,000 were made at Saarlouis, versus the original forecast of less than 8000 units.

It was time for a final flourish.
Never shy of making a statement with strong street presence — remember the original Sierra Cossie? — Ford took the last 500 Focus RS types and turned up the volume with the meanest matt black finish seen on any production road warrior.

From 305 PS to 350 full fat horsepower, and 440 to 460 Nm promised an even greater slam on the 5.4 second run to 60 mph and an unrestricted 165 mph max. Significantly the famed RevoKnuckle front suspension and major chassis equipment — 19inch wheels, 235 rubber and the fat disc braking system were all carried over, although the callipers were allowed a rare red splash of flash and the wheels a shinier black spray.

I leave the Millbrook speed bowl and head for the twists and crests of the hill course via a photography session that supplied the shots you see here. The initial slow speed and parking stuff tells me this RS lost none of its tractability despite having the kind of turbo power that the legendary earlier RS only exceeded on track

However, the story is not so happy on the hill course. RevoKnuckle or not, this version of Focus is absolutely not as balanced as its lower-powered predecessor. It is particularly unhappy when asked to power over crests incorporating curves. It was a dry day, and I’d definitely want to look at the chassis and tyre specs if this was going to be my everyday road runner.

Unfortunately, I drove a Mugen Honda Civic Type R over the same course immediately beforehand.
The Honda has nothing like the power of the Ford — even though both were priced the hurting side of £35k. In fact the Honda had 110 horses less (240 plays 350) but the Honda’s frenzied 8000 rpm action gives the near touring car front drive chassis a progressive kick in the oily parts, where the Ford has serious pulling power from 2500-4500 rpm. Such clout kicks the Ford front wheels all over the place if you are clumsy, and is always more likely to weave under pressure than a motor that needs 5000 revs to make Honda’s Geisha girls go all operatic.

The RS500 is the better road car, and a long term investment, than the Honda… But I’d take the sensational second series Focus RS as the much better balanced daily driver.