The current model year is one of refinement for the Focus. Nothing earth-shattering, just stuff like new trim levels for the ZX5 (now available in base, comfort, and premium levels); a new stand-alone traction control that's cheaper than AdvanceTrac; revisions to interior trim; new wheel styling; standard MP3 players in the ZX3 and ZX5; and small tweaks to both motors to improve driveability.
Oh, yeah. Then there's the news from SVT.
The Hot One: SVT Focus
For enthusiast drivers, all that mid-cycle refinement jazz was forgotten when Ford's Special Vehicle Team breathed heavily on the ZX3 in '02 to give it "acceleration, braking, and handling capabilities that are nothing short of spectacular." OK, maybe that's a bit overstated, but the car did get some serious juice.
The Zetec was modified with a dual-stage intake manifold, a variable-timing system on the intake cam, enlarged intake ports and bigger intake valves, forged-steel connecting rods, cast-aluminum pistons, a higher compression ratio (from 9.6 to 10.2:1) and a set of four-into-one headers feeding an underbody-only catalyst system. All these changes raised the motor's output from 130 hp at 5,300 rpm to 170 at 7,000 and brought torque up from 135 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm to 145 lb-ft at 5,500. Ford matched the new engine with a Getrag six-speed manual transaxle with two short output shafts instead of one. Splitting the shaft in this way reduced the size of the gearbox considerably, so it could occupy the same space as the standard ZX3's five-speed.
The ZX3 was already an excellent handler, thanks to its stiff unibody, rack-and-pinion steering, and a sophisticated, fully independent suspension system. But SVT tweaked the chassis with stiffer springs, a fatter front sway bar, re-valved dampers, and changes to the steering system's boost curve. It also fitted the car with four-wheel disc brakes and four-wheel ABS and enlarged the diameter of the front rotors by more than 1.5 inches. The car rolled on 17x7-inch alloy rims and 215/45-17 tires. If the wheels weren't enough of a tip-off, the SVT Focus was further distinguished from its ZX3 brother with new front and rear fasciae, a black honeycomb grille, rear spoiler, and unique rocker panel moldings.
Magazines that track-tested the SVT Focus recorded 0-to-60 acceleration times in the mid-7-second range, mid-15-second quarter-mile times, and lateral acceleration figures of around 0.85 g. Pretty good numbers for an econobox-based hot rod. And those numbers looked even better considering the SVT Focus' $17,995 base price.
For 2003, SVT has worked its magic on the ZX5 five-door hatch. The car gets the same motor and similar chassis tuning, and the exterior and interior styling carries over, too. Both cars can be ordered with HID headlights in the new model year. Prices have inched up some, with the three-door now carrying a $18,585 base price and the five-door starting at $19,085, but both cars still offer tremendous bang for the buck.
RS: The Hottest Focus You Can't BuyGood as the Focus SVT is, there's still way more power potential to be found in the Focus platform. Ask the Europeans. Across the Pond, they can buy the Focus RS, a fire-breathing hatchback with roots in the WRC competition program.
Powering the RS is a 2.0L Duratec four-cylinder that's derived from the Zetec but fitted with a Garrett turbocharger and air-to-water intercooler. The little wheezer puts out around 212 hp at 5,500 rpm and 228 lb-ft of torque at 3,500 rpm. The engine is hooked to a beefed MTX75 five-speed transaxle that's fitted with a Quaife torque-biasing diff. Driveshafts were enlarged to handle the increased torque output, and there are massive Brembo disc brakes at all four corners. The RS is shod with 18x8-inch O.Z. racing wheels and 225/40-18 Michelin Pilot Sport tires.
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