Description

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Ford’s Focus Mk1 was a game-changing family hatchback, setting new standards for ride, handling and driver enjoyment. The sporty ST170 was noted for being a top-notch all-rounder, while the rapid RS broke the mould for front-wheel-drive hot hatchbacks, offering outstanding ability on road or track. Today, the ST170 and Mk1 RS are highly-regarded driver’s machines, while gradually gaining cult status – and increasing value – among classic collectors.

But both machines suffer the potential for rust, neglect, abuse and accident damage – which makes buying one a task that’s fraught with risk. To help the would-be RS or ST driver, this quick-reference guide acts as a handy pocket-sized companion during the purchasing process. It aims to help buyers select the best car, pay the right price and avoid any pitfalls. Written by a motoring journalist, long-term fast Ford enthusiast and Focus ST owner, this one-stop package of great advice includes at-a-glance tips, illustrated in-depth inspection guidance, specifications, real-world cost considerations and even notes on which modifications to avoid.

About the Author

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Ford Escorts have been a fixture in Dan Williamson’s life for longer than he remembers. Early childhood spent sliding across the seats of his dad’s GT-engined Mk1 instilled an anorak-level addiction to fast Fords. Like most Escort enthusiasts, his condition is incurable. Dan was given his first car when he was 15, a 1972 Mk1 that’s perhaps best described as a long-term project. It currently shares garage space with a ’71 Mexico, a 1600 Sport and a variety of other Fords, from modern STs to a pair of RS Cosworths. Dan trained as a newspaper reporter before becoming a motoring journalist in 1997, working for the UK’s leading automotive publishers – a role that involved driving (and owning) many of the models in this book. Today he’s an editor and contributor to a variety of magazines, including Fast Ford and Classic Ford. Dan lives in rural Lincolnshire, where he dreams about discovering a barn-stored RS1800. Don’t we all…