There aren’t many American cars that approach $100,000. As excited as they were by the ZR1’s performance figures, Corvette enthusiasts balked at how a ‘Vette could cost so much. After steadily climbing since its announcement a few years ago, the Fisker Karma’s base price just breached the $100k mark. And of course the Ferrari-slaying Ford GT went for a good $150k if you could get your hands on one, and was probably worth even more. But a Focus? You’ve got to be kidding, right?
No, we’re not kidding, but this also isn’t the same Focus filling shopping mall parking lots and rental fleets across America and around the world, either. This is the Focus ST-R, the turn-key racing car launched by Ford Racing back in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show. It packs a competition-spec 2.0 EcoBoost four, a full FIA-certified roll cage, racing brakes and a track-tuned suspension.
In short, it’s all but completely ready to tackle any of a variety of touring car series the world over, from Grand-Am ST and SCCA World Challenge TC to the World Touring Car Championship and similar local series around the world. So while the reported $98,995 sticker price may seem like a lot for a Focus, it may be the turn-key bargain of the tin-top racing world.
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