Few hot hatches have had the privilege of education the US consumers and the Ford Focus RS is one of them. To achieve this purpose, the driver of such a spicy compact could introduce the drift-friendly details of GKN-supplied all-wheel-drive system found on the uber-Focus, but there are more efficient methods. You know, stuff like heading over to a drag strip and duking it out with a Mustang Shelby GT350.
We're here to bring you such a family brawl, one that has recently taken place on the Island Dragway in New Jersey.
To an untrained eye, such a sprinting fight might seem unfair. After all, we are dealing with a Focus animated by a Mustang EcoBoost engine, albeit an upgraded mill, duking it out with the all-mighty GT350.
Even if we throw a glance at the numbers, the hot hatchback doesn't seem to stand a chance against the Shelby-badged incarnation of the pony.
For instance, the all-paw nature of the Focus makes it pretty unfriendly to the scales, so it comes with a power-to-weight ratio of 4.7 kg per hp. As for the 'Stang, this burdens each of its horses with 3.4 kilos.
And things look similar in the maximum twist department, where the 429.2 lb-ft (make that 582 Nm) of the 5.2-liter V8 animating the GT350 easily top the otherwise respectable 346.7 lb-ft (470 Nm) of the Focus RS.
So, how big of a role does the AWD of the compact play? Well, zooming in on the best quarter-mile times recorded during independent tests, we find out that the Mustang can complete the said sprint in 11.9 seconds. As for the third-gen Focus RS, this needs at least 12.6 seconds for the task.
Keep in mind that the numbers above are the best that have been delivered so far, while the 1,320 feet battle below might just change a few parameters. Regardless, we can tell you this is one battle that will keep you in front of the screen until the two Blue Oval devils cross the finish line.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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