Focus RS Conquers A Lost Chinese Mountain Road

If you received a call to test drive a newly rediscovered gravel road in China, what vehicle would you choose? Before you answer that, what if we told you that the 2.5 miles of road has 24 hairpin turns, was once used as a supply route during World War Two, and features elevation changes of almost 1,200 feet through the mountainside of Guizhou, China?

Sounds bucket-list worthy, right?

For the engineering team at Ford Performance, enlisting the help of the all-wheel-drive Focus RS to tackle this lost mountain was a no-brainer.

The turns that occupy this particular Chinese mountainside are known to be some of the most treacherous parts of the road, but the 350-horsepower Focus RS attacked the terrain of the fog-packed Karst mountain tops with ease, proving yet again just how versatile this vehicle really can be.

2018 Ford Focus RS Specs

Engine: 2.3-liter four-cylinder

Horsepower: 350

Torque: 350 lb-ft

Curb Weight: 3,434 pounds

MPG: 19 city/26 highway

Wheels: 19×8-inchThe ability to handle such varied terrain is due primarily to the four selectable drive modes in the Focus RS: Normal, Sport, Track, and the industry-first Drift mode. Having the ability to select a different drive mode on the fly allows owners to adjust the hatchback’s all-wheel-drive system, damper controls, electronic stability controls, steering and engine responses to deliver optimal performance based on different road conditions.

We have spent many hours behind the wheel of the Focus RS, and while we might never be lucky enough to rediscover a lost mountain road like the one at Guizhou, the fun we have had with this hot hatch translates to any road this vehicle wants to discover.