For the 2011 model year, Ford introduced an all-new Focus to replace the aging compact car that has become the staple of so many rental fleets nationwide. But the original Focus still has many fans, and a surprising amount of aftermarket support from companies like Nitrous Express, who had a decade to develop performance parts for Ford’s compact offering.

It’s surprising how much performance you can eek out of a last-generation Focus with just a simple Nitrous Express Sub C kit. This video shows two identical Focii, one with nitrous and one without, racing each other. And then the nitrous-equipped Focus lines up against a Mustang GT with surprising results.

The first round of Focus vs. Focus goes about how you’d expect, with two identical rental cars running neck and neck until the nitrous switch is flipped. Even with mild 35 horsepower jets, that extra boost of nitrous sends the NX-equipped Focus far ahead of its naturally aspirated sibling. Nitrous Focus 1, rental Focus 0.

Ok, that was easy, but what about taking on the big dog from Ford’s own fleet, the Mustang GT? We’re not sure what year the Mustang is, though from the interior shots it is definitely an SN95 model. Not Ford’s most powerful Mustang, but no slouch either. That’s why we were surprised to see that the Focus managed to keep pace with its V8-powered cousin using a 50 horsepower nitrous jet.

We didn’t see that one coming, did you?