In the desert city of Scottsdale, AZ, Mother Nature seamlessly dripped a drop of its orange-hued sunset onto the stage of the Barrett-Jackson auction room. In a gritty showdown of bidders, a highly customized 2001 Ford Focus RS Custom Coupe turned heads and emptied wallets, selling for a solid $35,200. Being on the lookout for unique cars to share on Ford Muscle, as well as being a Ford Focus owner myself, this is a build I needed to share.

Focused On Performance

This wasn’t your run-of-the-mill Focus. Stripped down, built up, and fine-tuned over the years, its final form emerged as a rear-wheel-drive beast packing a Gen 2 Coyote engine with a 3.0-liter Whipple supercharger that could dish out over 500 horsepower. The 5-speed T45 manual transmission and 8.8 Ford Mustang rear differential with an Eaton Tru Trac differential and 3.73-ratio gears made it clear – this compact Ford was ready to make a lasting impression.

Originally crafted for SEMA back in the early 2000s, the Focus had seen more than its fair share of changes. The most recent iteration included custom headers and exhaust, Dakota Digital gauges, a no-nonsense roll cage, and a metal cowl hood that hinted at there being more going on here than your average 2001 Focus. It was a lot more. This car is a testament to relentless modification and a hearty nod to the street racing culture it embraced.

As the auctioneer’s rapid-fire chant echoed through the venue, the bidding reached a climax. $35,200 later, a new chapter began for this unique Focus. The winning bid signified more than just a transaction; it marked the acquisition of a car that had evolved well beyond its original design and intention.

From the glitz of a show floor to the adrenaline of the track, this Ford hatch had seen it all. The Focus rolled off the stage, ready to hit the streets, leaving behind the auction lights and heading into the unknown – a true street machine, raw and unfiltered. The legacy of this custom Ford Focus RS is now in the hands of its new owner, a driver ready to add their own chapter to its well-worn pages.

A Valiant Volunteer

Daily driving a Focus ST myself has made this build stand out to me more than some of the more high-dollar builds being auctioned. Let it be known that when Ford Muscle is ready to Coyote swap a Focus in-house, I will gladly volunteer as tribute. Let the engine-swap games begin!