Ford Focus XR5 Turbo

There are two types of cars in the world - those that can use more power, and ones that have plenty enough already. Virtually any muscle car during the 1970s falls into the latter category, but the Ford Focus fully belongs in the former.

This is a car with a chassis so accomplished that you can do virtually anything to it and it will merely ask for more. Too quick into a bend? That's okay, because the car will warn you early enough that it's about to start sliding, and when it does it does so in equal measure at both front end and back. There are no surprises, the car signals what's happening and allows you to correct its wayward behaviour.

So yes, this is a car that could do with more power, and thanks to Volvo, that power has arrived. The Focus XR5 turbo, which is known as the focus ST in its home market, adopts a 2.5 litre five cylinder engine complete with turbo, pushing 166kW and 320Nm through the front wheels.

Previously the most power applied to the wheels that both steered and drove the cars was limited to around 142kW, but that limit has long since been passed. Currently the front wheel drive power king is the Mazda3 MPS, with 191kW. Now that is a fun car, but it does tend to express its power too often in the form of violent torque steer, with the steering wheel writhing in your hands under very hard acceleration.

The Focus XR5 has taken a somewhat lower key approach, supplying just enough power and torque for the front tyres to handle. The car's chassis has been strengthened over that of a normal Focus, the spring and sway bar rates are higher, and ride height has been dropped 15mm. It works, because this car has just the right amount of power and control, and as with all Focus it's perfectly balanced, quickly enough to get a free night's accommodation courtesy of the New Zealand Police.

It's good to know than, that while the rear brakes remain the same size as a standard 2.0 litre Focus, the front discs have been uprated to 320mm with extra large calipers and brake pads.

The only real downside to the driving experience is that to stop the engine from pulling back on the power when traction begins to run out you have to turn the ESP off. I won't recommend that everyone do this, because there are some situations and some drivers that make ESP a standard requirement, but with the ESP turned off you can keep the turbo - and one of the wheels - spinning, and therefore keep the power on.

This isn't kind to the front rubber of course, so you had better be on a first name basis with your local tyre supplier, but it is a hell of a lot of fun. Ford obviously thinks you should have the ESP on though, because once you've switched it off, there are no fewer than two warning lights and a message where the trip computer usually is waring you that the ESP you have just switched off, is indeed switched off. You can't access any of the trip computer settings while the ESP is turned off, which can be a bad thing, considering how quickly the distance to empty readout on the fuel gauge can decrease.

But then again this is a hot hatch and you shouldn't be too concerned that it can use a fair bit of fuel when you drive it quickly. To Ford's credit the large displacement engine and turbo combo do chew through the fuel a little slower than you would otherwise think.

Thanks to those cubic inches there's a fair amount of torque down low, but you really have to keep the engine above 4000rpm to get the full performance treatment. Stay above that zone and the Focus can cover ground quicker than few other cars. The chassis is just so friendly and stable that the most you can get out of it are a series of nice four wheel drifts - all very rally car like.

The gearshift is just as precise as you'll find in any normal Focus, and despite the garish colour tones of the interior and seats the front Recaros are the most comfortable sports seats I've experienced all year. This particular car is UK spec, which means it gets 18inch 5-spoke alloy wheels with 225/40 WR18 Continental tyres, three-spoke ST sports steering wheel, auxiliary instrument pod housing turbo boost, oil pressure and oil temperature gauges, brushed aluminium gear knob with red six-speed gate graphic, aluminium sports pedals with rubber pads, high-performance front and rear disc brakes, and chrome-tipped dual sport exhaust tailpipes.

And since this is the upmarket version of the ST it also has an MP3-compatible Sony CD/radio system, Xenon headlamps, heated front windscreen, and ESP traction and stability management.

In the end I'm struggling to say anything negative about the Focus XR5. Even the boring styling of the new model is corrected by the XR5 body kit. I suppose the only thing you can says is that it's a shame the car isn't all wheel drive and come with an engine pumping out more than 166kW. But if the rumours are correct, that will be sorted out very soon with the arrival of the Focus RS, with four wheel drive and around 230kW.