8 Tempting Alternatives To A New Ford Focus RS

The new Focus RS is awesome. It’s fast, it bites corners with the tenacity of a rabid slot car, it can spin wicked all-wheel drive donuts until the neighbors puke just from watching, and yes, there’s the infamous drift button. If that’s not enough, the Focus RS also has five doors, relatively comfortable accommodations for a small family, and a gaping rear hatch that opens so you can haul actual things while you’re hauling tail at sphincter-pinching speeds.

It’s also priced at £31,000 in Europe and $35,000 in the States, which is quite a lot for a Ford Focus hatchback. Calm down RS fans, I’m not saying the RS is just another Focus. Nor am I going to say it’s too expensive. Ford has this mega-hot hatchback priced accordingly with the competition, and given its fabulous level of performance, some might say it’s a bargain. But £31,000 is still a lot of money whether you have it to spend or not. If I had that much coin for car, I’m not sure the RS is special enough for me to justify the purchase, never mind the monumental depreciation that hits most every new car during the first couple years.

That’s why, when hot new rides like the Focus RS hit the scene, I enjoy looking to the used markets to see what kind of metal is available for the same price. I’m not saying these cars are better than the RS, or that they even match up apples-to-apples. I’m just taking £31,000 and seeing how far it can go. After looking at cars in the U.S. and abroad, I’ve come to the conclusion that it goes pretty damn far.

1. Chevrolet Corvette Z06

I’ll start right off with an alternative for Americans, and it just might blow your mind. If you dip back to 2010 you can score a very nice Corvette Z06 for Focus RS money. That’s a 1400kg sports car with a six-speed manual, epic handling, and oh yeah, a freaking 505bhp 7.0-litre V8. This era Z06 is supercar quick, running 0-60 in 3.5 seconds and flirting with 200mph. And since late model Corvettes are owned exclusively by old retired guys with gray hair, you know the car won’t be abused.

2. Porsche 911 S (997)

If you absolutely need a Porsche, older Boxsters and Caymans can easily be had for under £31,000. They’re good cars, but they’re not legendary like the 911 so skip them and step back to 2009 for a second-generation 997-series 911 S. Its 380bhp flat-six will match the Focus RS for performance, and you’ll have 911 pedigree in your garage to brag about. And if you absolutely need all-wheel drive, drop back another model year to get a 2008 Carrera 4S for about the same price.

3. BMW E60 M5

Rather than a boosted 2.3-litre four cylinder, how does a 5.0-litre V10 making 500bhp sound? That’s what you’ll get from a 2010 BMW M5, arguably the best M5 of all time. This big luxury sedan outruns the Focus RS to 60, holds on in corners ridiculously well for something so large, and positively whips the RS for comfort and nerdy tech features. It may not have a drift button, but there is a drift pedal located on the floor by your right foot.

4. BMW E92 M3

If the M5 is too big for you, just move forward a couple years to a 2012 E92 M3 coupe. You’ll trade the V10 for a 414bhp V8, but with an 8300rpm redline, the swap is totally worth it. And in the smaller M3 that’s enough for a 0-60 time just under four seconds, and I don’t think I need to talk about the M3’s ability to warp spacetime on a canyon road. It’s not an all-wheel drive boosted hatchback, but for the same amount of money, I’d find it very difficult to walk away from the M3.

5. Jaguar XKR

Here’s another luxury/performance alternative to the hardcore RS that, at least in a straight line, runs side-by-side with the Ford. You’ll need to look for 2007-2008 models to meet the RS budget, but that still gets you sinfully seductive styling, luscious luxury, and a supercharged 420bhp V8 for motivation. It doesn’t dance nearly as well as the RS, but still, there’s something about having a dead sexy Jaaaaaaag in the garage.

6. Toyota A80 Supra Turbo

Certainly there will be many buyers using their RS as a daily driver, and many of the cars on this list are just as capable for daily duty. The A80 Supra isn’t among them - it’s a fun weekend car, just as I’m sure there will be plenty of RS buyers who only venture out on sunny Sundays for a spot of tea.

Yes, the Supra and RS are in two completely different automotive worlds. But line them up at a drag strip and even in stock trim, the Supra will be right next to the Focus. Their current selling prices match up too, but whereas the RS will lose value in the coming years, the Supra will gain value. I like that.

7. Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI

Of all the Evos, the VI is my favourite by a wide margin. I can’t get it in the US, but Europe and Australia can. Not only that, it can be had for considerably less than the £31,000 Focus RS base price. Even with a horsepower disadvantage the stock Evo is a surprising match for the boosted Focus, but with so much cash left over in the budget I’d drop a few grand into some Evo upgrades and have the all-wheel drive rally racer of my dreams.

8. Dodge Viper R/T-10

Unless you have a six-figure supercar, rides don’t get much more jaw-dropping than a first-generation Dodge Viper. Line this up to the RS and Viper’s massive 400bhp V10 will keep the cars side-by-side. The Viper might even stick fairly close to the RS through a road course, at least for a little while. But you don’t choose an old Viper over a new Focus RS because of performance. You do it because, even after 22 years, the Viper still looks like it wants to kill you, drink all your beer and sleep with your wife.