Mountune launches new MR500 Focus RS Track Pack
The old RS was a giggle with 350hp - now it has another 150hp
Old fast Fords never die, they just get faster, or so the sticker goes. With Ford having cancelled another Focus RS (indeed, it seems reluctant to pursue anything very interesting right now, but that’s a discussion for another time), the Mk3 will forever remain the final iteration. Quite some car it was, too, with 350hp, a Drift Mode and a host of trick bits.
It didn’t take long for the aftermarket to optimise it further; you might remember the FPM375 upgrade from Mountune that liberated 375hp and 376lb ft for a few RS special editions. That development hasn’t stopped with the car out of production, either - 400hp was soon available from the Essex-based tuners. Now Mountune has launched its most potent product yet for the Mk3 Focus RS: the MR500. And who wouldn’t be interested in a 500hp, four-wheel drive fast Ford?
Granted, there’s a small caveat to get out of the way first: Mountune only offers this upgrade to those who already have its M400X pack. That lays the foundations for big power, with forged pistons and better conrods alongside the usual turbo power goodies: high-flow induction, uprated intercooler, freer-flowing exhaust and so on.
The MR500 builds on M400X with a new Mountune-configured BorgWarner EFR-7163 turbo plus a raft of new hoses, clamps and gaskets, uprated cams and valves, a burlier downpipe, colder spark plugs and a fuel pump to handle the increased appetite for super unleaded, alongside all the other odds and sods associated with going to a giant turbo. If you were looking for mention of a Turbosmart EFR B1 series single port actuator or Ni-resist cast turbo adapter assembly, here they are.
Alongside the headline power figure, Mountune claims 516lb ft of torque for the MR500 - a huge uplift from the standard car’s 347. So this is going to be as fast as hell, if not a bit more so. It also comes with functionality seen on previous Mountune builds, including no lift gear changes and full-time launch control (i.e. it doesn’t have to be activated). ‘As proven in multiple mountune Racing engine applications, the mr500 will transform your driving experience!’ We don’t doubt that for a second…
The MR500 upgrade is available now, priced at £11,495 including the VAT - Mountune has to fit it, too. Those beginning from a standard car will have to factor in things like the forged Mahle pistons (£949), forged conrods (£1,450), upgraded intercooler (£795) and the £699 mTune handset, before embarking on the journey to 500hp, so it’s going to be a significant investment whichever way the project is is approached. Particularly with even higher mileage Mk3 Focus RSes continuing to command £20k; still, nobody knows fast Fords quite like Mountune, and the prospect of 500hp in a Focus RS is hard to ignore. We’ll let you know the reality as soon as we can bet behind the wheel.
M2/3/4 for that money. But then there's the all weather argument.........
I drove one at Silverstone at the launch and was really impressed by it. I had a Golf R at the time and, while it didn't feel any faster than the Golf, the level of engagement and sense of it being "proper" 4WD rather than Haldex made it a far, far more exciting car.
You could drive it hard, grip seemed endless, steering was very direct if not the most communicative. You had to go out of your way on a wet roundabout to find understeer.
Sold and went for an M3 as it was great on the right road but looking at my liftshare bobbing about on the expressway going to work meant this wasn't the right car for this road and with the engine recall/worries it did factor in my mind time to change.
I guess this 500 kit is more aimed for mountunes existing customers rather than to tempt someone to buy an RS and take it to them, good to see the community is still being served.
I came down a slip road with the wife's standard one last week and was in license losing territory with only a few seconds of foot to the floor, Along a twisty back road it is an animal and the more you lean on it the better it gets in my opinion but again I don't see that being improved with vastly more power.
As much as I love the car and enjoy driving it, when I get the opportunity, I can honestly say its less fun than my ST180 fiesta 90% of the time.
Happy to be told I am wrong
I drove one at Silverstone at the launch and was really impressed by it. I had a Golf R at the time and, while it didn't feel any faster than the Golf, the level of engagement and sense of it being "proper" 4WD rather than Haldex made it a far, far more exciting car.
And they haven't ever troubled me in my Impreza (modified). Even when I was running it in on low boost and a 5krpm limiter a FRS couldn't pull a gap on me and I was on a trackday with one of the special matt black ones, did they have more power? but even that was comfortably slower than the Subaru on low boost.
Focus RS 1/4 mile times as standard are pretty much the same as Subaru / Mitsubishi were doing 25-30 years ago.
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