Graham Goode Racing Ford Focus RS370FR review

Remember the GGR Focus RS? Back in issue 137, I drove it in 340bhp form. Now you can go a step further and get 368bhp by asking Graham Goode Racing for the RS370FR (the last two letters, in case you’re wondering, stand for ‘fast road’).

The extra 28bhp hasn’t been easy to liberate. As well as a new intercooler, exhaust catalyst, airbox and hoses, and a remapped ECU, the tuning firm has gone so far as to replace the fuel injectors. This was the key to further development, allowing 25 per cent more fuel to be forced into the cylinders. The trouble is that this amount of work has upped the ante substantially. The RS340 is a £435 chip mod; this package costs over ten times that. Is it worth it? Not if bang-per-buck is your sole criterion, that’s for sure.

As with the 340, driveability hasn’t been sacrificed in the quest for power. Better yet, the vast new carbonfibre airbox means the turbo is able to respond more quickly and the engine never feels strained. It sounds even better too, with induction rasp accompanying the roaring exhaust and whistling turbo.

More than any other RS, this one will torque steer, but you always know what the front end’s up to and the wheels themselves are never over-burdened, proving just how good Ford’s standard suspension set-up is. In fact chassis and power are beautifully balanced here. The trouble is, I don’t think the extra money is quite reflected in the driving improvements. If it were my RS, I’d be happy with the RS340.