The Ford Focus RS comes with a hydraulic handbrake, ready to make you the king of drifting

The world of hot hatchbacks keeps offering vehicles with truly impressive performance, performance that rivals many supercars of yesteryear. The Focus RS undoubtedly belongs in that category of compact performance cars. But the American brand has wanted to take the Focus one step further and make it even more radical.

The Ford Focus RS offers, as an option, a new element typical of rally cars: a hydraulic handbrake called the Drift Stick, which literally means drift stick. It is a new extra that the American compact will feature and that has been tested and approved by Ken Block himself. This new system will let you enjoy the Focus RS on a whole new level.

The hydraulic handbrake was developed by Ford Performance, the same department that took part in creating the most powerful Focus to date. The Drift Stick is located between the driver’s seat and the gearbox, so that access to it is as close and quick as possible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-SHQw8G5SE

The system is designed to work in perfect harmony with the Focus RS’s Drift mode. It is true that the hot hatchback features an effective four-wheel-drive system, but the most extreme driving mode disconnects all driver aids and sends more power to the rear axle, so the Focus RS becomes a true rear-wheel-drive vehicle.

The hydraulic handbrake works by locking the rear axle and makes it much easier to swing the RS’s rear end out. The Drift Stick builds pressure in the rear wheels, and with just one lever pull, you can achieve results typical of rally cars.

Let’s not forget that the Focus RS features a 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine producing 350 CV of power and reaching 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds. These figures translate into very sporty behaviour from the Focus and make it the perfect partner for the hydraulic handbrake. To bring this product to life, Ken Block played an important role.

The American brand’s driver has extensive experience when it comes to drifting, and his involvement in the project was crucial. He himself has stated that the car becomes a much more fun machine to drive.

The only downside to this new handbrake system is that it will only be available in the US and Canadian markets. The Drift Stick costs $999, and its installation is a very simple process, so any Focus RS owner can take it to their nearest workshop and enjoy it like never before.

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackFord Focus19 versions · from 31,034 €