The Stench in Existentialism

Something has been troubling me.  It is a quandary that my brain has not yet wrestled to the ground.  It is not a true existential crisis, I leave that stuff to the philosophically inclined, but it runs to the core of my values.  The question is a simple one - why has Ford built the Focus RS?

Of course, the sensible answer is “who cares” because when it comes down to it, who cares.  But I have to wonder what meetings had to take place, who put their career on the line, and why.  It’s not that I have anything against the little car, it is kinda neat.  It is simply the latest evolution of a long line of hot Ford’s from Europe.  There has always been a Focus RS, but never before in America.  The whole premise of a hot hatch is somewhat foreign to us.  In the United States of F150, we tend to buy trucks, sports utilities, and Harley Davidson’s.  Large, powerful, and somewhat excessive is how our tastes run.  And still, somebody thought it was a good idea to sell a 350HP hatchback in the land of the brave and home of the free.

But why, you may ask, is a person who drinks Mobil 1 for breakfast criticizing anything about the Focus RS?  It has 350 horsepower.  Ken Block helped develop it.  It has a drift button.  Surely I would be among the early adopters, trading in a homely WRX for a Miata blue RS.  And truth be told, I like them.  But there is literally an elephant in the room that can not be ignored.  Actually, it’s a horse.  How can anybody, in clear conscience, purchase a Focus RS when right over there is a Mustang GT for the same money?

Let’s consider the cars.  The Mustang GT is a stunning rear wheel drive coupe with decades of racing pedigree.  It has a high revving 32 valve 435HP V-freakin’-8.  With the performance pack, it has the same Brembo brakes, Recaro seats, and summer tires as the RS.  It is infinitely more engaging to drive.  It is much better looking.  It has a nicer interior with a better stereo.  It will retain its value better.  Strangers will regale you with Mustang stories at the gas pump.  Guys on Harleys will give you a thumbs up.  Girls dig it.  Meanwhile, the RS is a nice shade of blue.

In a world without the Mustang, the RS seems pretty awesome.  And that is the world in which it was conceived.  Europe has been largely Mustang free until last year, so Ford Europe developed products that might have been outshined by the lowly Mustang, had it been for sale there.  This has led to many very interesting cars, including the Focus RS.  It seems strange that we never had the chance to buy a Ford RS product until now, but in light of this comparison maybe it’s not so crazy.  But now that Europeans have the chance to purchase a Mustang, it makes the Focus RS seem utterly redundant.

Not that any of this matters in the least.  It makes no difference to me that Ford makes two similarly priced cars with similar performance.  I would not spend my own $35K on either.  I would get a 997 Carrera S.  So I would like to apologize.  Clearly, my advice is useless and your time has just been wasted.  At least I feel better about the whole thing.