INTO FLORA: Well, with a 360bhp Mk1 Focus RS called 'Flora', what else were we going to call this feature!

摘要

An issue dedicated to the good old Zetec would of course not be complete without a nod to arguably its greatest incarnation - the 2-litre turbocharged unit that formed the heart of the Mk1 Focus RS. With 212bhp as standard, it was of course badged as a 'Duratec' and while that may have fooled some people for about five minutes, it didn't take that long for most to realise that it was in fact a regular 2-litre 'Blacktop' with some go-faster bits bolted to it. That's perhaps a little unkind, given the fact that Ford undoubtedly spent quite a bit of time and money developing the engine for the first car since the Escort Cosworth to wear an 'RS' badge, but while it made pretty much the same sort of power as its illustrious forebear in standard trim, let's just say the Mk1 RS's powerplant had slightly less provenance to it than the motorsport-inspired Cosworth YB.