I have always had a soft spot for the Ford Focus, maybe because it is also sold as a European vehicle. Those folk on the other side of the pond have a good handle on what makes a fun little car, especially a hatchback. The Ford Focus has an almost cult following over there.

Of course, the Europeans get a few different models to us, including the phenomenal Focus RS edition. The RS logo stands for Rally Sport. Ford is heavily involved in the rallying world and, as the RS is based on their well known rally car, the name-tag is short, sweet and to the point.

My test vehicle was the Focus ZX5 SES model which gets its name from the optional ZX5 SES GFX package that it carries. That's quite a long-winded label for what is essentially a nice ground effects package and a few body upgrades. I think that Ford could do well to look a little more to their Euro partners as a simplified name might work better, like the Focus SS5 (Street Sport 5 door).

That is exactly what this car is, a fairly sporty little 5 door street machine.

It amazes me that the young tuner crowd hasn't jumped all over this one like they have the imports. After all, this crowd has been around for a few years now and many of them are purchasing new cars. With the amount of bolt-on goodies available for Euro Focus owners, you could trick one of these out fairly easy with just an overseas phone order. Another great benefit of this is that Ford goodies tend to cost considerably less than VW or Honda parts. You can even buy them directly from European Ford Dealerships, which have special Rally Sport parts departments.

Of course, there are a few hot Focus' running around, but why aren't there lots of them? Well, one reason could be the advertising. The Euro ads are aimed directly at the youngsters. In North America, we learn about the rear leg room and the luggage carrying capacity. Another reason could be Ford's Euro rallying promotions. Here, Ford is more likely to sponsor a truck-pull than a Dark-nights meet.

I think that Ford is missing out a little here, as their Focus model would make a great starting point for the tuner crowd, if only they would gear more towards them.

The car has the looks already, especially with the SRS GFX package which includes a sporty front air-dam with fog lights, a nice little rear wing spoiler, and a smart blacked-out grille. It is available in a choice of cool colors including sonic blue, infra-red, and screaming yellow. Ok, the 15 or 16 inch rims are a little small nowadays and the choice is not that large, but when did that ever bother the tuners; they're going to change them anyway. That's my point here; this is a good base to start from. Lots of manufacturers are aiming at the young market but they fail to understand that these youngsters want to be individuals and drive a car that reflects just that. It's no use putting lots of fancy bits on a car if they end up being taken off anyway. Better to sell them a plain vehicle and offer lots of bolt-on goodies at the dealerships for them to choose from afterwards.