Matt black it is... Apparently its a film over gloss black.

RS500 revealed

I like the full leather but not too sure on the full red. It looks better than the full red leather on the Focus ST500 though...

Do I put my order in now?

Hmm... I'm not too sure, just several niggly things reading about it. While I think it would have been worthwhile Ford making black an option on the standard RS I think it would have been better to have metallic black rather than a matt one which they're using. Also that 500 badge looks like it's out of place and trying to stand out too much - something similar to the ST500 in the same font would have been better. It's good that they're being individually numbered and this is something they should have done from the start. I know that Ford's reasoning was that the RS was not a limited run as such, but from what I understand they've sold similar numbers to the Mk1 anyways. But again I think the edition plate looks far too big and in-yer-face - something subtle like on the Mk1 would have done nicely. The full red seats I don't think look any better than they did on the ST500.

Moving onto the specification itself which should arguably be more important than any of the styling issues I've mentionned. It is great that they've managed to get more horses out of it... but... consider this. Firstly, you will be able to modify an existing RS to the same degree for less money. It may also be the case in the future that once all the RS500s are gone Ford make the Mountune upgrade available to exisitng RS owners, so meaning there isn't the warranty issues to consider. However, they will have one very large advantage over RS500 owners and that is in respect to roadtax. Ford managed to pull a minor miracle in getting the emissions on the standard RS to scrape into the tax band it's in by 1g/km, saving owners about £200 annually compared to the band above. If they then modify it then that isn't something that's considered by the DVLA as they only consider the factory figures as they're done in a perfect testing environment. On the other hand the RS500, as a factory model, will have the extra emissions counting against it, bumping it up one and possibly two bands.

They have produced way more Mk2s
About 4000LHD, 4000RHD, and now 500 more
Thats last I read anyway.....

Now thats smooth... instead of that awful fake carbon fibre you can look at tons of teeny weeny RS symbols





I know what you're saying Chris but people went all funny over the Fiesta ST500 even asking if the brake calipers were special or where they could get "ST500 wheels" and when someone fitted a Mountune kit to a Fiesta ST500, you could have mistaken it for the second coming the way people went on so people are weird like that.

Once the Mountune stuff was released it was like "Ok yeh.. another ST with a Mountune kit. Congrats & well done etc".

One thing I cant stand though is those RS badges on the calipers!!! Wtf?? How much of an after thought do they look??

Love the colour Still think its all an elaborate hoax tho

ohh that is one serious looking vehicle =oooo

I really like everything that I've seen. I think that you're being perhaps a little too picky Chris; after all styling wise people would want their RS500s to stand out a mile from the crowds.

To my mind the black colour does wonders and blends in all of the black plastic exterior components which is something that I don't quite like about the standard RS.

Let's hope it's not a hoax as they would have gone through a lot just to make quite a sick joke.

I would love to own one of these, of course it would be part of the "Dream Garage" and it wouldn't ever go anywhere. Anyone who buys one of these will most likely preserve it as with the RS500 Sierra Cosworths, they will be worth a lot of money one day and this car is more of an investment than anything else.

Insurance, tax etc will I believe not be an issue as the 500 will be just a collectors item, under cover and pampered!

Was there a big hoo-ha about the fiesta RS too tho?

Yeh but there were no real specs.. no definite engine choices.. just that blue one.. (not to say none were made tho...) I dont know why you think its a wind up. Ford Europe wouldnt set up a website and go all out on the kit to be fitted and all that testing on a wind up...

i agree with chris but more so about the mt kit as on th rs owners club mt are stating its being released very very soon to the genral public so the rs 500 wont be anything special, and like the fiesta st500 and focus st500 there not special just an after thought gimmick to try n make them appeal mroe special to get people to buy em, i think the mk1 rs is special!!! becauwse from day 1 that was limited build, but the mk2 is not and then to bring it out as a 500 "special" is just poor tbh, and also like i said those perfomance figures are well and truly naff! the focus st with mt goes from 340nm to 400nm!!! so why the minimal increase in torque!?!?! rather pay 435 quid get the ggr map with over 520nm!!!!! and around 340bhp cos after all we all know its torque that counts and also the ggr is coverd by 12k miles and 1 year warrenty so..... enough said lol plus green is by far the best! IMO:)

It'll be nice to see one of these driving about, but I've hardly seen any Focus RS' anyway

And I've only seen 1 Focus 500

Lol seen a few RSs, couple of ST500s
Had a good day the other day

3 Mk1 RSs
1 Mk2 RS (ok i was at a servicing garage)
2 R8s
1 Bentley
1 Aston Martin
2 Nissan GTRs

Seen an RS? Seen an RS? Lol... Allllllllll the time.. hear it, sit in it, drive it.. man I'll never ever get bored of those pops & frankly insane bangs

I know what you mean about the "so?" factor though especially as MT will be releasing these kits very soon (I should think).