---
title: "Ford Puts the Limited-Slip in Focus RS Limited Edition"
description: "The driftiest little hatch gains a limited-slip differential up front."
date: "2017-05-31"
modified: "2017-05-31"
authors:
  - name: "Kyle Cheromcha"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kyle-cheromcha"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/10914/ford-puts-the-limited-slip-in-focus-rs-limited-edition"
categories:
  - "Car Tech"
  - "Ford News"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
tags:
  - "compact"
  - "Drift Mode"
  - "focus"
  - "Focus RS"
  - "Ford"
  - "Hatchback"
  - "limited edition"
  - "sports car"
---

# Ford Puts the Limited-Slip in Focus RS Limited Edition

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/05/focus-rs-1.png>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

In these [troubled times,](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/10484/ford-ceo-mark-fields-fired-report-says>) Ford has a really good thing going with the Focus RS, or as our Matt Farah calls it, "[the world's finest hot hatch](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/4843/the-ford-focus-rs-is-the-worlds-finest-hot-hatch>)." Sure, some people whined about the open front differential, but you can always find someone to complain about the food at a strip club. Still, Ford Performance decided to humor the haters with a limited edition swan song featuring a host of cosmetic upgrades and, you guessed it, a limited-slip differential up front.

The Ford Focus RS already has a sophisticated all-wheel-drive system that we simple folk shorthand as "drift mode," but Ford claims the addition of a Quaife mechanical LS differential in the aptly-named Limited Edition will further sharpen the handling and add more traction under heavy acceleration. There, now the strip club is serving cage-free eggs at the breakfast buffet. Happy?

In addition to the axle upgrade, Ford has added another paint option for the model's final year—Race Red, which honestly looks more orange. That brings the total to five colors for the RS, though you're stuck with the new red or Nitrous Blue with the Limited Edition. It also features blackened exterior trim pieces, forged wheels, and an interior festooned with carbon fiber and the RS2 (heated Recaro seats and wheel, voice navigation, etc.) comfort package.

![message-editor%2F1496204891334-focusrs2.png](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1496204891334-focusrs2.png>)
**YouTube | Ford Performance**

If this suits your style, you should act fast. Even though Ford never put a hard cap on the overall Focus RS production numbers, that's not the case here with the end of the line approaching—only 1500 Limited Editions will be made this fall, 500 of which will go to *Canada,* doncha know. We at *The Drive* say let our northern neighbors import all the hot hatches [we can't touch yet](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/10346/feds-seize-1996-nissan-r33-skyline-from-south-carolina-importer>), and save the rare home-grown talent for ourselves.

https://youtube.com/embed/8Wz4ObDSQlo

## Author
Overseeing an expert staff of writers and editors from his lair in Los Angeles, Kyle shapes The Drive’s singular approach to covering the automotive industry and car culture. He’s been with the site as a writer since 2017, taking over as editor in 2019. On a daily basis, Kyle is responsible for directing The Drive's editorial news and car review content strategies, setting special coverage priorities, managing complex reporting projects, and ensuring what you read on the page meets our high internal standards for quality and trustworthiness. He is also the executive producer of The Drive's YouTube channel, which was relaunched in February 2024 to great acclaim and has accumulated over 14M new views in its first year back on the scene. He hosts a biweekly series on the channel where he breaks down fascinating and complicated stories from the automotive world.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/kylecheromcha.bsky.social>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/kylecheromcha>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-cheromcha-1550248a/>)