Mustang Coupe

Make
Ford
Segment
Coupe

Sadly, the Blue Oval no longer offers the Focus stateside. When the automaker announced it would shift toward trucks and SUVs, it was a sad day for fans of the brand, leaving just the Ford Mustang to fly the passenger car flag.

And that's a real pity. First seen in 1999, Ford's clever Focus rewrote the compact hatchback rulebook. The futuristic (for the late 90s, at least) design hid multi-link rear suspension, a first for the segment. This made the little hatch incredibly fun to drive and, unsurprisingly, prompted rivals to engineer suspension systems to rival it.

But in rallying circles, the Focus is fondly remembered for its motorsport achievements. Piloted by the late Colin McRae, the little Ford was unstoppable back in its day, clinching a trio of first-place victories. Sadly, a dramatic crash cost the Focus and McRae top honors, losing to Richard Burns by just two points in the driver's championship. Now rebuilt, the infamous Focus is on offer by Silverstone Auctions in the UK.

Following the spectacular wreck, the car was rebuilt by Ford and put into action in certain rounds of the 2002 World Rally Championship. Shortly after, Y4 FMC was sold and used in the British BTRDA stage rally. Since then, this piece of motorsport history has been retired and returned to its original state.

The auction house notes the ex-Colin McRae Focus has undergone a full restoration from a top rally specialist and remains entirely usable. While we doubt something as special as this Focus will ever see a rally stage again, it's nice to know the WRC suspension, brakes, and sequential gearbox remain. Adding to its provenance is a history-packed file, filled with information about the Ford's history.

It looks brilliant, wearing gorgeous OZ Racing alloy wheels and the Martini livery, which includes a stripe that stretches over the hood and roof of the rally car. Inside, it's all business - the spartan interior only has space for Recaro racing bucket seats, a white-painted roll cage, and the Sparco steering wheel.

This isn't the first time Silverstone Auctions has had the pleasure of auctioning off one of McRae's cars. In 2018, the 1999 Focus WRC was estimated to sell for $170,000 and $199,000, less than the arguably more desirable car the auction house is currently offering.

Very recently, McRae's 555-liveried Subaru Impreza sold for $360,000, showing there's a real market for these legendary rally cars. Sadly, the ace rally car driver lost his life in 2007, when a helicopter he was piloting crashed near his home in Scotland, killing everyone on board.

Described as the "shining star of Silverstone Auctions Season Opener," this is truly one special Focus. For rallying and motorsport aficionados, the Ford will make a great addition to any rich and varied collection. With an estimated price of £300,000 - £350,000 (approx. $407,000 - $475,000), it sure is a pricey piece, but the incredible history and story behind this ex-McRae Focus WRC will undoubtedly make it an excellent investment.