TLDR: 2 weeks ago, I found out that there is a 2018MY RS, that it’ll be a limited edition and come in Nitrous Blue or Race Red. They also have LSDs standard. I’ve been itching to tell you guys ever since and I finally can. (those random posts and smiley faces on comments now make more sense, huh?)
On April 27 I got a rather cryptic e-mail from Ford Performance asking me about some renderings I had done of the RS in Race Red back in August of 2015, and requesting my number for a quick phone call. I was confused, but of course gave my number and a few minutes later got a call. I was told that the Focus Brand Team had seen the renderings as they always keep their ear to the ground, and they wanted to invite me out for an event at Hoonigan HQ in Park City to meet Ken Block and go on a private tour. My response was exactly what you would expect, “let me ask my wife.”
When I looked at the calendar it occurred to me the timeframe was the week before our first wedding anniversary… but she told me I could go as long as I promised to take pictures and get her Ken Block’s autograph. I shot Ford back an e-mail letting them know that I was in as long as I was back in time for my anniversary. I of course mentioned that my wife was incredibly jealous.
Fast forward a week and I get another e-mail, “We had a spot open up, Is Susan still interested in coming?”. I didn’t even ask her, just replied back with “Of course!!!!”. I told her later and got to be an awesome husband.
Blah Blah… we went to Utah.
So the day finally came for the tour. There were 5 of us total, Ben, Josh, Ron, Susan and I. We all had suspicions something was up, but weren’t sure what. We started lunch at one of Ken Block’s favorite restaurants, Billy Blanco’s. That place is amazing, cars everywhere, shop rags for napkins. Truly legit and makes me want to redecorate my house. During lunch we were given NDAs and releases to use our image and were told the tour would be filmed. Ok… something is definitely up. As we ate, Ron overheard one of the Ford reps say something about a reveal.
After lunch we made our way over to the Hoonigan HQ. We piled out of the van and into the entry way and knocked on the door. Ken Block opens it to greet us, along with a full camera crew. We took the tour, we saw a few cars, and then they said “but there’s two more”. We were led over to two strangely familiar shapes under covers and told to help remove the covers. So we did. What did we see but two 2018 Focus RSs, one in Nitrous Blue and one in Race Red. Both with black roofs, wings, and mirrors. The rest… is history and in the video.