DAN NEALE FOCUS RS
Dan is another regular at the Takeover. Indeed, his Focus RS was at the very heart of the show last year, on a central plinth as a flagship car for the whole event. But… the car looked nothing like it does now! It’s quite a task to take one of the scene’s bestknown machines, and then totally re-invent it. Even more so to do all that, and then drive it all the way from South Wales, including a ferry crossing to IOW without anybody spotting it so it could be ‘unveiled’ to the crowd at the show! Hat’s off, that’s quite an effort.
Dan explains that his inspiration was none other than one of the show organisers (and all-round Ford nut!), Rich Fox. “It was Rich that actually got me into the RS in the first place. I always liked his car, and after I met him he inspired me to get involved myself,” remembers Dan, “the car I bought five years ago as a totally standard RS then evolved into the ‘Monster’ car that was on display last year – Revo Stage 4, 420bhp, custom wrap, and M-Sport wing. But when Rich re-invented his own car last year, he gave me yet more inspiration to take things up a notch with my car too… and this is the result.” The first thing that’s immediately obvious is the new wrap from Blueprint (which was redesigned nine times until Dan was 100% happy with it all!), but there’s a full set of Auto Specialists wide arches and new Bola B18 wheels too. The changes don’t stop there, under the bonnet power has risen to a huge 559bhp thanks to a Revo Stage 5 kit and Garrett GT3582R turbo. And he’s not stopping there. “Next, it’ll be going on Syvecs management, with the aim for 700bhp,” Dan smiles. This car is constantly evolving, and it doesn’t sound like Dan has any plans to slow down anytime soon. We wonder what this car will look like this time next year!?
QUICK SPEC 2.5-litre five cylinder, Revo Stage 5 kit, Garrett GT3582R turbo, external wastegate, Airtec intercooler, KMS exhaust, Auto Specialists wide arch kit, M-Sport rear wing, WRC-style bumpers and vents, custom wrap, Bola B18 alloys, MonkeyWrench headlights, BC Racing coilovers, K-Sport brakes