Like all World Rally Cars of its era, the Focus RS WRC shared only the basic body shape and some bodyshell panels with the road-going Focus. The most fundamental change was the adoption of four-wheel drive in place of the road car's front-wheel drive layout. Rallying regulations prohibited use of the production Focus's larger engines, so competition versions were built around a 2.0-litre Duratec unit, heavily modified and fitted with a turbocharger. The 2009 specification used a Ford 1998cc Pipo-built I4 Duratec WRC engine with four cylinders, 16 valves, and bore and stroke dimensions of 85 mm and 88 mm respectively, combined with a Pi electronic engine management system and a Garrett turbocharger with a mandatory 34 mm inlet restrictor.
The transmission was a permanent four-wheel drive system featuring an M-Sport designed active centre differential, Pi electronic differential control units, and an M-Sport/Ricardo five-speed sequential gearbox with electro-hydraulic shift control. Clutch duties fell to an M-Sport/Sachs multi-disc carbon unit.
The car made its debut at the 1999 Monte Carlo Rally with Colin McRae and Simon Jean-Joseph at the wheel. Despite immediately setting competitive stage times, both cars were excluded after officials found an illegal water pump had been used. McRae recovered the car's reputation two events later by winning the Safari Rally Kenya, finishing more than 15 minutes ahead of the second-placed Toyota of Didier Auriol. However, across the following seasons the Focus consistently fell short of championship honours. McRae came closest in 2001, losing the drivers' title by just two points after crashing out of the final round.
In 2003 Ford introduced a substantially redesigned version, the Focus RS WRC 03, which featured a lighter body shell and revised aerodynamics including a new front bumper and wing. Markko Märtin took the car to two rally victories. The 2004 and 2005 cars were evolutionary developments of the 03 chassis; Märtin won three events in the 2004 version, but by 2005 competitiveness had fallen away and Ford went through the season without a win.
The major breakthrough came with the Focus RS WRC 06, launched at the end of the 2005 season alongside the new road-going Focus. Its engine was a Duratec unit developed by French specialist Pipo Moteur. In the hands of Marcus Grönholm and Mikko Hirvonen the 06 took eight rally wins in 2006, delivering Ford its first manufacturers' championship since 1979.
The Focus RS WRC 07 was based closely on the 2006 car, with technical director Christian Loriaux describing the changes as focused on saving weight and improving efficiency and driveability at the lower end of the power range. The car debuted at the 2007 Rally Finland, where Grönholm and Hirvonen finished first and second. Ford defended the manufacturers' title successfully. In 2008, Jari-Matti Latvala used the 07 to win the Swedish Rally, becoming the youngest driver to win a World Rally Championship event at that time.
The Focus RS WRC 08 introduced a revised front aerodynamic package, debuting at the 2008 Rallye Deutschland. Styling updates referenced the upcoming Focus RS Mk II road car. The 08 recorded its sole victory at the 2008 Rally Japan.
The 2009 version debuted at the Rally d'Italia Sardegna, leading Ford to a 1-2 finish. Further cosmetic updates aligned the car more closely with the 2009 Focus RS Mk II. The 2009 Focus RS WRC was the last WRC car built around the Focus platform; after the 2010 season it was replaced by the Ford Fiesta RS WRC.
Across its full competition life the Ford Focus RS WRC appeared in 173 World Rally Championship events, winning 44 of them and claiming 142 podium finishes.
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