Originally Posted by
Lundefaret
Capito also did the Focus ST (it was supposed to be a dolphin, and the RS a shark), and I was lucky enough to be on the launches of both.
ST launch was at Paul Ricard, which is surrounded by some great driving roads.
It was off course also track driving, Henning Solberg was present in the Norwegian day.
The launch was one of the best I ever attended as it also featured (for test driving), an RS200 (road version), 3dr Sierra Cosworth, Puma (wide fender one that I have forgotten the name of, but a very exiting car to drive), an MK1 from Rally Mexico, but with a high power BDA engine, and I think more. Toni Gardermaister did carry on rides in a Fiesta ST track car (and was very close to rolling with me onboard).
And the ST it self, with that nice five cylinder howl, was very, very good.
RS launch was in Nice, with driving in the mountains. Me and a colleague did some inspired driving for the the camera. A car stopped. And out came a police officer. Since I have already spent time in jail for speeding, I saw a future locked up in France. He wanted us to follow him. He stopped in the closest small town, outside a small garage where there was a Renault rally car (FWD with turbo, but bigger then a 5). Turned out he was a rally driver!
Best part comes now: he took along his father in the slicks shod rally car to a twisty and steep mountain road. He wanted a race!
Father went in the RS, and we took turns driving the RS and passenger the Red Renault. RS was a fantastic car on these roads, and actually faster then the rally car.
On the way back to Nice we were running late for the plane, so I had to step on it on the freeway. Now I got stopped by a police car and a police van. Heart was thumping, because the speeds we had been doing was all other than sober.
Turned out the father if one of the 10 or so Police men that got out of the van had a MK1 Focus RS, and was wondering about buying an MK2. They looked at the all new car, and even told us to go for it and launch the car hard when we were let away.
Good times