The ROUSH Stage 1 Focus captures all of the components necessary to set your Focus apart on the streets, while giving you enough options to put your own personal touch on your ride.
 
An aggressive front fascia with oversized driving lamps, hood scoop, and aerodynamic upper wing lets others know right away: this is not your ordinary Focus.  A low back-pressure, all stainless steel exhaust with 4" tip gives your car a performance sound.  Your choice of white or hyper silver 17-inch wheels, with BFGoodrich G-Force KDW tires, completes the look.
 
You can further personalize your car with a number of options.  Add our sport suspension to give your Focus a meaner stance with a 1 3/4" drop, or go all the way with a Stage 2 suspension that will have you carving corners with the best.  You can make your ride stand out from the inside as well - with options including our sport seating system, carbon fiber trim pieces, silver-trimmed gauges, pedals, floor mats, and custom short-throw shifter.

How do you make a good car better?Easy, if it is a Ford Focus: Give it to Roush racing and let them make a few changes for you.

The Roush Focus will be available in either ZX3 or ZX5 models and can be had at a Ford dealership near you.

The Stage 1 Roush Focus includes a new front fascia with oversized driving lights, hood scoop, 17-inch wheels, upper rear wing, exhaust tip, Roush front windshield banner, Roush fender badges and Roush decklid character set.

The Stage 2 package from Roush adds the following items to their Stage 1 kit: a rear midwing spoiler, oversized side skirts, rear fascia with exhaust system and tip. Also included in the Stage 2 option are upgrades, springs, struts, shocks and rear sway bar.

In the addition to the Stage 1 and Stage 2 options, there is the "a la carte" Rally Menu that lets the buyer pick and choose the items they want on their vehicle.

"Our market research very clearly indicated that we needed to offer a variety of options and package combinations," said Tom Jennett, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Roush Performance. "The sport compact buyers pride themselves on their point of difference. With our Rally Menu, a Roush Focus buyer has those liberties to incorporate any combination of quality Roush products on their Focus.

"In the most rapid and widespread fashion, this brings Roush design into the Ford Focus buyer's world."

The only required standard items for every Roush-built Focus are the Roush front windshield banner, Roush side fender badges and Roush rear decklid character set.

These monikers are standard identity items, and along with the Roush-built serial sticker found on the doorsill of every Roush vehicle (all models), define the brand image of the vehicle.

The ZX3 Roush Focus tested came with the full list of options. Judging by the number of thumbs-ups from young drivers, any doubts about the car's styling were quickly erased.

I liked the changes Roush makes to the interior of the Focus. The white-faced gauges are easy to read and give the vehicle a sporty look. The seats not only look great, they are comfortable and give side support in tight corners.

The optional Roush shifter has a good feel and look. The billet aluminum brake, gas and clutch pedals don't make the car go faster, but they do look good and will keep slippery shoes from sliding off. The optional carbon fiber trim complements the other changes to the interior, and with a price of just over $200, why not?

Because of the extra wings installed on the rear hatch of the Focus, buyers will notice it is a little harder to open than the standard rear hatch. Once fully open, the standard struts will hold it in place.

The 2.4-liter engine on the Focus was completely stock, as Roush did no work on it at all. Roush does offer a cold air intake that can be installed by the owner or dealer, and an optional exhaust system adds a nice throaty sound to the Focus and most likely a few more horsepower.

Roush has plans to release an intercooled turbocharger kit for the 2.0-liter ZTEC engine. Roush's goal with the turbocharger is a 60 percent power increase over stock figures.

While the engine was not modified, the changes in the suspension are very noticeable, with it handling better in the corners with much less body lean.

"The stance of the vehicle says a lot about its attitude," said Joe Thompson, vehicle program marketing manager. "A lowered ride that grips the road gives the driver confidence in their machine. That's what customizing your vehicle is all about."

If you would rather buy and install the parts on your Focus yourself, you can also do that. The only disadvantage is that there is no warranty on self-installed parts.