23-year-old, thoroughly tuned Ford Focus ZX3 sells for $40k

Back in 2001, tuners in the United States got their hands on a regular first-gen Ford Focus hatchback. What used to be an affordable bestseller became a real supercar and hit the spotlight at a SEMA show in Las Vegas. It has now changed hands for a cool $40,000.

Working with a car painted red at the factory, the tuner resprayed it in orange and outfitted with an aggressive-looking body kit partly inspired by the RS lineup. A large “power dome” appeared on the hood, hinting at the engine underneath, and a sizable roof spoiler was added as well. Stock wheels made room for 19-inch aftermarket rims clad in Bridgestone Potenza RE81 rubber.

The biggest changes inside include manually adjustable Recaro bucket seats, a carbon-wrapped roll cage, racing harnesses and a Pioneer radio. Aluminum pads were put on the pedals, and modern Dakota Digital gauges replaced the outdated stock ones.

The new gauges aren’t just a matter of taste, either. This particular Golf rocks a massive 5.0-liter Coyote V8 under the hood assisted by a 3.0-liter Whipple supercharger. The setup delivers 611 PS (603 hp / 450 kW) and 697 Nm (514 lb-ft) of torque – not bad by any standard, but especially impressive for a 23-year-old budget ride. The transmission is five-speed manual, and the drive is – another big surprise – on the rear axle. An RWD Focus is definitely not an everyday sight.

Considering all of the above, we believe this Focus was just about worth its extreme asking price. And what do you think?