One of the most important features of the Ford Focus RS is its Drift Mode, which Ford engineers apparently created by accident. It turned out to be a stroke of genius for the Blue Oval and now, the automaker is capitalizing on the hot hatch’s popularity by offering a free one-day course at the Ford Performance Racing School in Grantsville, Utah for owners of 2016 and 2017 Focus RS models.
The complimentary driving school is called the RS Adrenaline Academy. It’s similar in a lot of ways to the ST Octane Academy that Ford previously offered to owners of the Focus ST and Fiesta ST models. The only difference is that this program is dedicated to the Focus RS and comes with classroom discussions, shifting, braking, and cornering exercises, and practical applications of all four driving modes found in the Focus RS, most notably the Drift Mode.
While the whole course comes free of charge, the airfare and accommodations to go to Utah isn’t. Interested participants will have to shoulder those expenses and if they enjoy their time in the facility, Ford is also offering a second-day session with the Ford Mustang GT at an added cost. Registration is now open on the dedicated RS Adrenaline Academy website (www.rsadrenalineacademy.com) but there is a caveat on who is eligible to participate in the one-day crash course. According to the site, “anyone who purchased and took delivery of a NEW Ford Focus RS will have one calendar year from the date of delivery to register and attend an RS Adrenaline Academy program.”
Be sure to browse through the site’s FAQ section to learn more about the RS Adrenaline Academy. Ford has yet to reveal the class schedules but has promised to do so sooner than later.
Continue after the jump to read the full story.
Why it matters
Nobody’s hosing Ford for “accidentally” including Drift Mode into the Ford Focus RS but let’s be real about this. Not everyone who has bought the Focus RS knows how to drift. There’s a litany of videos on YouTube that proves as much. So yes, this is a great idea and the fact that it comes free of charge is even better.
The only caveat is the cost that comes with flying to Utah and the accommodations that come with it. That might not sit well with some owners who may prefer to learn the tricks of drifting on their own, or presumably from someone closer to where they are. Still, the costs shouldn’t dissuade anybody who really wants to learn the finer points of driving the Focus RS. The whole program is a great way to learn and you have to give Ford kudos for even offering it in the first place.
The full details of the program are still being prepared, including the schedule. That should come soon enough to give RS owners enough time to plan out their schedules and see if they can squeeze in a few days in Utah. Who knows, some of these owners might come back from attending the RS Adrenaline Academy and start posting videos of what they learned during their time at the Ford Performance Racing School. That should result in a drop of #Driftmodefail videos, and while it wouldn’t be as funny as watching owners miserably fail in drifting, we at least get to see more people enjoy the unique driving feature the way Ford intended it to be used.
Once again, all the information interested participants need are at the program's dedicated website. Hop on over there and find out all the requirements needed to get included in the program.
Ford Focus RS
Read our full review on the Ford Focus RS here.