Ford RS Gets the Drift

Next month Ford Motor Co. will begin selling a $999 “Drift Stick” system for its Focus RS hatchback.

The aftermarket device, which enables users to replicate rally car-style handbrake turns, can be ordered through the carmaker’s Ford Performance unit beginning Dec. 1. The carmaker announced the system this week at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Assn. show in Las Vegas.

The Drift Stick’s aluminum lever bolts on to the top of the car’s existing handbrake. Pulling the stick sends an electronic signal through the all-wheel-drive and electronic stability systems to lock the rear wheels and decouple the rear axle from the front axle.

This allows the car to essentially slide sideways through sharp turns without engaging the clutch. Ford cautions that the feature is intended for track use only. The system requires less pressure to operate—and is cheaper and easier to install—than a hydraulic handbrake, according to the carmaker. It also allows for even more extreme maneuvers than are possible when activating the “drift mode” function launched in the RS two years ago, according to the carmaker.

Ford developed the system in consultation with professional rally car driver Ken Block. The kit includes the Drift Stick lever, mounts and a calibrated circuit board. The car’s warranty is unaffected by its installation.