Make your Focus faster: Part I

Our last post about the Euro-spec Ford Focus being
absent from our own market obviously touched a nerve with some readers. We thought we would ease your pain by highlighting some of the Focus performance mods out on the market in a three-part series. The first up is from a company formed late last year called PowerWorks. Its debut product was the FocusForce, a 2.0L Zetec-specific intercooled supercharger package that retails for about $4,750. That's a lot of coin for sure, but this package appears to be engineered to the hilt and should maintain your Foci's drivability while significantly boosting its output.

The FocusForce package is based on an Eaton M62 roots-style supercharger that?s accompanied by an air-to-water intercooler, larger throttle body, new air induction and a unique CARB-legal calibration. Only 2000-2004 models equipped with the 2.0L Zetec and a manual transmission need apply, although the system will work with all body styles. Supposedly PowerWorks is working on a version for automatics. Installation should take five hours to complete, although verification from a current owner on that claim would be nice. PowerWorks also states that no cutting, welding or fabrication is necessary and that the entire system can be removed with no undue effects. Good news for those adventurous lease owners out there.

When all is said and done you?ll be left with a Focus producing 220 hp and about 200 lb-ft of torque. That?s enough power to make you forget the letters S-V-T. Anyone out there who owns the PowerWorks FocusForce supercharger system and can let the rest of us know if it?s worth our hard earned greenbacks? We particularly would be interested to know if that amount of power is useable in a Focus with little or no additional mods to improve things like braking and handling.