Ford to Offer World’s First Electronic Handbrake for Focus RS

Ford announced recently that they will be offering the all-new Ford Performance Drift Stick which is a rally-inspired electronic handbrake that has been developed and designed for the Focus RS performance hatchback. The Drift Stick was born out of the Focus RS Drift Mode and was developed by the same team. The aluminum lever is placed between the driver’s seat and manual transmission which uses the innovative Ford Performance all-wheel-drive system in partnership with the antilock braking system which opens up the rear-drive unit clutches and applies hydraulic pressure to lock the rear wheels to induce drift with the simple pull of the lever. This results in clutch-free drift turns which are very reminiscent of a real rally car. Professional Ford rally driver Ken Block, who is noted for his viral drift videos titled Gymkhana, was brought in by Ford to consult on the Drift Stick and pushed for the electronic handbrake to provide every-day drivers with the quickest way possible to get the RS sideways. “I think it’s really cool that Ford Performance is offering customers a way to create a large-angle drifts in the Focus RS. Obviously it’s something that I’m really passionate about having been a part of the development of the production vehicle so it’s exciting to see it come to life,” said Block. “It definitely makes the car even more fun to drive.” Given that a hydraulic hand brake would have required substantial modifications to the car, the Drift Stick was developed as an entirely electronic technology utilizing Ford’s professional calibration tool which shares many similarities in the electronics now found in the drift stick. The Ford Performance Drift Stick is intended for track use only and is available as a $999 option.