1:24 Ford Focus RS WRC 03 - 2003 Shakedown

Ford Focus RS WRC 03, Shakedown 2003, 1:24 (Hasegawa)

An injection-molded plastic kit of a World Rally Championship car in 1:24 scale from the Japanese manufacturer Hasegawa. The release captures the car in the form it had on a test run before entering competition, that is without the full rally livery. The manufacturer gives white body parts, decals for the 2003 test car and tarmac wheels; the finished model measures roughly 178 by 74 millimeters.

The real subject

The Ford Focus RS WRC was Ford's top rally car built to the World Rally Car regulations. The version for the 2003 season represented a further step in the development of a car that Ford entered in the world championship with its works team. A shakedown is a short test run on a closed section during which the crew and the technicians fine-tune the setup before the start; the cars often run in an incomplete livery at it, exactly as this kit captures.

Building and painting tips

Spray the body in a smooth gloss paint and let the paint cure completely before the decals, otherwise marks will show through them. Build and paint the interior with the roll cage and the seats separately, before you close the body. The wheels and brakes are best done apart, and mask the tires when spraying the rims. At the end it helps to polish the paint and to lightly emphasize the gaps around the doors and the hood.

Who the model is for

• Collectors of world championship rally cars
• Fans of the Ford brand and of WRC class rally cars
• Modelers who want the car in a less common test form

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.