RE: Ford Focus RS: by the numbers

[MrBarry123]

Great to hear it's been well received.

[Adam Ansel]

Legacywr said:

Does anybody have any links to road tests of this car?

I have one on order, in blue, at the earlier low price

I've been a bit controversial and ordered a sunroof, which I'm hoping will brighten up the interior a bit!

Evo: http://www.evo.co.uk/ford/focus-rs
Top Gear: http://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/ford/focus-st/2...
Auto Express: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/ford/focus/93280/new-...
Autocar: http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/ford/focus-rs/...
Car magazine: http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-reviews/ford/ford...
What Car: http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/ford/focus-hatchba...

[dinkel]

Amazing and it's my guess a regular driver will set quicker laptimes in an RS than in any Ferrari.

Looks great and from experience I can tell it's easy to drive. Quick.

AWD seems the way to go and I can't understand why Honda does not have this on the R.

[unpc]

Adam Ansel said:

They say that the Ford interior is not as good as the German interiors, but that the driving experience is vastly superior.

Sigh! I find this idiotic fixation on touchy feely plastics somewhat depressing as if it suddenly makes a crappy car into something better. Is the Focus a worse quality car for having mildly inferior gap management or surface finishes to the VAG stuff? No it isn't and I design vehicle interiors for a living...

[Splats]

My beef with the interior isn't so much the plastics or finish - it's the actual design (look) of the thing. It's pretty poor and intrudes more into the passenger space than it needs to. The Golf and even Leon interior is far better IMHO. P.S. Not that I care.... I've ordered an RS.

[MustardCutter]

dinkel said:

AWD seems the way to go and I can't understand why Honda does not have this on the R.

IIRC a type r wasn't originally planned for this generation of civic, it's kind of an afterthought really. If they'd planned one from the beginning then maybe the platform would have allowed for it. Maybe what they had to work with was too restrictive. I dunno, but Honda do have good form with front wheeled drive perfomance cars. I'm not aware of any fast 4WD hondas in their back catalogue, maybe someone can enlighten me.

[nickfrog]

Adam Ansel said:

scherzkeks said:

the usual stuff

I think you misunderstand the technology in the RS.
This article might help: http://www.topgear.com/car-news/frankfurt-motor-sh...

I don't think anything will help.

[anonymous-user]

nickfrog said:

I don't think anything will help.

[Varn]

Far Cough said:

I remember a few years ago there was a huge post on the MLR ( Evo Forum ) on how to get a 400bhp / 400 Ftlbs car and it wasn't as easy as you would think. Fast forward to now and that pretty much comes as standard with a warranty with Mountune potentially offering a touch more. So thats the power side of things sorted. The AWD is rear biased and until a mere mortal like you and me have driven one , whos to say how it will feel compared to proper RWD. The car is a game changer in terms of transmission and power delivery and whilst there will always be old crusty die hard traditionalists , I`m open to new horizons and experiences whilst enjoying the new technology for a fraction of the price of a "Real" sports car !

Yes agreed - the advances in power output are very impressive. However, that doesn't mean it's better...power isn't everything.

I very much doubt this will handle similar to a RWD sports car. You can already make some pretty safe predictions, based on the technology employed on the rear axle, the wheelbase, etc.

At 30 years old I wouldn't call myself old and crusty. I guess this goes back to the old driving involvement argument. Some prefer a more involving drive, whilst others do not.

Edited by Varn on Tuesday 19th January 16:58

[Stinkotanko]

A friend of mine just bought one of these.

[M1C]

This has probably been on here already but a bit of a video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbd3h4FoYOw

[scherzkeks]

Adam Ansel said:

I think you misunderstand the technology in the RS.
This article might help: http://www.topgear.com/car-news/frankfurt-motor-sh...

XWD still looks quite similar to me. A nice evolution though, despite the Ken Block marketing.

[Glosole]

[quote=dinkel]Amazing and it's my guess a regular driver will set quicker laptimes in an RS than in any Ferrari.

Looks great and from experience I can tell it's easy to drive. Quick.

I suspect there are gains off the line and in the wet but extra weight plus mechanical losses are not going help much . A Mk2 RS Focus on similar rubber would be quite close I suspect on overal lap time.
But mainly I think it could look a little meaner like say this ST trackster project car with basicly the same engine but 2 wheel drive.

http://www.stanceworks.com/2013/03/fifteen52-prese...

[Adam Ansel]

scherzkeks said:

XWD still looks quite similar to me. A nice evolution though, despite the Ken Block marketing.

Sorry to hear this.
The difference is that XWD is for traction. Whereas the GKN system runs all the vehicle dynamics under software. As the article I linked you to makes clear.
It is a further development of what went on the 918 Spyder and the i8.
In each of the 4 different programs the RS handles completely differently, it isn't just stiffer or looser. Ford could have fitted an infinite number of programs and I am sure that hackers will soon come up with more.
This is why the reviews all say that the RS is a game changer. It has made the opposition technically obsolete overnight.

As this GKN technology improves from car to car it will be very interesting to see what JLR do with the new Disco. They want to retain the off road crown, so they could throw the whole kitchen sink at it.

[techguyone]

Its ugly as sin, maybe the 3dr looks nicer, the old RS looks a lot nicer.

[bencollins]

sleeky said:

Quickmoose said:

RemyMartin said:

270bhp 308GTi for me. I prefer understated in hot hatches. MK1 Focus RS pulled this trick off with flair. Nice colour, purposeful looks.For me I've no need of a top speed over 130-140.

agreed

Likewise. Broadspeed are showing them for £24,432, so discounts are out there.

Like the Peugeot also, but the VXR astra has not been mentioned thus far or in the article. Looks a very handsome alternative to me. Glad the RS pre-orderers have had their faith rewarded it seems.

[markcoznottz]

Adam Ansel said:

scherzkeks said:

XWD still looks quite similar to me. A nice evolution though, despite the Ken Block marketing.

Sorry to hear this.
The difference is that XWD is for traction. Whereas the GKN system runs all the vehicle dynamics under software. As the article I linked you to makes clear.
It is a further development of what went on the 918 Spyder and the i8.
In each of the 4 different programs the RS handles completely differently, it isn't just stiffer or looser. Ford could have fitted an infinite number of programs and I am sure that hackers will soon come up with more.
This is why the reviews all say that the RS is a game changer. It has made the opposition technically obsolete overnight.

As this GKN technology improves from car to car it will be very interesting to see what JLR do with the new Disco. They want to retain the off road crown, so they could throw the whole kitchen sink at it.

Easy tiger, technology does not make a fun car necessarily. Says in another review they set the seats too high, that's been happening for a while in the focus RS and St, ford please read the road tests of cars you've already built!

[rb5er]

techguyone said:

Its ugly as sin, maybe the 3dr looks nicer, the old RS looks a lot nicer.

You haven't read at all into this have you? Seen many new 3door focuses recently?

And disagree with your points made, I think it look much better than the mk2.

[egor110]

rb5er said:

techguyone said:

Its ugly as sin, maybe the 3dr looks nicer, the old RS looks a lot nicer.

You haven't read at all into this have you? Seen many new 3door focuses recently?

And disagree with your points made, I think it look much better than the mk2.

People aren't going to buy it because of it's looks, there going to buy it because of the amount of performance the car has for a reasonable amount of money, the same as the nissan gtr.

[Adam Ansel]

markcoznottz said:

Easy tiger, technology does not make a fun car necessarily. Says in another review they set the seats too high, that's been happening for a while in the focus RS and St, ford please read the road tests of cars you've already built!

The reviewers universally say the RS is immense fun, unlike the anodyne Haldex cars.
There are two seat options, the standard ones are OK. The optional buckets were thought to be too high and Ford say they are fixing this.