RE: New Focus RS confirmed

[amusingduck]

The1Driver said:

More doesn't always equal better. 300BHP with perhaps another special edition churning out 350BHP might do it.

Didn't say it was better, just that I don't see it having roughly the same power as the last model

[Uncle John]

Pretty much everyone who has a mk2 RS ends up fettling either with a simple map (around 345 hp a la RS500) or some more serious stuff (anything from 375 - 500hp) so it wil need to be around 350hp as a starting point.

From my experience the RS with extra power works the diff far better than the standard 300hp and markedly improves the drive. And yes agree that FWD is more fun but not as impressive for the 0-60 pub bores.

In gear is where it's at and this was the mk2 standard RS' forte, brutal in gear times.

I await more information with interest.

[kmack]

neil1jnr said:

kmack said:

I am a big car fan and I really do like/respect the Focus RS - as I do with any well engineered car, but as a Business man (over 40 years old) I couldn't possibly buy one as I would be laughed at whereas other hot hatches/performance cars (mainly German) mentioning no names are passable as they are discreet & understated. Sometimes less is more but I guess I am not the target market.

Sadly their just too chav! Its a shame as my inner child would quite like one...

I understand the understated look, but you have just said 'I really do like/respect the Focus RS'

If you like the RS then why would you even think twice what other people would think??

I have to use my car for business and as sad as it is, image counts and to turn up in a 'shouty' ford focus with big spoilers and a body kit at my age/in my position is a no no. Its sad but true as people do judge whether we like it or not!

[Escort Si-130]

PMSL, what have you been smoking. I guess you also want the car to change colour when you want depending on mood and give 800mpg

Matt UK said:

360bhp, Manual, 1000kgs, £18k, V8, RWD switchable to AWD, etc

[Escort Si-130]

Just like your Celica with a farting baked bean can exhaust

celicawrc said:

Yay!

Another chavvy, FWD, shopping trolley to get excited about...

[Tomatogti]

330 bhp (got to me more than before, but not too much more - think of the mark 4 in 5 years time)
AWD (whatever the diff, it's just going to have too much power)
4 door (they ain't going to make a 3 door just for this)
£30k (can't be more than the Golf R and it'll slightly outgun it in the power stakes so doesn't need to be less)
1,500-1,600kg ('elf and safety + AWD)

[Escort Si-130]

What a load of bullocks - only here on PH!

Mastodon2 said:

Another Focus to cheapen the RS name even further.

[Escort Si-130]

My bet, based on info from certain sources it would be around 350bhp and AWD, using a system that is mainly FWD setup, but power diverted to rear when slip detected on front.

Carl_Docklands said:

To maintain the legend started by the Escort Cossie, I think the new car would be £50k, 4WD, 370hp Turbo engine and weigh around 1400KG.

All of which are perfectly achievable.

I remember as a kid sitting in an escort cossie in the Ford bristol street showroom back in 1992. It had a sticker price of £24k.

[Funk]

I loved my Mk2 ST and would have had a Mk2 RS in a heartbeat had budgets allowed. What made them for me was the charisma of the 2.5 5-pot growling and warbling away. The new 4-pot ST may be quicker and more economical but to me it's lost what set it apart from the rest of the 2.0 4cyl hot hatches.

[Escort Si-130]

Another PH keyboard champion spitting out drivel.
They were NOT £40k. They were £25k to start then price went up in 3 increases to around £26800. The limited run of black RS500 version which there was 101 for the UK was £35k
Not a borrowed engine as Volvo was owned by Ford and it was a reworked engine. So I guess the engines in Audi's, Seat's, Skoda's are also borrowed VW engines. Or that in the Bugatti Veyron being a borrowed VW W12 engine; some of you here are so full of st.

loose cannon said:

Lol the last focus was 40k with a borrowed engine and fwd and wasnt the best of its type
Good luck getting all the rest for an extra 10k

[Escort Si-130]

Well go buy something discreet like a Golf, that would be up your market. I would rather the rally inspired styling of the mk2 anyday. Don't want to be a sheep like everyone else.

Baryonyx said:

None of the dodgy, leaden chav styling of the second one. Plenty of power and great handling would top it off.

[Baryonyx]

Uncle John said:

In gear is where it's at and this was the mk2 standard RS' forte, brutal in gear times.

I await more information with interest.

In gear times sounds like a nonsense to me, I think every time I read or hear the phrase. It's not as if you'd drive around in the wrong gear, or out of gear, so the term is meaningless if you compare each car's acceleration in the way is was supposed to be driven (ie: making correct use of the gears).

[Escort Si-130]

I doubt it, as those idiots in previous posts don't seem to like it, they don't understand what it is all about.

vrooom said:

What it needed to have is big whale tail on focus.. can you imagine that!! big whale tail on focus!

[Pixelpeep7r]

As long as it's got four tail pipes then I'm in

[*Al*]

It will be about 300 bhp with AWD, watch out Civic Type R!

[Escort Si-130]

I kinda agree with you on this. Although I still do kinda have a soft spot for the Golf R

neil1jnr said:

stuckmojo said:

The competition is AWD, but ford fanboys won't care if it's FWD as long as it's got that badge, so my 2p are on it being FWD with more power and some cheapened diff solution.

Golf, Merc and BMW are in another league, so the ford will probably be a bit cheaper.

AWD isn't the be all and end all, drive a Golf GTI PP and an R and you will see that the FWD golf is the better handling and much more fun car to drive. And even in the Leon Cupra 280 (50bhp more than the GTI), the FWD still handles the power and is a better car than the 4WD R.

My point being that although 4WD will give it that better off the line traction, a trick FWD set up can result in a more rewarding to drive. I feel that 4WD is the hype at the moment becuase of the low 0-60 times that are produced, which can be great, the launch control on the Golf R is brilliant, but I feel that what matters to most anyway is a a headline bhp figure or 0-60 time for bragging rights and a German badge on the bonnet.

Hoever, I think a Focus RS will sell regardless of spec and will have very strong residuals due to the fan base.

[Johnnytheboy]

Your posts would be so much easier to follow if you wrote your reply under the quote.

[Escort Si-130]

What a nonsense. So I guess we should no longer buy M3's, AMG's etc as they have crazy power figures above 400bhp and are licence loosing territory.
You could loose your licence in a standard diesel Fiesta, by driving at 70mph in a 20 zone for instance.

stargazer30 said:

I am the only one thinking this is getting silly now. 350bhp in a road car/hot hatch? Whats the point? you can't use it really on the road, and if you do you'll be in license loosing terratory almost immediately. The current RS is just too heavy and over powered to be fun - IMO. Why do the main stream manufacturers keep playing the numbers game instead of making a truely fun to drive car.

I'd rather have something light, RWD, with 200bhp, with decent torque. (maybe I'm getting too old!)

[Escort Si-130]

well buy a silver Focus ST then. It is almost the same, but more discreet.

neil1jnr said:

kmack said:

I am a big car fan and I really do like/respect the Focus RS - as I do with any well engineered car, but as a Business man (over 40 years old) I couldn't possibly buy one as I would be laughed at whereas other hot hatches/performance cars (mainly German) mentioning no names are passable as they are discreet & understated. Sometimes less is more but I guess I am not the target market.

Sadly their just too chav! Its a shame as my inner child would quite like one...

I understand the understated look, but you have just said 'I really do like/respect the Focus RS'

If you like the RS then why would you even think twice what other people would think??

[Pixelpeep7r]

Johnnytheboy said:

Your posts would be so much easier to follow if you wrote your reply under the quote.

+1

then he goes and does it twice more lol