RE: Focus RS vs. Focus ST: PH Blog

[Msportman]

Certainly in wet conditions the ST wouldn't see which way the RS had gone.

My Golf R has adaptive chassis with KW DCC and is currently tuned to 400bhp and over 420lbs running DSG VWR BBK Super Pro wishbones with 1/2 degree extra camber and is a world away from my previous MK5 GTI ED30 running stage 2 circc 360....in the wet it really struggled even with a diff and KW Clubsports.

The nice thing with the R v RS is the comfort factor for the more senior petrolheads! Not sure what Mountune can get from the new RS but I know the R would give it a good run for its money even in tuned form.

Edited by Msportman on Tuesday 15th November 01:05

[Joe M]

Big question is, would you change an e46 m3 for one? (could do with something slightly more practical for the kids)

[Tuvra]

Joe M said:

Big question is, would you change an e46 m3 for one? (could do with something slightly more practical for the kids)

I would, in a heart beat.

[David87]

Msportman said:

My Golf R has adaptive chassis with KW DCC and is currently tuned to 400bhp and over 420lbs running DSG VWR BBK Super Pro wishbones with 1/2 degree extra camber and is a world away from my previous MK5 GTI ED30 running stage 2 circc 360....in the wet it really struggled even with a diff and KW Clubsports.

It must be very fast with so many acronyms.

[FN2TypeR]

David87 said:

Msportman said:

My Golf R has adaptive chassis with KW DCC and is currently tuned to 400bhp and over 420lbs running DSG VWR BBK Super Pro wishbones with 1/2 degree extra camber and is a world away from my previous MK5 GTI ED30 running stage 2 circc 360....in the wet it really struggled even with a diff and KW Clubsports.

It must be very fast with so many acronyms.

OMG IKR right?



In all seriousness I bet that thing goes like the clappers - in a relatively anonymous Golf too, I like your style sir.

[Froomee]

Tuvra said:

1974foggy said:

Still don't think the RS looks special enough, plus the ST looks better in some ways - I much prefer the exhaust setup on the ST.
But the coveted RS badge will win over on rarity and heritage, as it will always be the more sought after one of course.
Id rather save the money and take the ST - it doesn't have that drug dealer image like the RS either.

My mate bought an ST in 2010 for £19,500, I bought an RS for £24,500, he sold his ST the other day for £8k and the RS, if I still had it would be worth £18k or so today. Therefore the RS will probably be cheaper to own over say 5 years.

I paid £16.2 for at ST-2 in 2010, if I still had it it would be worth £10k.

Still not cheaper (roughly about the same) but when I was looking at RS's at the time finance options, etc all excluded the RS range I.e APR for the ST was 3.9% and 9.9% for the RS.

[smaybury]

Now all we need is an RS Estate.

[Tuvra]

Froomee said:

I paid £16.2 for at ST-2 in 2010, if I still had it it would be worth £10k.

Still not cheaper (roughly about the same) but when I was looking at RS's at the time finance options, etc all excluded the RS range I.e APR for the ST was 3.9% and 9.9% for the RS.

£16,200 for a Factory order?!? Even with the employee discount that was around back then that figure seems impossible for an ST2, sorry.

If true your comparing the cheapest ST2 I have ever heard of and assuming it is worth retail money, which it's not. As I said, my mate chopped his in the other day and got just over £8k for it, I haven't just made figures up.

A quick WBAC Valuation has a 42k mile, 2010 ST2 with FSH and one owner at £8,145 BTW.....

[Hub]

Tuvra said:

A quick WBAC Valuation has a 42k mile, 2010 ST2 with FSH and one owner at £8,145 BTW.....

Not on a par with the more iconic and limited numbers RS, but the mk2 ST does still seem to hold its value pretty well - the above is probably comparable with a similar age Golf GTI for example and might retail for about £10k from a trader. That doesn't seem bad to me.

Mk3s have heavy initial depreciation, but then level off - whether this will continue who knows!

I chose the ST because of the estate variant, though I might be tempted by an RS now at some point in the future!

[Ahbefive]

I was looking forward to this feature but there seems to be very little literature in the article. Hoping for a lot more detail. I guess its not a magazine but an article that takes more than 30seconds to read would have been nice.

[AMGJocky]

Tuvra said:

£16,200 for a Factory order?!? Even with the employee discount that was around back then that figure seems impossible for an ST2, sorry.

If true your comparing the cheapest ST2 I have ever heard of and assuming it is worth retail money, which it's not. As I said, my mate chopped his in the other day and got just over £8k for it, I haven't just made figures up.

A quick WBAC Valuation has a 42k mile, 2010 ST2 with FSH and one owner at £8,145 BTW.....

WBAC definitely isn't the place to go for accuracy!

[Matt Bird]

Ahbefive said:

I was looking forward to this feature but there seems to be very little literature in the article. Hoping for a lot more detail. I guess its not a magazine but an article that takes more than 30seconds to read would have been nice.

Hi!

That's why it was pitched as a blog more than a formal twin-test. The two aren't conventional rivals, as mentioned, so deciding on which is 'best' seemed pointless. The links in the first sentence to both ST and RS will provide much more detail on what they are individually like to drive. If there's anything more specific you would like to know then please ask.

Cheers!


Matt

[Matt Bird]

chj said:

Matt Bird said:

If it was my money, purely out of the two, it would be the RS. But I can't say it would be my first choice at this sort of money if other cars are considered!

so, what would you choose?

Can I say Megane as this is a 66-plate car? Still my favourite!

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/r...

If it's actual new cars you can order then probably the Leon Cupra with a Performance Pack. I want to say Civic Type R but I'm not sure you can order one any more? I suspect the Golf Clubsport is nice too, although it gets expensive. All preferable to the Focus for my personal tastes!


Matt

[tomjol]

Matt Bird said:

Hi!

That's why it was pitched as a blog more than a formal twin-test. The two aren't conventional rivals, as mentioned, so deciding on which is 'best' seemed pointless. The links in the first sentence to both ST and RS will provide much more detail on what they are individually like to drive. If there's anything more specific you would like to know then please ask.

Cheers!


Matt

Piece of (hopefully) constructive feedback - this idea that it's a blog rather than a formal test, it's obvious to you what that means, but it isn't obvious to the rest of us who weren't in the editorial meetings where someone identified the difference. They're even displayed in the same way, just one has "blog" in the title and the other doesn't.

[HannsG]

Joe M said:

Big question is, would you change an e46 m3 for one? (could do with something slightly more practical for the kids)

I'm in the same boat mate. It's a difficult decision due to the unknown

[Ahbefive]

HannsG said:

Joe M said:

Big question is, would you change an e46 m3 for one? (could do with something slightly more practical for the kids)

I'm in the same boat mate. It's a difficult decision due to the unknown

Find a dealer and go for a drive is the only way to know for sure. I would certainly swap but then I was never a big fan of the e46.

[blearyeyedboy]

Matt Bird said:

The Michelin Pilot Super Sports fitted to this car - same as the RS, in fact - must contribute to that additional poise, and it's a really enjoyable car to drive...

Many articles about hot hatches, from several different publishing houses, feature similar sentences to this. I wonder how much difference between cars in group years are down to tyre choices. It's interesting to see a comparison between two cars that ride on the same tyres for once.

Many organisations and magazines run tyre tests, but wouldn't it be interesting to compare tyre choices for hot hatches, again for small coupés, for Caterfields, etc.

Or even just rerun some group tests, but standardise the tyre choice? (eg, Mégane RS Vs Leon Cupra Vs Civic Type R, but all on Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric tyres, for example.) Not that manufacturers would allow that, of course! But it'd be interesting.

[Mike1990]

Matt Bird said:

Can I say Megane as this is a 66-plate car? Still my favourite!

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/r...

If it's actual new cars you can order then probably the Leon Cupra with a Performance Pack. I want to say Civic Type R but I'm not sure you can order one any more? I suspect the Golf Clubsport is nice too, although it gets expensive. All preferable to the Focus for my personal tastes!


Matt

I've noticed that the Astra 'J' GTC VXR is still being sold, and just having a quick look on the Vauxhall site, you can still order one. I'am wondering why these don't get included in the 'Group Tests' anymore, or even mentioned accross the Magazines etc, as its still a rival to the newer breed, still got the fancy hardware, power, slippy 'Diff like the newer breed etc, just a thought thats all.

Would be interesting to see one partciptate.

[Hackney]

SpunkyGlory said:

I've got an RS on order but won't arrive until mid-2017 so I've just ordered an ST in the meantime to keep me going.

I was in a dealer in August and they were quoting long lead times for the RS.
What's the point in higher residuals if you can't actually get one?

Couldn't wait the best part of a year for a Ford Focus.

My money would go on something else. If I was desperate for a Focus I'd get an ST and take it to Mountune for 99% of the performance right now.

[Ahbefive]

Hackney said:

SpunkyGlory said:

I've got an RS on order but won't arrive until mid-2017 so I've just ordered an ST in the meantime to keep me going.

I was in a dealer in August and they were quoting long lead times for the RS.
What's the point in higher residuals if you can't actually get one?

Couldn't wait the best part of a year for a Ford Focus.

My money would go on something else. If I was desperate for a Focus I'd get an ST and take it to Mountune for 99% of the performance right now.

Due to limited supply they have better residuals, thats how it works. If Ford built hundreds of thousands of them and getting one was easy its doubtful the residuals would stay strong, they would be cheap like a ten a penny megane.

A mountune ST might get most of the straightline performance but these things drive very differently. Fwd is a pretty limited layout.