RE: Ford Focus RS: PH Fleet
Discussion
PK0001 said:
Reading that link explains what a basic 4 wheel drive system it is on the RS. Drive is front to back and back to front. Very rudimentary compared to the systems from Subaru and Audi.
"Fully dynamic torque vectoring requires an intelligent driveline that can apply increasing tractive force directly to individual wheels"Yeah, really basic that.
PK0001 said:
Go to YouTube and type in 'Ford Focus RS drift fail'
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fOelONV_unQ
This is one of several videos.
Very funny
Why is that funny?https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fOelONV_unQ
This is one of several videos.
Very funny
Also, try these terms on YouTube, too:
'Audi Drift Fail'
'BMW Drift Fail'
'Ferrari Drift Fail'
'Golf Drift Fail'
'Subaru Drift Fail'
Or what about:
'GTR Drift Fail'
Known, of course, for its terrible 4WD system.
PK0001 said:
Reading that link explains what a basic 4 wheel drive system it is on the RS. Drive is front to back and back to front. Very rudimentary compared to the systems from Subaru and Audi.
Sales guy was right.
The RS system is underdeveloped and looks to have been rushed to market.
You clearly don't know much about or really understand this stuff...by all means keep on posting, but...Sales guy was right.
The RS system is underdeveloped and looks to have been rushed to market.
Eh I thought the VAG Haldex system was just front to back in the Audi's, doesn't sound too complicated... And isn't the STI permenant FWD? pretty rudimentry, I thought it was the diff(s) which made the Subaru's system good..
Maybe I'm wrong but I'd heard that the Focus RS system is quite clever in comparison. I'm looking at getting 4wd in my next car so I'm trying to understand which system I'd prefer, I thought I had a reasonable idea about them, maybe not!
Maybe I'm wrong but I'd heard that the Focus RS system is quite clever in comparison. I'm looking at getting 4wd in my next car so I'm trying to understand which system I'd prefer, I thought I had a reasonable idea about them, maybe not!
PK0001 "Reading that link explains what a basic 4 wheel drive system it is on the RS. Drive is front to back and back to front. Very rudimentary compared to the systems from Subaru and Audi." - Hardly !! 
The Focus RS 4WD system is amongst the most advanced in the world - it uses brake based torque vectoring left to right at the front and the clutch-based RDU at the rear to vector 0% - 70% torque to front to rear and 100% left to right without any torque loss (as with brake based systems) and allows the rear RDU to be completely disengaged in normal driving to improve fuel economy.
The Subaru system is either "symmetric AWD" which is a fixed, non-active 50:50 split or their CVT system which is essentially "Haldex-like" providing for a variable front-rear split but no vectoring (they quote 60:40 as a default). Their ATV system is brake based L-R torque vectoring
VAG is Haldex based which is again a centre diff providing front to rear bias and brake-based L-R vectoring. The Golf R uses the XDS system which is brake based torque vectoring.
The Focus RS 4WD system is amongst the most advanced in the world - it uses brake based torque vectoring left to right at the front and the clutch-based RDU at the rear to vector 0% - 70% torque to front to rear and 100% left to right without any torque loss (as with brake based systems) and allows the rear RDU to be completely disengaged in normal driving to improve fuel economy.
The Subaru system is either "symmetric AWD" which is a fixed, non-active 50:50 split or their CVT system which is essentially "Haldex-like" providing for a variable front-rear split but no vectoring (they quote 60:40 as a default). Their ATV system is brake based L-R torque vectoring
VAG is Haldex based which is again a centre diff providing front to rear bias and brake-based L-R vectoring. The Golf R uses the XDS system which is brake based torque vectoring.
Car is rated 5 out of 5 stars in every review. Car is rated 5/10 by PH readers that have never driven it.
Comical that people are still coming on to rate it 0. So much hate you know it must be great.
Surprised it has take PH so long to realise how fantastic a car this is.
Comical that people are still coming on to rate it 0. So much hate you know it must be great.
Surprised it has take PH so long to realise how fantastic a car this is.
Edited by Ahbefive on Saturday 21st January 10:45
Ahbefive said:
Car is rated 5 out of 5 stars in every review. Car is rated 5/10 by PH readers that have never driven it.
Comical that people are still coming on to rate it 0. So much hate you know it must be great.
Surprised it has take PH so long to realise how fantastic a car this is.
Says the person so critical of the new Type-R and the Megane, yet you admit you've not driven one. Pot kettle.Comical that people are still coming on to rate it 0. So much hate you know it must be great.
Surprised it has take PH so long to realise how fantastic a car this is.
Edited by Ahbefive on Saturday 21st January 10:45
motor mad said:
Ahbefive said:
Car is rated 5 out of 5 stars in every review. Car is rated 5/10 by PH readers that have never driven it.
Comical that people are still coming on to rate it 0. So much hate you know it must be great.
Surprised it has take PH so long to realise how fantastic a car this is.
Says the person so critical of the new Type-R and the Megane, yet you admit you've not driven one. Pot kettle.Comical that people are still coming on to rate it 0. So much hate you know it must be great.
Surprised it has take PH so long to realise how fantastic a car this is.
Edited by Ahbefive on Saturday 21st January 10:45
Peanus said:
Get a Golf GT TDI if you're bothered about empeegees
Fixed that for you 
Mansells Tash said:
Track_Cit said:
Wow, that's not great, my Megane Trophy achieves 28 even when constantly hooning! 
You're not hooning right then 
Back on topic though, I don't really know if I'm that excited by the current Focus RS. It's good that its 4WD and all, but it just seems as though it's a bit, dare I say it, dull for an RS Ford? I saw a review comparing the current and old RS and the reviewer preferred the previous model saying the engine is much more characterful and the overall drive was maybe not as devastatingly competent but somehow a bit more fun. Saying that the most modern stuff is leaving me cold these days. Fast but cars seem to be getting more "playstation" by the year. Everything is just that bit easier, more refined, and more remote than before.
It seems not unlike the current F1 cars. More powerful, faster, more agile, more efficient and more capable than it's predecessors, but quieter too. And very conservative. Having seen a few videos of the Mountune 375, I can't help wondering if it needs an entirely different turbo, or at least a more interesting exhaust header. The Mountune whoosh dump and crackles just seems annoying, and it only seems to add more "magic carpet". Even the aftermarket exhausts I have heard (live and YouTube) sound stuffy, like the engine is in a building next door away. With a transmission this capable, and this sort of power, it needs to stimulate the caveman neurons more, and the spreadsheet ones a little less. Shame the RS lightweight evolution seems to be stillborn.
motor mad said:
Says the person so critical of the new Type-R and the Megane, yet you admit you've not driven one. Pot kettle.
I'm critical of the aethetics of the type-r, not the way it drives and where have I cricisized the megane? (Which I have driven).Pot, kettle? I guess you don't know what that means.
This car is one of the most overrated cars ever for a number of reasons.
- engine feels lazy
- small boot due to the rear diff
- poor fuel economy
- styling is a disappointment, it's certainly nothing special
- poor visibility from the front
- shell seats mounted too high up
- drift button is artificial
- no as quick point to point as a civic type r in the dry
- around a dry track it gets beat by other hot hatch competitors
The press are obviously paid by the press to give it a good review.
- engine feels lazy
- small boot due to the rear diff
- poor fuel economy
- styling is a disappointment, it's certainly nothing special
- poor visibility from the front
- shell seats mounted too high up
- drift button is artificial
- no as quick point to point as a civic type r in the dry
- around a dry track it gets beat by other hot hatch competitors
The press are obviously paid by the press to give it a good review.
David-kotos said:
This car is one of the most overrated cars ever for a number of reasons.
- engine feels lazy
- small boot due to the rear diff
- poor fuel economy
- styling is a disappointment, it's certainly nothing special
- poor visibility from the front
- shell seats mounted too high up
- drift button is artificial
- no as quick point to point as a civic type r in the dry
- around a dry track it gets beat by other hot hatch competitors
This.- engine feels lazy
- small boot due to the rear diff
- poor fuel economy
- styling is a disappointment, it's certainly nothing special
- poor visibility from the front
- shell seats mounted too high up
- drift button is artificial
- no as quick point to point as a civic type r in the dry
- around a dry track it gets beat by other hot hatch competitors
The new FRS is slower than a 3-yearold aging Golf R in a straight line, slower than a nasty Civic in the bends, it looks fugly on the outside and cheap on the inside. The drift button is innovative, but it is a crashy novelty and not a big enough step forward to justify the hype.
Yipper said:
David-kotos said:
This car is one of the most overrated cars ever for a number of reasons.
- engine feels lazy
- small boot due to the rear diff
- poor fuel economy
- styling is a disappointment, it's certainly nothing special
- poor visibility from the front
- shell seats mounted too high up
- drift button is artificial
- no as quick point to point as a civic type r in the dry
- around a dry track it gets beat by other hot hatch competitors
This.- engine feels lazy
- small boot due to the rear diff
- poor fuel economy
- styling is a disappointment, it's certainly nothing special
- poor visibility from the front
- shell seats mounted too high up
- drift button is artificial
- no as quick point to point as a civic type r in the dry
- around a dry track it gets beat by other hot hatch competitors
The new FRS is slower than a 3-yearold aging Golf R in a straight line, slower than a nasty Civic in the bends, it looks fugly on the outside and cheap on the inside. The drift button is innovative, but it is a crashy novelty and not a big enough step forward to justify the hype.
Values have stayed good so far. Only a few slipping under £30k advertised price. They will come down with how many people are flipping them. They are rare and there is always 150+ of them up for sale.
With regards to values - all the sellers trying to sell for high overs seem to be struggling. I reckon the market has not materialised in the way many were expecting
That said, with pre reg cars achieving list or just over is still impressive - it's just not in quite as high demand as people/speculators initially envisaged.
I think what has undone things are the slightly 'off the boil' reviews and the surprising amount of people who apparently bought to flip.
The people who have made the killing are the early sellers as now a lot are readily available and the overall reviews are not setting the world alight then demand seems to be waining.
That said, with pre reg cars achieving list or just over is still impressive - it's just not in quite as high demand as people/speculators initially envisaged.
I think what has undone things are the slightly 'off the boil' reviews and the surprising amount of people who apparently bought to flip.
The people who have made the killing are the early sellers as now a lot are readily available and the overall reviews are not setting the world alight then demand seems to be waining.
PK0001 said:
Reading that link explains what a basic 4 wheel drive system it is on the RS. Drive is front to back and back to front. Very rudimentary compared to the systems from Subaru and Audi.
Sales guy was right.
The RS system is underdeveloped and looks to have been rushed to market.
I currently have two cars with 4WD, one cars system feels sharper, has more grip, more feedback and for a better phrase "feels much lighter in the bends":-Sales guy was right.
The RS system is underdeveloped and looks to have been rushed to market.
....the other car is a VAG
Driver101 said:
Values have stayed good so far. Only a few slipping under £30k advertised price. They will come down with how many people are flipping them. They are rare and there is always 150+ of them up for sale.
135 currently for sale on AT and the cheapest at £31,950, but yeah, under £30k and 150+ is near enough As for it being disappointing, unless you have driven one, properly, I wouldn't judge. I was disappointed in the test drive but since getting mine I am completely sold. Do I care its slower than my Golf? Do I care that a CTR is quicker than it round some remote race track? Do I care that it has a drift mode? Do I care that it's not as lairy as a MKII*? No is the answer because everytime I drive it, it puts a smile on my face. It makes the Golf R seem as dull as dish water and in the pub car park yesterday it almost looked sophisticated next to a friends white CTR, even in Nitrous blue!
*Got to laugh at people now idolising the MKII, when I bought mine new it was an overpriced "ST in a Posh Dress" that should be 4WD because it would never be able to handle its power through the front wheels, funnily enough these comments came from people that had never driven them either
Edited by Tuvra on Monday 23 January 08:09
Yipper said:
David-kotos said:
This car is one of the most overrated cars ever for a number of reasons.
- engine feels lazy
- small boot due to the rear diff
- poor fuel economy
- styling is a disappointment, it's certainly nothing special
- poor visibility from the front
- shell seats mounted too high up
- drift button is artificial
- no as quick point to point as a civic type r in the dry
- around a dry track it gets beat by other hot hatch competitors
This.- engine feels lazy
- small boot due to the rear diff
- poor fuel economy
- styling is a disappointment, it's certainly nothing special
- poor visibility from the front
- shell seats mounted too high up
- drift button is artificial
- no as quick point to point as a civic type r in the dry
- around a dry track it gets beat by other hot hatch competitors
The new FRS is slower than a 3-yearold aging Golf R in a straight line, slower than a nasty Civic in the bends, it looks fugly on the outside and cheap on the inside. The drift button is innovative, but it is a crashy novelty and not a big enough step forward to justify the hype.
Slower than the civic in the bends? Maybe in bone dry conditions but anything slightly damp and the RS will wipe the floor with it. 1second a lap in the dry doesn't concern me as it wouldn't anyone else unless you were buying it as some kind of racecar which it and its competitors are not. Such a ridiculous thing to say, "ooh its crap because another car can lap 1 second quicker than it".
Engine feels lazy? not at all ime, it spins and picks up power all the way to the redline. Apparently they loosen up a great deal more after 1500miles or so though.
Poor fuel economy? I'm currently getting 28mpg which is similar to my heavier and less powerful Volvo. It has 350bhp drinking the fuel, so I'm not sure what you expect.
Styling? I like it over every other hot hatch on sale. Less ridiculous to the CTR but much more sporty/interesting than a Golf.
Visibility? It seems you are just thinking of anything you can, its a standard focus in regards to visibility, hardly a Lambo.
Shell seats too high? At 5"9 they are spot on for me. Maybe too high for 6ft6 guys agreed but that doesn't concern me.
Drift button? I haven't used it yet
as the rear end is so mobile already but why wouldn't I want the option of sending more power to the rears? Sounds a great idea to me that you don't get with competitors.
But it seems people keep hating it despite how unique it is and how excellent it is to drive.
Edited by Ahbefive on Monday 23 January 08:48
David-kotos said:
This car is one of the most overrated cars ever for a number of reasons.
- engine feels lazy
- small boot due to the rear diff
- poor fuel economy
- styling is a disappointment, it's certainly nothing special
- poor visibility from the front
- shell seats mounted too high up
- drift button is artificial
- no as quick point to point as a civic type r in the dry
- around a dry track it gets beat by other hot hatch competitors
The press are obviously paid by the press to give it a good review.
Engine is linear - when you drive say a B road you always seem to be on the power.- engine feels lazy
- small boot due to the rear diff
- poor fuel economy
- styling is a disappointment, it's certainly nothing special
- poor visibility from the front
- shell seats mounted too high up
- drift button is artificial
- no as quick point to point as a civic type r in the dry
- around a dry track it gets beat by other hot hatch competitors
The press are obviously paid by the press to give it a good review.
Boot is smaller than the regular Focus true - but it's not a "Small" boot and there's plenty of opportunity to use the sections underneath for storage.
Fuel economy is about 25mpg, with remapped examples closer to 30mpg - my previous fwd hatch was running 28mpg during the 7yrs I kept it, 3mpg a fair trade for the AWD system imho
Poor visibility - I've no idea where this comes from not something I've experienced
Shell seats - hard to get in over but fine once sat in them and I'm 6ft1 and 20+st
Drift Button - you don't need to press it, I haven't bothered yet so it can be easily ignored unless you're the sort of fool who bought it for that feature thinking it was going to turn you to Ken Block?
Arguing about a road car using lap times to back your argument is a little odd to me, it's a great drive has an almost motorsport feel to how it goes about its job still allied to the practical element that makes hot hatches so useable.
Have you driven one on a decent test?
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