Escort Cosworth - Focus RS

Escort Cosworth - Focus RS

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Discussion

aaron_2000

Original Poster:

5,407 posts

85 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
quotequote all
Given £35k which would you swing for? I've read reviews that say the Focus is the better drivers car, and read reviews that say the same about the Cossie. I'd say without a doubt the Escort looks much better, it's obviously rarer and it'll get more attention if that's your thing. It'd be the Escort all day for me.

  • Edit - MK3 Focus RS
Edited by aaron_2000 on Thursday 5th October 18:38

Last Visit

2,867 posts

190 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
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You're talking about the Mk3 RS I presume then?

Ahbefive

11,657 posts

174 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
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Depends if you want an iconic classic or a car that is much faster and much better to drive.

ambuletz

10,809 posts

183 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
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neither, clio V6

loose cannon

6,030 posts

243 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
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If I was to spend £35 grand on a fun hatch it would probably be the new megane rs depending on how it pans out
I just couldn’t spend that sort of money on old ford hatchback’s as nice as they may be,
I would probably rather have a mk1 or 2 escort
But the same problem applies there also

Loyly

18,028 posts

161 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
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The Escort, naturally.

alorotom

11,968 posts

189 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
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Escort all day long

rallycross

12,862 posts

239 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
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Having owned several Cosworths including a Graham Goode tuned big turbo escort Cosworth with 340 bhp and having recently spent a day driving my mates brand new Focus RS on track I can say 100% i would chose drive the Focus RS.

In comparison the escort Cosworth is a tired old heap with - even with a lot of money spent it will never drive anything like as good as a Focus RS on track (or road although to be fair I didn't drive it on the road just track).

Adz The Rat

14,249 posts

211 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
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Cosworth without a doubt!

markcoznottz

7,155 posts

226 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
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rallycross said:
Having owned several Cosworths including a Graham Goode tuned big turbo escort Cosworth with 340 bhp and having recently spent a day driving my mates brand new Focus RS on track I can say 100% i would chose drive the Focus RS.

In comparison the escort Cosworth is a tired old heap with - even with a lot of money spent it will never drive anything like as good as a Focus RS on track (or road although to be fair I didn't drive it on the road just track).
Honest answer. The escort cosworth was developed for about 5 quid on the back of a napkin during dinner. Archaic suspension, tiny brakes, and a pig of a gearbox, which was shared with the transit van in 2wd form. That didn't matter though, 227 bhp was loads at the time, and back then image was everything. To be fair look at the mediocre products, Porsche ferrrari and Lambo were knocking out.

200Plus Club

10,838 posts

280 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
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I drove an escort cossy back in the day with 300bhp and tbh my Celica gt4 st205 was way way better overall. The gt4 is now worth a goldfish and a balloon, the same escort cossy is now too valuable to drive decent mileage with annually, and worth more with std boring power than modified.
The focus RS is by all accounts decent drive but literally hundreds of them for sale on PH and AT and prices you assume only going South for at least 20 yrs or so yet.
35k will get you some seriously quick and impressive metal so unless you are a die hard Ford RS fanboy go try some other stuff (GTR, 911, R8 just) etc etc

Ahbefive

11,657 posts

174 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
quotequote all
200Plus Club said:
35k will get you some seriously quick and impressive metal so unless you are a die hard Ford RS fanboy go try some other stuff (GTR, 911, R8 just) etc etc
Can you get any of those cars with 5 year warranty and that do 30mpg with 5doors?

Apples and Oranges.

Caddyshack

11,003 posts

208 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
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Escort Cosworth has a lovely to use box, it is not a pig to use at all, they just break if you put more than 400 ftlb of torque through them or launch them really hard with more than 300bhp. I use an oppliger close ratio semi straight cut box, it takes 500ftlb and 700bhp all day long, and sprints through the gears due to the lowered 160mph top speed and closely stacked ratios. They work well in the escos, many are bing used. It is not all that noises and makes cool noises.

DAVEVO9

3,469 posts

269 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
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ambuletz said:
neither, clio V6
roflrofl

200Plus Club

10,838 posts

280 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
quotequote all
Ahbefive said:
Can you get any of those cars with 5 year warranty and that do 30mpg with 5doors?

Apples and Oranges.
I'm assuming that someone looking at either a cossy or a focus RS isn't wanting to talk number of doors or 30mpg. No one buys a cossy for doors or mpg. You've obviously got your mind made up lol


Johnnytheboy

24,498 posts

188 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
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When the mk2 Focus RS came out, Autocar did a three way video test between the mk1,2 and Escort Cosworth.

The Escort came a poor thirds, the mk1 won...

Someone cleverer than me may be able to link to it...

Ahbefive

11,657 posts

174 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
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200Plus Club said:
I'm assuming that someone looking at either a cossy or a focus RS isn't wanting to talk number of doors or 30mpg. No one buys a cossy for doors or mpg. You've obviously got your mind made up lol
I was suggesting that your suggestions may not be suitable for someone looking to buy a brand new Focus RS.

The supercar running costs out of warranty are not comparable to a new hot hatch.

I'd love a GTR but they are in a totally other league of expense even compared to a Cosworth.

Like I said, apples and oranges.

200Plus Club

10,838 posts

280 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
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Well tbh I suppose it's not an easy answer without knowing a bit more about the owner, what they want and what they like.
Comparing the two cars is a bit apples and oranges also, one is just a classic that was ok in era, the other one of many modern performance cars. Running costs may be a factor if it's not a weekend car as I assumed, if it is then service and fuel costs maybe not as much of a worry.

lucido grigio

44,044 posts

165 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
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Very difficult.

Sold my Cosworth 2 years ago ,was almost a nightmare in reliability ,pics posted today in the thread "Then it bang " or whatever it's title

of my front diff and prop in a very poor state.

There is no other car that looks like that with that rear wing.

Hardly any Escort Cos' get used nowadays , a lot of owners just thinking of the values now or don't want to break down ,as electrics now are

quite weak on them ,with fuseboxes burning out and other faults rife.

345BHP as standard on the Focus but not dramatic enough to look at ,only available in 1 decent colour.

Olivera

7,249 posts

241 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
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I've got the escort cosworth, but not so much interested in the Mk3 Focus RS even though it's undoubtedly a good car.