RE: Ford Focus ST | UK Drive

[IanJ9375]

thiscocks said:

Yes I think this is what the article means by 'old' RS

No the suggestion has been it's quicker than the MK3 AWD version (in gear times)

[Ultrafunkula]

It also seems to be considerably faster than the i30 N, which I'd see as its main rival (at least the sportback cost wise) . Slower than the Type R though but also more fun. I've been on Youtube a lot recently

[s m]

IanJ9375 said:

thiscocks said:

Yes I think this is what the article means by 'old' RS

No the suggestion has been it's quicker than the MK3 AWD version (in gear times)

In gear I could believe for certain increments, especially if the gearing is different - it will be interesting to see the Autocar results next week if it can beat the RS over a standing qiuarter

[Jon_S_Rally]

IanJ9375 said:

sideshowfred said:

I think people don't realise how heavy cars actually are. A base spec Astra is around the 1700kg mark at the moment.

You're looking at the wrong weights I'd suggest

Kerb weight on a MK7 Astra is 1350kg for the largest engine petrol and 1263kg for the lightest/small engined one

https://www.ultimatespecs.com/car-specs/Vauxhall/1...

https://www.ultimatespecs.com/car-specs/Vauxhall/1...

Which basically means it's a very similar weight to the MK5 Astra from x2 gens ago but with more safety/tech etc

I don't really see why people get their knickers in such a twist over weights to be honest. The suspension is tuned so they still handle well, they are more economical than ever, go faster than ever and, ultimately, it's a family hatchback, so why does it matter so much to people? It's not supposed to be a Caterham is it...

[E65Ross]

cerb4.5lee said:

s m said:

cerb4.5lee said:

I've always liked a Performance Ford and I also like this. It weighs almost as much as my old BMW E90 330i now though.

Those days are gone when a 4-door saloon was 1200kg
320d Sport tested a few months back was 1640kg

I suppose on the bright side though that is still over 600kgs lighter than the Porsche Taycan at nearly 2300kg!!

Using BMW as an example, if they were to sell a brand new E30 318i and pitch it against a brand new 320d, I reckon I know which would sell more.

They are heavier not only because of legislation with regards to safety (which the majority of the buying population want), but also technology (which the majority of the buying population want), more sound-proofing (which the majority of the population want).

For 99.9% of people a brand new 3 series weighing 1640kgs or so is by far, far the better car than something like an E30. You can't blame the manufacturers for making what the vast majority of buyers of new cars want, I'm afraid!

Don't get me wrong, a lightweight car is great fun, more involving and thrilling, but as a daily proposition for most people, no way are they better.

[cerb4.5lee]

E65Ross said:

cerb4.5lee said:

s m said:

cerb4.5lee said:

I've always liked a Performance Ford and I also like this. It weighs almost as much as my old BMW E90 330i now though.

Those days are gone when a 4-door saloon was 1200kg
320d Sport tested a few months back was 1640kg

I suppose on the bright side though that is still over 600kgs lighter than the Porsche Taycan at nearly 2300kg!!

Using BMW as an example, if they were to sell a brand new E30 318i and pitch it against a brand new 320d, I reckon I know which would sell more.

They are heavier not only because of legislation with regards to safety (which the majority of the buying population want), but also technology (which the majority of the buying population want), more sound-proofing (which the majority of the population want).

For 99.9% of people a brand new 3 series weighing 1640kgs or so is by far, far the better car than something like an E30. You can't blame the manufacturers for making what the vast majority of buyers of new cars want, I'm afraid!

Don't get me wrong, a lightweight car is great fun, more involving and thrilling, but as a daily proposition for most people, no way are they better.

I agree and it is what the punters want for sure. I first noticed the weight and direction BMW had gone in with my E92 M3 and that weighed 1650kg. It was lovely and well specced/super comfortable(pretty much the same as a 5 series), and a brilliant cruiser.

The problem with all that though is when you actually want fun(appreciate fun is subjective) it left me wanting, the brakes didn't cope with the weight and at times it could feel pretty cumbersome. I do get far too hung up with weight though.

I think two cars are the better option if it is feasible...one that does the fun stuff and one that does the comfortable stuff...because it is impossible to have one car that does both for me.

[IanJ9375]

Jon_S_Rally said:

I don't really see why people get their knickers in such a twist over weights to be honest. The suspension is tuned so they still handle well, they are more economical than ever, go faster than ever and, ultimately, it's a family hatchback, so why does it matter so much to people? It's not supposed to be a Caterham is it...

Hauling more and more weight, more and more demand on the brakes and suspension etc etc

A MK2 Astra GTE was @1000kg - considering the tech and safety structure improvement a jump to the actual 1350kg weight is probably fair oh and in the increase in dimensions of course.

I just wanted to correct the further weight that had been added by the previous poster.

[Jon_S_Rally]

IanJ9375 said:

Jon_S_Rally said:

I don't really see why people get their knickers in such a twist over weights to be honest. The suspension is tuned so they still handle well, they are more economical than ever, go faster than ever and, ultimately, it's a family hatchback, so why does it matter so much to people? It's not supposed to be a Caterham is it...

Hauling more and more weight, more and more demand on the brakes and suspension etc etc

A MK2 Astra GTE was @1000kg - considering the tech and safety structure improvement a jump to the actual 1350kg weight is probably fair oh and in the increase in dimensions of course.

I just wanted to correct the further weight that had been added by the previous poster.

Apologies, I wasn't really picking on you in any way, just questioning the general conversation that seems to repeat itself on here almost daily!

[nickfrog]

E65Ross said:

They are heavier not only because of legislation with regards to safety (which the majority of the buying population want), but also technology (which the majority of the buying population want), more sound-proofing (which the majority of the population want).
.

Yes and let's not forget that the current 3 is the size of a E39 5 series. And 20 inches longer than a E30.

Modern cars are actually containing their weight pretty well, considering all of the above.

[IanJ9375]

Jon_S_Rally said:

Apologies, I wasn't really picking on you in any way, just questioning the general conversation that seems to repeat itself on here almost daily!

No offence taken - I think most enthusiasts consider the weight of something important once they've seen the power figures, unfortunately it seems sales don't seem to work when you say "no extra power but we've dropped 100kg"

[lukeb00]

Same engine is 330hp in the Mustang Performance Package have they left room for an ST that revs out a little better through the top end.

[Demonix]

The new focus ST is the height of blandness, for a cooking Ford it's just another anonymous hatchback, least the Fiesta ST looks the part!

No wonder the Tesla 3 is creeping up the sales tables and that's hardly a design classic, is bland the new "normal" ? - this current ST iteration is what carpet slippers, cardigans and tank tops are to hauté couture or Anne Widdecombe to lingerie modelling [;p

[s m]

IanJ9375 said:

thiscocks said:

Yes I think this is what the article means by 'old' RS

No the suggestion has been it's quicker than the MK3 AWD version (in gear times)

The old 247bhp Focus ST (also 1505kg ) was a smidge quicker than the 4wd Focus RS in most similar in gear increments and also the 30-70 measure - just off the mark the 4wd ruled ( wet or dry )

I guess if the new ST can match the old 5-pot fwd RS from a decade ago that’ll be something - 1480kg, 300bhp, 5.7 to 60, 13.9 to 100 and SS1/4 14.2 @ 101.
Magazine figures I’ve seen so far suggest very similar

[LuS1fer]

Demonix said:

The new focus ST is the height of blandness, for a cooking Ford it's just another anonymous hatchback, least the Fiesta ST looks the part!

No wonder the Tesla 3 is creeping up the sales tables and that's hardly a design classic, is bland the new "normal" ? - this current ST iteration is what carpet slippers, cardigans and tank tops are to hauté couture or Anne Widdecombe to lingerie modelling [;p

It must be. I was behind a blue Golf R tonight and, after 5 minutes, twigged that was what it was, not a cooking Golf with a garishly Barry exhaust on it.

[Macboy]

sideshowfred said:

I think people don't realise how heavy cars actually are. A base spec Astra is around the 1700kg mark at the moment.

Really? Vauxhall quote a maximum of 1400kg in their tech spec.

[s m]

If figures suggested are right, the weight of this ST is pretty much the same as the old model from 2012, or the Focus RS from a decade back

[Jon_S_Rally]

Demonix said:

The new focus ST is the height of blandness, for a cooking Ford it's just another anonymous hatchback, least the Fiesta ST looks the part!

No wonder the Tesla 3 is creeping up the sales tables and that's hardly a design classic, is bland the new "normal" ? - this current ST iteration is what carpet slippers, cardigans and tank tops are to hauté couture or Anne Widdecombe to lingerie modelling [;p

I don't really see how the Fiesta ST looks any more wild than this does? They're both hatchbacks with a bit of a body kit and some fancy wheels?

The ST models have never been wild to look at, as that is not the purpose of them. The RS is supposed to be the more wild one. That being said, given the stick that the Civic Type-R gets on here, I think it's fair to say that most prefer their performance cars a bit more understated.

[s m]

Hub said:

Uncle John said:

Article says quicker across the quarter mile than the old RS.

Is that right.....?

Hard to believe isn't it - with about a 70bhp deficit and fwd. Must be in the gearing!

Looking at the road test timings that have been published so far in UK mags the performance looks almost identical to this old fwd Fast Focus from a decade back

Hardly surprising as roughly the same power to weight



No doubt better mpg though

[WCZ]

lee_erm said:

They need to make room for the RS though.

expect a mountune warranty friendly package to take it up to 300hp without much expense

[WCZ]

this review doesn't seem so good in comparison to others

the autocar video review seems very positive and the laptime is only a few ms short of the civic type r

I personally think it's the most appealing focus st in awhile, esp with the mountune pack when it comes out

if you want it to look a bit more crazy then the bright orange will work nicely