Focus ST and Golf GTI- why the different buyer demographic

[Ullevi]

LooneyTunes said:

rohrl said:

Doctors do earn a lot of money but most aren't car nuts. My local surgery staff car park is usually full of very ordinary Peugeots and Toyotas.

Having to do home visits, not always in the most salubrious areas, wouldn't affect your choice of work car?

Of course it wouldn't.

Everyone knows GPs only have one car, and the one referred to previously must be a particularly poor one to drive a Golf GTI.

Keep up at the back

[entropy]

yonex said:

Since the 80's its always been the same. VW have always gone for the more grown up image, having said that the ST engine is a peach and if its in the right colour without a truckload of tasteless mods it doesn't look bad at all.

When I was growing up in the 80s the mk2 GTI was regarded as a 'black man's car'/drug dealers' wagon.

I tend to see middle-aged types in new GTIs. It's regarded as an all rounder, younger will want a bit more rawness.

But yeah, Ford always had a problem with its performance cars bar recent Fiesta Zetec S.

[Zwolf]

I'll take the Volvo C30 T5 over either thanks. It's a wonderful combination of the best attributes of the cars in the OP.

The ST's driveline and underpinnings beneath a respectable suit from a brand not particularly seen as ostentatious.

I ran three C30 T5s in succession (one of which was an auto) as company cars and have driven several STs and Mk6 GTis.

The ST always makes me smile to drive, the Golf just doesn't. To me the ST (and especially the one RS I've passengered in) feel like a unique model as apart from the rest of the range as an M3 feels cf. non-M Threes - whereas the GTi just feels like every other Golf, but with a bit more poke.

I bought a Mk4 V5 recently as it was going cheap and it seemed daft not to and I loved that engine when I ran a Toledo V5 demo years ago. 2 weeks in and it's moving on as the engine and the seats are the only enjoyable features, it drives like utter toss. A contemporary ST170 however, I recall drove much, much better.

Ford build the better driver's car in standard form, Golfs need tinkering to get there, but do seem to have the basics right.

I'm looking forward to the forthcoming Focus ST with its 250PS EcoBoost engine - one I've sampled as a Volvo S60 & V70 T5, in the lighter Focus, it should be great - even though it's a dull sounding four cylinder. It is at least a very smooth one. It's also good enough to grace the top spec Evoque, a guise in which I'd also love to try it.

The recently announced Volvo V40 should get it too, which will probably again get my vote.

[Biker's Nemesis]

There appears to be some "2 bit snobs" on here. I can't say I care if people think I'm a chav or appear to be beneath them because I drive a Ford rather than a VW.

[Zyp]

Biker's Nemesis said:

There appears to be some "2 bit snobs" on here. I can't say I care if people think I'm a chav or appear to be beneath them because I drive a Ford rather than a VW.

But you drive a proper Focus RS.

[Biker's Nemesis]

Zyp said:

But you drive a proper Focus RS.

This is true but a very good friend of mine has a rather nice Silver Focus ST which is a hoot to drive.

[heebeegeetee]

Zwolf said:

I bought a Mk4 V5 recently as it was going cheap and it seemed daft not to and I loved that engine when I ran a Toledo V5 demo years ago. 2 weeks in and it's moving on as the engine and the seats are the only enjoyable features, it drives like utter toss. A contemporary ST170 however, I recall drove much, much better.

Everything drove better than the Mk4 Golf.