RE: Ford Focus RS Option Pack: Review
Discussion
havoc said:
Erm, really? An ATB on the front axle, in my experience, reduces/eliminates understeer - that's the whole bloody point of them! Try driving any so-equipped Type-R or Mk1 FRS and see what happens...
As for engagement - I've only found them to corrupt the steering on turbocharged cars, not nat-asp ones. And esp. where the torque comes in suddenly. Given a linear engine (turbo or n/a) and there's not THAT much impact on the steering (almost none in the Hondas I've owned/driven, and then usually in response to significant camber changes). Certainly they're well worth the trade-off vs a non diff-equipped car.
You've not taken the context - he means an ATB on an a AWD not FWD, we all know they work and work well thereAs for engagement - I've only found them to corrupt the steering on turbocharged cars, not nat-asp ones. And esp. where the torque comes in suddenly. Given a linear engine (turbo or n/a) and there's not THAT much impact on the steering (almost none in the Hondas I've owned/driven, and then usually in response to significant camber changes). Certainly they're well worth the trade-off vs a non diff-equipped car.
SidewaysSi said:
I would just pick up a secondhand early car for £19-23k and save myself a packet on new price.
I thought we had already found that this is complete bulls
t and nobody can find a car for £23k let alone £19k.Find me one and I have you a buyer so you can make a couple of grand. No chance in reality.
Back on topic rather than that moronic b
ks, I like the idea of the diff as it works amazingly well in fwd cars but wonder if it would detract from the character of the car. Making the car too grippy like other awd cars is probably not ideal for this car and may somewhat deplete its u.s.p. I wonder if mountune have a demonstrator.For a new car purchase that someone is going to spec up fully as some of us did it would seem a no brainer to get the 'edition' version but does it make it more or less fun?
Edited by Ahbefive on Thursday 24th August 20:56
daemon said:
One for the Ford RS fanboys, but £36K plus the performance upgrade pack starts to make it look expensive, bearing in mind theres no discount avail....
The UK-spec RS Edition (limited to 500 cars) lists at £35,785 (£3,530 over the standard car). However, it comes with options as standard that usually cost the following on the standard RS:Recaro Shell Seats – £1,145
Lux Pack – £1,000
Nitrous Blue Paint – £745
Heated Steering Wheel – £115
Active City Stop – £200
Painted Calipers – £100
& that's before you include the LSD & Forged wheels that come with the RS Edition so in fact it's a bargain & far from a car for the fanboy, I'd say it's the financially smart option but I'm guessing all 500 will already be sold.
PK0001 said:
This is a story ?
My Subaru WRX STi has a front, centre and rear LSD as standard.
As a fellow Subaru man I had that covered! My Subaru WRX STi has a front, centre and rear LSD as standard.
Dan
article said:
The Japanese rally reps used similar set-ups for years, the Subaru WRX STI (yes, it's still on sale!) using a helical diff up front, computer controlled centre and Torsen rear combination. At the other end of the spectrum you've got cars like the Golf R, recently updated but still a Haldex system with brake nibbling each end to simulate the effect of a locking diff or mechanical torque vectoring like you get on the front of a GTI.
ZX10R NIN said:
The UK-spec RS Edition (limited to 500 cars) lists at £35,785 (£3,530 over the standard car). However, it comes with options as standard that usually cost the following on the standard RS:
Recaro Shell Seats – £1,145
Lux Pack – £1,000
Nitrous Blue Paint – £745
Heated Steering Wheel – £115
Active City Stop – £200
Painted Calipers – £100
& that's before you include the LSD & Forged wheels that come with the RS Edition so in fact it's a bargain & far from a car for the fanboy, I'd say it's the financially smart option but I'm guessing all 500 will already be sold.
Forged wheels are an option apparently, black std wheels are the standard option on the Ltd EditionRecaro Shell Seats – £1,145
Lux Pack – £1,000
Nitrous Blue Paint – £745
Heated Steering Wheel – £115
Active City Stop – £200
Painted Calipers – £100
& that's before you include the LSD & Forged wheels that come with the RS Edition so in fact it's a bargain & far from a car for the fanboy, I'd say it's the financially smart option but I'm guessing all 500 will already be sold.
IanJ9375 said:
havoc said:
Erm, really? An ATB on the front axle, in my experience, reduces/eliminates understeer - that's the whole bloody point of them! Try driving any so-equipped Type-R or Mk1 FRS and see what happens...
As for engagement - I've only found them to corrupt the steering on turbocharged cars, not nat-asp ones. And esp. where the torque comes in suddenly. Given a linear engine (turbo or n/a) and there's not THAT much impact on the steering (almost none in the Hondas I've owned/driven, and then usually in response to significant camber changes). Certainly they're well worth the trade-off vs a non diff-equipped car.
You've not taken the context - he means an ATB on an a AWD not FWD, we all know they work and work well thereAs for engagement - I've only found them to corrupt the steering on turbocharged cars, not nat-asp ones. And esp. where the torque comes in suddenly. Given a linear engine (turbo or n/a) and there's not THAT much impact on the steering (almost none in the Hondas I've owned/driven, and then usually in response to significant camber changes). Certainly they're well worth the trade-off vs a non diff-equipped car.
Unless the error is fitting the ATB diff to the front axle and not the rear axle, which would seem fundamentally weird to me - surely you'd follow the old Evo/STi route of a proper diff on BOTH axles and a (possibly adjustable) centre diff?
I appreciate there are many different flavours of 4wd, but surely the trick is in NOT using Haldex and instead using something which can be set-up to provide both agility and traction (a combination that 2wd struggles with, as does most/all Haldex options in my experience). Hell, the Japanese have been managing the proper 4wd trick for decades...why is it a problem now?
havoc said:
OK, I do get that, but exactly how is it different - it's still a variant on torque-vectoring, albeit using the front wheels.
Unless the error is fitting the ATB diff to the front axle and not the rear axle, which would seem fundamentally weird to me - surely you'd follow the old Evo/STi route of a proper diff on BOTH axles and a (possibly adjustable) centre diff?
I appreciate there are many different flavours of 4wd, but surely the trick is in NOT using Haldex and instead using something which can be set-up to provide both agility and traction (a combination that 2wd struggles with, as does most/all Haldex options in my experience). Hell, the Japanese have been managing the proper 4wd trick for decades...why is it a problem now?
Remember this is different to the "haldex" cars and also different to the "proper 4wd" type cars in reality.Unless the error is fitting the ATB diff to the front axle and not the rear axle, which would seem fundamentally weird to me - surely you'd follow the old Evo/STi route of a proper diff on BOTH axles and a (possibly adjustable) centre diff?
I appreciate there are many different flavours of 4wd, but surely the trick is in NOT using Haldex and instead using something which can be set-up to provide both agility and traction (a combination that 2wd struggles with, as does most/all Haldex options in my experience). Hell, the Japanese have been managing the proper 4wd trick for decades...why is it a problem now?
The guy from GKN states throttle on understeer and throttle off oversteer as his reason for not liking it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaAKxzJidUw 7mins in
ZX10R NIN said:
daemon said:
One for the Ford RS fanboys, but £36K plus the performance upgrade pack starts to make it look expensive, bearing in mind theres no discount avail....
The UK-spec RS Edition (limited to 500 cars) lists at £35,785 (£3,530 over the standard car). However, it comes with options as standard that usually cost the following on the standard RS:Recaro Shell Seats – £1,145
Lux Pack – £1,000
Nitrous Blue Paint – £745
Heated Steering Wheel – £115
Active City Stop – £200
Painted Calipers – £100
& that's before you include the LSD
IanJ9375 said:
havoc said:
OK, I do get that, but exactly how is it different - it's still a variant on torque-vectoring, albeit using the front wheels.
Unless the error is fitting the ATB diff to the front axle and not the rear axle, which would seem fundamentally weird to me - surely you'd follow the old Evo/STi route of a proper diff on BOTH axles and a (possibly adjustable) centre diff?
I appreciate there are many different flavours of 4wd, but surely the trick is in NOT using Haldex and instead using something which can be set-up to provide both agility and traction (a combination that 2wd struggles with, as does most/all Haldex options in my experience). Hell, the Japanese have been managing the proper 4wd trick for decades...why is it a problem now?
Remember this is different to the "haldex" cars and also different to the "proper 4wd" type cars in reality.Unless the error is fitting the ATB diff to the front axle and not the rear axle, which would seem fundamentally weird to me - surely you'd follow the old Evo/STi route of a proper diff on BOTH axles and a (possibly adjustable) centre diff?
I appreciate there are many different flavours of 4wd, but surely the trick is in NOT using Haldex and instead using something which can be set-up to provide both agility and traction (a combination that 2wd struggles with, as does most/all Haldex options in my experience). Hell, the Japanese have been managing the proper 4wd trick for decades...why is it a problem now?
The guy from GKN states throttle on understeer and throttle off oversteer as his reason for not liking it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaAKxzJidUw 7mins in
Y'know, just for once it might be nice if PH interviewed people who didn't have a paid-for bias in their comments...or at the very least challenged them on said bias - journalism used to be about more than just asking for quotes and then parroting them back...
daemon said:
No doubt you're right. If you wanted all those options and wanted one of these then its probably the "smart" choice. Each to their own.
That was my first thought.I could live without all of them.
The Lux pack might be nice and Recaros would certainly be worth a look, but the rest... No thanks...
Still, you can still retro-fit the Mountune diff for a fraction less (although residuals might be better on the Focus RS RS Edition or is it the Focus RS Edition?????
)M.
Hmm... we seem to be floundering slightly if we want to hit 20 pages. Let's try a bit of new v used:
£36k! Blimey. In my day that bought a seaside cottage, an E-type, several hookers and your body-weight in dope. I wonder what used bargains there are in the classifieds for approximately that amount? Leggy 996TT?
Etc.
£36k! Blimey. In my day that bought a seaside cottage, an E-type, several hookers and your body-weight in dope. I wonder what used bargains there are in the classifieds for approximately that amount? Leggy 996TT?
Etc.
After a chase our PR man at Ford UK has been able to confirm the UK market information we weren't provided on the launch event and explaining some of the inconsistencies in naming and specs in the original story. Headlines are confirmation it will be called the Focus RS Edition, will be a limited edition model (numbers TBC) and for the UK does NOT get the forged 19-inch wheel originally listed as standard equipment. The assumption would be this remains a £975 option as it is on the existing RS.
Apologies for any confusion, chapter and verse (as it stands) direct from Ford below. Pricing and numbers when we have them.
Thanks!
Dan
Apologies for any confusion, chapter and verse (as it stands) direct from Ford below. Pricing and numbers when we have them.
Thanks!
Dan
The man from Ford said:
Focus RS Edition Additional to RS
Quaife mechanical limited-slip differential
Nitrous Blue exterior body colour
Matt-black foil roof treatment
New black cast-alloy wheels with blue painted Brembo branded brake callipers
Matt-black painted door mirrors and rear spoiler
Partial leather Recaro shell seats in ebony and blue two-tone
Carbon fibre interior trim parts (auxiliary dials bezel, door grab handle and handbrake lever)
Privacyglass*
Rear parking sensors*
Power-fold mirrors*
Cruise control with speed limiter*
FordKeyFreesystem*
Heated steering wheel
ActiveCityStop
It seems that the UK version does not in fact have the forged alloys (apologies!)
Numbers are likely to be limited but this hasn't been confirmed, and I am not aware of exact numbers.
The Edition comes in Nitrous Blue only. No confirmation that the UK (or Europe for that matter) will be offered in red.
Quaife mechanical limited-slip differential
Nitrous Blue exterior body colour
Matt-black foil roof treatment
New black cast-alloy wheels with blue painted Brembo branded brake callipers
Matt-black painted door mirrors and rear spoiler
Partial leather Recaro shell seats in ebony and blue two-tone
Carbon fibre interior trim parts (auxiliary dials bezel, door grab handle and handbrake lever)
Privacyglass*
Rear parking sensors*
Power-fold mirrors*
Cruise control with speed limiter*
FordKeyFreesystem*
Heated steering wheel
ActiveCityStop
It seems that the UK version does not in fact have the forged alloys (apologies!)
Numbers are likely to be limited but this hasn't been confirmed, and I am not aware of exact numbers.
The Edition comes in Nitrous Blue only. No confirmation that the UK (or Europe for that matter) will be offered in red.
- Packaged as the £1,000 Luxury Pack for the standard RS, included on the RS Edition
I have the diff fitted on my Mountune Focus RS and I love it. I prefer the increased grip levels and additional sure footed nature that it offers over the standard set up but appreciate some may not like it.
The grip the car now produces would embarrass my previous Lotus Exige V6 which I find impressive.
The grip the car now produces would embarrass my previous Lotus Exige V6 which I find impressive.
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