RE: 2019 Ford Focus ST: PH Meets

[Jon_S_Rally]

JulianHJ said:

Jon_S_Rally said:

Interesting that so many of the cars here are orange, suggests that it's a standard colour, while it was only available on the special edition Fiesta ST.

There was a similar colour available as standard (for some extra cash) on the mk3 - Tangerine Scream.

I'm pleased they've ditched the horrible primer grey in favour of a proper metallic grey ('Magnetic') this time round.

There was, but just thought it interesting that it the Focus keeps getting fancy colours, but the Fiesta didn't. Given that the Fiesta is probably targeted at a more youthful audience, that it would be a more obvious choice for lairy orange paint.

mike150 said:

Hope they sorted the rally spec suspension

I bought a new Focus ST in 2016 after 2 years in a Focus Zetec S expecting it to be better...……….obviously!

The Zetec S was great. The ST looked better but in all other areas was worse, it handled badly, I suspected the ESP was to blame, it seemed to torque steer unpredictably in the wet and was verging on dangerous. That and the fact the suspension was great for a bumpy tarmac stage but no good for driving every day, way over damped, I got rid of it after 3 months.

BTW I used to work for Ford and have owned over 2 dozen...…………..I now have a Golf R with DSG, brilliant car!

In fairness, the Golf R is a bit more expensive than the MK3 ST was. A friend of mine had an ST while I had my Golf and the VW definitely had a better ride. Sadly, while brilliant, I just found it lacked engagement.

[James_33]

I must be the odd one out to be honest, probably because i will never afford anything like this but what are we talking here £30k or so for something that basically blends in with every other car on the road today and if in this car pictured, if it wasn't for the colour you probably wouldn't give it a second glance?

[zedx19]

James_33 said:

I must be the odd one out to be honest, probably because i will never afford anything like this but what are we talking here £30k or so for something that basically blends in with every other car on the road today and if in this car pictured, if it wasn't for the colour you probably wouldn't give it a second glance?

If it's a shouty look at me hot hatch you want, then perhaps the Civic Type R is for you, also available from 32k -> https://www.honda.co.uk/cars/new/civic-type-r/over...

[Shiv_P]

James_33 said:

I must be the odd one out to be honest, probably because i will never afford anything like this but what are we talking here £30k or so for something that basically blends in with every other car on the road today and if in this car pictured, if it wasn't for the colour you probably wouldn't give it a second glance?

What £30k hatchback gets second glances bar the civic type R? What do you expect? To have attention like a ferrari 488?

[James_33]

Shiv_P said:

What £30k hatchback gets second glances bar the civic type R? What do you expect? To have attention like a ferrari 488?

I'm saying that to a lot on here £30k isn't a lot at all, but £30k in general is a hell of a lot of money to some people, me been one of them, and like a lot of people who've said similar things in the past, most cars now just blend in with everything else on the road.

[James_33]

zedx19 said:

If it's a shouty look at me hot hatch you want, then perhaps the Civic Type R is for you, also available from 32k -> https://www.honda.co.uk/cars/new/civic-type-r/over...

To be fair mate whilst it's more "out there" in looks i probably wouldn't spend £30k upwards on a car anyway, was more commenting on how nothing seems to stand out so much now despite the price tags.

[zedx19]

James_33 said:

I'm saying that to a lot on here £30k isn't a lot at all, but £30k in general is a hell of a lot of money to some people, me been one of them, and like a lot of people who've said similar things in the past, most cars now just blend in with everything else on the road.

That's because your average Joe wants a car that looks sporty with running costs of a bicycle. Manufacturers make cars like the ST Line, GTI Line, R Line, S Line, AMG, M Sport etc etc etc. So when a proper hot hatch comes by it just looks entirely normal.

[James_33]

zedx19 said:

That's because your average Joe wants a car that looks sporty with running costs of a bicycle. Manufacturers make cars like the ST Line, GTI Line, R Line, S Line, AMG, M Sport etc etc etc. So when a proper hot hatch comes by it just looks entirely normal.

I agree with that, I think that these lines like you've said above are probably part of the problem, yes they are more affordable but then the performance versions then don't look anything special when they do come along apart from the performance itself.

[Harry_523]

Bottom 3 photos confirm my theory that everything looks better from underneath

[Zetec-S]

James_33 said:

I agree with that, I think that these lines like you've said above are probably part of the problem, yes they are more affordable but then the performance versions then don't look anything special when they do come along apart from the performance itself.

The "Max Power" era showed manufacturers that a lot of people were more interested in sporty looks than sporty performance. Can't blame them for producing slightly tarted up versions of their standard models if it commands a price premium.

[James_33]

Zetec-S said:

The "Max Power" era showed manufacturers that a lot of people were more interested in sporty looks than sporty performance. Can't blame them for producing slightly tarted up versions of their standard models if it commands a price premium.

Oh definitely, at the end of the day it's a business and they'll sell more of the ST lines etc etc than they will the performance versions, I think what also gets me here is if say this ST is £30k probably slightly more with options, then wouldn't it make more sense to say buy a couple of year old Focus RS that will have lost a little of its initial depreciation value, but ultimately be of more of a future investment than the ST that they'll produce a lot more of?

[Jon_S_Rally]

James_33 said:

I'm saying that to a lot on here £30k isn't a lot at all, but £30k in general is a hell of a lot of money to some people, me been one of them, and like a lot of people who've said similar things in the past, most cars now just blend in with everything else on the road.

In fairness, very very few people spend £30k on a car. They spend £2-400 a month on it for 2-3 years, and then swap it for a new one and continue. List prices sound a lot, but it's monthly cost that matters for most, and list price doesn't really show what that will be.

[Zetec-S]

James_33 said:

Oh definitely, at the end of the day it's a business and they'll sell more of the ST lines etc etc than they will the performance versions, I think what also gets me here is if say this ST is £30k probably slightly more with options, then wouldn't it make more sense to say buy a couple of year old Focus RS that will have lost a little of its initial depreciation value, but ultimately be of more of a future investment than the ST that they'll produce a lot more of?

Plenty of reasons why people will choose a new ST over a used RS:

- They like brand new cars.
- The ST will have cheaper daily running costs compared to an RS.
- I expect the ST will be available with fairly decent discounts once it's been out a few months.
- New cars tend to have much better finance deals than used cars.
- Plus I would guess the new ST would make a more refined daily driver than an RS.

[C.MW]

I think there is a chance that this will actually be a better car to have fun with on the typical back road than the current RS. Being FWD means it will be much lighter on its feet and the addition of the diff will take care of the traction issue the last gen car suffered. I bet it's going to come with a whole lot more adjustability too.

Edited by C.MW on Friday 24th May 10:43

[BertB]

Any idea why CCD is only on the hatchback and not the estate (wagon)?

[Shiv_P]

James_33 said:

I'm saying that to a lot on here £30k isn't a lot at all, but £30k in general is a hell of a lot of money to some people, me been one of them, and like a lot of people who've said similar things in the past, most cars now just blend in with everything else on the road.

Mk5 golf GTI at launch in 2003/4 was £20000. That is bang on £30000 with that many years worth of inflation. Cars aren't getting more expensive, money is worth less

[Shiv_P]

BertB said:

Any idea why CCD is only on the hatchback and not the estate (wagon)?

Up in the air suggestion but perhaps the estate has self levelling rear susp?

[mooseracer]

mike150 said:

Hope they sorted the rally spec suspension

I bought a new Focus ST in 2016 after 2 years in a Focus Zetec S expecting it to be better...……….obviously!

The Zetec S was great. The ST looked better but in all other areas was worse, it handled badly, I suspected the ESP was to blame, it seemed to torque steer unpredictably in the wet and was verging on dangerous. That and the fact the suspension was great for a bumpy tarmac stage but no good for driving every day, way over damped, I got rid of it after 3 months.

BTW I used to work for Ford and have owned over 2 dozen...…………..I now have a Golf R with DSG, brilliant car!

Funny isn't it how opinions are different as I'd say it's the other way around and the Golf is over-damped and the Focus has suspension that actually works.

[Hot Knife]

A very nice looking hot hatch. Makes a nice change from some of the hideous looking things we've been seeing lately.

[IanJ9375]

James_33 said:

I must be the odd one out to be honest, probably because i will never afford anything like this but what are we talking here £30k or so for something that basically blends in with every other car on the road today and if in this car pictured, if it wasn't for the colour you probably wouldn't give it a second glance?

Is the real problem that the £30k hot hatch doesn't jump out or is it that someone wants a £30k hot hatch to jump out?

In real terms the car probably costs the same as a hot hatch from 1989 once you add in inflation - I remember the Astra GTE 16v was £12k in 1989, today that would be £29k.
Quite impressive if you think the amount of tech and safety you get in a new car these days in comparison to what you got back then...