Ford Focus RS Mk1 or Mk2?
Discussion
...so its ten years since the Mk1 Focus RS blasted onto the scene and split opinion like no other car for some years before it. Autocar loved it, EVO hated it. Clarkson was somewhere in the middle!
The Mk2 came along to more universal praise, but why is it that I still prefer the Mk1 (admittedly never having driven either!)....With more and more modern hot hatches having an LSD, I suspect the Mk1 Focus would probably be more palatable now than at launch, in the same way the 964 RS was dismissed as too hard riding at launch but now is seen as average...
So which do you think is best out of the Mk1 and Mk2 and which do you think will be worth the most in a few years time...my monies on the original.
The Mk2 came along to more universal praise, but why is it that I still prefer the Mk1 (admittedly never having driven either!)....With more and more modern hot hatches having an LSD, I suspect the Mk1 Focus would probably be more palatable now than at launch, in the same way the 964 RS was dismissed as too hard riding at launch but now is seen as average...
So which do you think is best out of the Mk1 and Mk2 and which do you think will be worth the most in a few years time...my monies on the original.
Bezza1969 said:
So which do you think is best out of the Mk1 and Mk2 and which do you think will be worth the most in a few years time...my monies on the original.
I always presumed this would happen, but have you seen the residuals on the mk2 
?If you paid £25,000 for one 3years ago and have covered average miles (36,000) it will sell for ~£18,000.
That is seriously cheap motoring for what you get! Infact, compare the full 3year running costs with that of a ST and they're probably similar!
Mk1 for me.
It looks like a track car with specific track-biased improvements, and a tidy Mk1 Focus with sporty bits still looks quite pretty. Not a timeless design but it's ageing really well.
The Mk2 just screams chav-mobile to me.
If it had awd, 400bhp and a string of impressive rally championships under it's belt in various homologated forms then I'd buy into the look much more, it'd have bought the respect it needs to get away with looking the way it does.
But as it stands it's just a badly modified Focus ST from my perspective. In 10 years it'll go down in my mind like those people who track-slag old Vauxhall Carlton's or Granada Cosworths for road use... huge family cars pretending to be something special.
Dave
It looks like a track car with specific track-biased improvements, and a tidy Mk1 Focus with sporty bits still looks quite pretty. Not a timeless design but it's ageing really well.
The Mk2 just screams chav-mobile to me.
If it had awd, 400bhp and a string of impressive rally championships under it's belt in various homologated forms then I'd buy into the look much more, it'd have bought the respect it needs to get away with looking the way it does.
But as it stands it's just a badly modified Focus ST from my perspective. In 10 years it'll go down in my mind like those people who track-slag old Vauxhall Carlton's or Granada Cosworths for road use... huge family cars pretending to be something special.
Dave
Have to say being a massive Ford fan i test drove the MK1 when it came out and trying to put the power down without the steering wheel being yanked out of your hands due to the torque steer was as good as impossible, hence the reason i didnt buy one.
However when the MK2 came along i decided to test drive one and have to say it was fantastic, feed the power in sensibly and torque steer is as good as gone, thank god for the Revoknuckle system. That was three years ago now and I've done about 20k in her, never missed a beat and been 100% reliable.
Have to say i love the cars looks and the attention it gets in the green, the sound it makes with a Mongoose exhaust is incredible. That said the MK1 also looked great, but as a package the MK2 is a much better car. I'm 44 and have owned a lot of cars and have to say if i walked into the dealers tomorrow and there was a brand new one id go for it again.
However when the MK2 came along i decided to test drive one and have to say it was fantastic, feed the power in sensibly and torque steer is as good as gone, thank god for the Revoknuckle system. That was three years ago now and I've done about 20k in her, never missed a beat and been 100% reliable.
Have to say i love the cars looks and the attention it gets in the green, the sound it makes with a Mongoose exhaust is incredible. That said the MK1 also looked great, but as a package the MK2 is a much better car. I'm 44 and have owned a lot of cars and have to say if i walked into the dealers tomorrow and there was a brand new one id go for it again.
Edited by damon1968 on Thursday 1st November 11:53
damon1968 said:
However when the MK2 came along i decided to test drive one and have to say it was fantastic, feed the power in sensibly and torque steer is as good as gone, thank god for the Revoknuckle system.
Out of interest how do you find it in the wet? I've spent quite a bit of time passangering a mk2 although I must admit I haven't driven one for longer than about 1minute 
It seems in the wet it can be pulling all over the road into 4th gear and past 100mph, although very adaquate traction in the dry.StottyZr said:
Out of interest how do you find it in the wet? I've spent quite a bit of time passangering a mk2 although I must admit I haven't driven one for longer than about 1minute It seems in the wet it can be pulling all over the road into 4th gear and past 100mph, although very adaquate traction in the dry.
I'm not sure what you have been doing in the wet, but past 3rd gear it is fine in the wet (unless your in a 400bhp+ upgraded car, then you still might spin it up in 4th if you try) . With the addition of an Elevate Torque mount (£90) it is fine once your out of 2nd. It seems in the wet it can be pulling all over the road into 4th gear and past 100mph, although very adaquate traction in the dry.The MK2 with the MR375 kit is the best value car on the market period, 0-60 5 seconds, 174mph and cornering that is sublime for its class!
I track mine alot and despite not having the driving skills of the Stig or even Chris Harris can still produce some respectable lap times with the car.
Got to say i dont have those sort of issues and mine is far from standard. Maybe get your mate to check his tyre pressures as they are critical on the MK2.
StottyZr said:
Out of interest how do you find it in the wet? I've spent quite a bit of time passangering a mk2 although I must admit I haven't driven one for longer than about 1minute It seems in the wet it can be pulling all over the road into 4th gear and past 100mph, although very adaquate traction in the dry.
It seems in the wet it can be pulling all over the road into 4th gear and past 100mph, although very adaquate traction in the dry.damon1968 said:
Got to say i dont have those sort of issues and mine is far from standard. Maybe get your mate to check his tyre pressures as they are critical on the MK2.
I've just had a think and realised the car did seem to be pulling all over the other week on a drive, he took it into Ford expecting something to be broken, apparently its fine. It felt like it had a flat tyre, under acceleration and braking. The car could well be broken which would explain why it was pulling all over in 4th.StottyZr said:
Out of interest how do you find it in the wet? I've spent quite a bit of time passangering a mk2 although I must admit I haven't driven one for longer than about 1minute It seems in the wet it can be pulling all over the road into 4th gear and past 100mph, although very adaquate traction in the dry.
It seems in the wet it can be pulling all over the road into 4th gear and past 100mph, although very adaquate traction in the dry.Also the fronts have been replaced with Falken 452s, which could also explain the lack of traction in the wet
DanDC5 said:
Uncle John said:
Mr Whippy said:
Mk1 for me.
The Mk2 just screams chav-mobile to me.
Dave
Oh no, here we go again.The Mk2 just screams chav-mobile to me.
Dave
Because that's right Chavs can afford 20k plus....
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