Its no secret Im no fan of the frs mk3's looks as they are way too tame, the running gear is very good but looks nothing special but at least the rs500 is going back to its agressive looks to save the day and ford some street cred and along with new line in sporty fords I think the new fiesta will tip the sales aganist the focus

 

I'm with you on that Steve but I still that that thing pictured above is too tame.

 

thats it jon, but way mountune and ford are now putting out upgrades they realise that themself but of course want to shift backlog of original sales before launching it getting those that already order st's I mean rs 's out of the way

 

What, with some lowering springs, 2 pointless bonnet vents and an ever so slightly larger meccano rear wing? Hardly revolutionary and probably already done by the RS copying ST boys

 

dal your just too sensitive as you own one, just by adding bonnet vents its improoves the front end loads, but also planned engine upgrades etc and a 500+ hp one done by some of the other tuning companys already are shifting the desire from bland stock look to a must have

 

As an engineer, I'm more a "do it because it needs it" rather than a "do it because it looks good" - but I take you're point

Hope they're converting it to FWD then if they're trying to push 500bhp through the RDU

Easier on the 2.3 Mustang without AWD. Mazda boys have been getting mad bhp from this engine for ages and in fact one of the Pumas we had on stand at Ford Fair was running a very similar engine to mine and it puts out 558bhp through it's 2 front wheels. Mental.

 

Out of interest, other than the Escort Cosworth, Sierra Cosworth, MK2 FRS and RS200, which other RS models have looked mad? They've all looked pretty subtle generally. It's always been the running gear that does the talking in most RS models. People just seem to enjoy having a dig at new RS cars. Ah well, I'm sure Ford don't give a monkey's uncle, they've sold nearly 5000 of them in the UK alone so far, they can't make them quick enough.

I've seen endless talk online of fancy electronic front diffs, stripped interiors and automatic gearboxes, but I'd be surprised if it has much more than a Mountune upgrade and a different paint job. It will sell out regardless so Ford will only do what they have to.

 

Tbh i love the look of the mk3 focus rs, i think i looks more agressive than the likes of the golf R, renault sport megane, audi rs3, scirocco R and the new civic type R with exception to the merc A45 AMG but thats just my opinion. New performance cars seem to be going in a different direction now. I think that new RS 500 looks great, im just glad ford went back down the awd route to stay in touch with other performance cars of its class

 

What's the spec's? Or is it like the last one with a map tweak and black paint?

 

Nothing has been released yet, just online speculation.

 

I know what you mean about all the cars looking the same. When the original 3 door came out then the RS500 there was nothing really like them. There was only really the huge wing on the back the made them stand out, but they still had a huge presence.
All these new cars are so similar now, sharp, angular, pointy etc etc. They just blend into one another and don't really stand out imho.

 

Still looks shit for me, needs to lose a door or two first

 

I think they should leave the rs500 name alone unless they do something decent with it.

 

Standard gearbox can only take another 15% of torque.... it'll be another Saff/EsCos situation with everyone blowing them up. It's why Mountune won't go much further.

I would love one, but only 150 UK bound.

 

Gets my vote

 

No wonder Mountune have announced a gearbox upgrade:

https://www.mountunestore.com/collec...stage1-gearbox

So maybe it's not the AWD or RDU that's the weak point, but the gearbox itself?

 

I really like the mk3 tbh. I think ford needed it to get people back into fords.

I just wouldnt wanna go to a ford show and see them all lined up. The saff cossie didn't really look hardcore compared the 3dr cossie and the escos.

 

Bingo, and I would bet money that Mountune kit does bugger all. Shot peening gears and a few upgrades doesn't address any of the issues that are inherent in that gearbox! I've worked on gearbox design for a fair few years, admittedly not on cars but a gearbox is a gearbox!

 

Im with you Steve, its too tame but the 500 looks a little more on the money. Shame about that light in the centre at the rear

 

Read somewhere that the focus pictured is not a Ford test mule but a tuner car from Europe with mk2 vents etc, and I like the mk3 but hope ford don't use the Rs500 name again.Only one RS500 for me.

 

The pictures of that car on the roads around the Nurburgring was driven by David Put ; chief development driver for the focus RS so I expect it was a Ford car.

And yes, agree, Ford shouldn't be using the RS500 name on anything after the Sierra IMO.

 

Oh ok cool if that's the case it does look aggressive.

 

Why shouldn't they use the name? There's already been an RS500 Focus, there was an ST500 Fiesta and Focus too, so it kind of makes sense.

They can't trade on the reputation of a 30 year old Sierra forever

 

I 100% agree with you all the people that bang on about its not mad looking enough, too many doors they shouldn't use this name or that name.im sick of bloody hearing the same thing.
All of ford's performance cars apart from the rs 200 have been based on lesser models so will still look like a focus or a fiesta etc.
No one wanst big wings or whale tail spoilers anymore times have moved on. I still love the old Sierras and escorts but I also like the newer stuff as well. Just face it times change and people's tastes change.

 

Very true. The car is aimed at the mass market, so they can sell the most cars. If it was 10ft wide, had a mahoosive whale tail and tyres wider than a 70s countash, it would look shit and be totally impractical in today's market and no one would buy it.

I think ford have the new RS spot on.

 

I defo think ford have done a good job with the mk3 focus rs. All the magazine reviews prove that.

I just think ford should make a few more rs models like a 4x4 rs mondeo.

 

I would personally love to see a new fiesta rs Glen that would be amazing.never owned an old one but they are one of my favorite Rs

 

The Rs500 Should be left back in the 80's where is started .


It looks the same as the new ST'S/RS'S and will totally blend in with every other car at a show .


Poor Chavs wont have nothing to stick on their cars now its all been done for them .


Yeah great after nearly 20 years fords have woke up and made a fast 4X4 car , been done to death with Evo's so its nothing new


I just see a Mk2 Focus RS500 on e bay 50K you would have to be high to buy it .

 

To be honest to look at the 3dr cossie doesn't look that much different to the rs500 Sierra.people just seem stuck in their ways on here. If you went to a Ford show in the 90s it would have been all cossies and rs turbos, everyone doing the same mods as everyone else nothing has changed. I just don't see why people have to compare old with new all the time. Fact of the matter is the mk3 rs is a better can in every way than an old Sierra with big spoilers stuck on it and so it should be as it's newer. I do love the old stuff but just stop trying to compare old with new as it's getting tiresome.
Ford own the rite to call their cars what ever name or number they want as yes they can hike the price up on it and it will sell no problem at all.

 

Ford spent their time and money making superb engine upgrades on the original rs500 meaning 500bhp is easily achievable, something that the new "much superior" car would struggle with. 3dr cossie already looked good so wasn't much room for improvement.

New one to me is like a rip off of an Impreza hatch with Evo electronics.

 

What would make you guys happy then ford to just stop making anything rs as all new rs after the Sierra are shite and not worthy of the name. You boys make me laugh.
I was talking about the rs500 not looking much different from the normal 3dr cossie as many people say the mk3 frs looks like an st which I don't personally agree with.
Again I'm not biased as I like both new and old school.
Oh so why didn't ford just give the rs 500 the 500bhp the engine could handle out the box then?
Who's to say what the new frs engine is capable of there are new engine mods being developed for it as we speak.

 

I think it's each to their own, no two people are going to like all the same things, some like it. Some don't. The reason I think like myself people like the older stuff is because we either hankered after them when we were young and couldn't afford them or we are driving the older stuff to relive our youth. The new Rs fords are good for the guys who are a bit older and don't want to be spending every evening and weekend lying under an old car and spending every last pound on it, or the youngsters who have the spare cash and are getting into the ford scene. Either way keeping performance fords and the Rs name going can only be a good thing surely? I personally have no interest in newer fords at all as I love the older stuff from when I was a kid but I've thought many times when I get older it would be nice to have an Rs with a warranty I can just get in and not worry about it. People are scared of change and always will be that will never change. Imagine what the ford guys thought back in the day when new sierras, fiestas, escorts etc turned up at shows. It's like history repeating itself

 

Simple really because making a 500bhp car and selling it to the public is asking for trouble .


You need to calm down a little bit .Everyone has their own opinion .