dickycox

After seeing 5th gear last night got me thinking we all waited years for them to give us a new frs and the evo 10 beat it i know only by a second,but what would the 340 or 360 do to it ford should of made it 4wd.

focusv8

Then you'd be complaining how much the road tax was due to the higher emissions.

.

thebigmacmoomin

& how heavy the car would be.

Andy

focusv8

And how expensive.

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coswurv

iTrader: (8)

Well you cant compare something more powerfull as the outcome is obvious, but when the rs was up against the evo with similar power it got beaten by 1 second thats a gearchange, so why 4x4 ? its fwd and still up there against the 4x4 evo, this shows you how much of a progression ford have made with this car.

Elvis

iTrader: (1)

i think 5th gear proved it does not need to be 4x4, a second is nothing.

best will be to see it on the new series of top gear as im intrested as to what it will do around their track

DanW@FastFord

iTrader: (1)

I thought that was an utterly gash test. Who is going to use their FRS to hit a ball into a net? That was purely about driver skill, not car ability.

And the lap time was completely pointless as Plato appeared to get a smooth lap wheras Tiff went into a corner much too 'hot' and understeered. If it's a meaningful test you'd need to have the same driver doing a number of laps, and picking their best one.

Yes I know it's entertainment, but this post has proved that some people take their silly tests at face value.

MadMac

Sorry but I agree with dickycox.

Every other car maker, particularly the Germans and the Japs make RWD or 4WD high performance cars which from stock make every "performance" ford look slow.

The last of the proper Fast Fords was the Escort Cosworth, which was 4WD. And do current Escos owners whinge about it being 4WD? No.

If your going out to buy a fast ford would you honestly give a shite about the tax and fuel consumption? No.

Now we have a 30k Focus RS, would I buy it? No. If they had made it 4WD with an extra 50 BHP to keep up with the Jap's and the Germans I would happily spend a an extra 5k which would be the same as an equivilent Scooby and Evo.

A FWD car is not a proper sports car IMO.

DanW@FastFord

iTrader: (1)

But it DOES keep up with them!

col cos1

iTrader: (5)

fwd is pish end of


its a nice looking car but it will never be a cosworth

GUZZLER

iTrader: (3)

has your FRS been delivered yet?

col cos1

iTrader: (5)

ford should really go back to 4x4

i know they will never do rwd these days but 4x4 isnt a big ask i dont think

KSA-Cossie

iTrader: (4)

Agree it was a pony test but if it was 4wd it may have been a second or more quicker maybe.

DanW@FastFord

iTrader: (1)

Why would they do something that would make it more expensive and slower?

I've yet to actually hear someone who has personally driven one complain about the drivetrain. It's all well and good 'assuming' it's rubbish because it's FWD, but the reality is that it's awesome.

The Youth.

iTrader: (1)

all this it should be 4wd does make me laugh..
mk6 rs 2000 fwd or 4x4 which is the best?
the slow heavy fragile 4x4 or the faster lighter fwd

steve

steve252

wasnt this car supposed to have minimal(sp) understeer??? thats all i saw on the 5th gear show, and it just didnt look very composed on the track tbh.



all this revoknuckle hype was for nuthing imho, if it was like that on a flat race track whats it going to be like on a bumpy unflat b road???

saph4be

good car BUT what will it be like if some one pushs 500bhp through front wheels?

DanW@FastFord

iTrader: (1)

It's awesome on an "unflat B road". Tiff was driving it like a twat. The show is entertainment, it's not real life!

Benni

Clarkson should do it justice.

Kam B

so a stock frs was one second slower than a 4wd mustybushi round a track?? im certain i dont use a track to get to work...ONE SECOND, how good is the FRS? they have had to use a 4wd jap saloon to test against it because no other hot hatch comes close (maybe the R26)

Is that the only road test you have watched?

Mint FRST

iTrader: (1)

Have you read his Top Gear Mag report? Perhaps not the case.

This car is a cost driven exercise which fits at the top of a certain niche in the market i.e. Hot hatches - which unless you include the BMW 135i & Audi S3 Hatch are all FWD. Those and the fourth coming Golf R20 are aimed at a separate niche and although they are compared I for one dont think it is a level comparison...

Not only have Ford fell behind in the 4 wheel drive performance vehicle sector the current state of the global economy has driven a vehicle to be built which is a hybrid of parts from what other brands they own i.e. the Volvo derived engine.

If the car were to be 4WD what conponents would they use? The fact remains if it were 4WD the conponents would be shared from a sister company such as Jaguar or Volvo and it would have been more likely AWD with a haldex based set up for mass production and cost.

This is a high end hot hatch and I am glad it is FWD...

Then again I am biased as I will be picking mine up within the next two weeks...

Rick

The Focus is a far nicer car and better built for everyday use than the EVO.

pani_k

iTrader: (1)

If they fitted a 4x4 system then the net result given the same power would've probably been worse

Also, this doesn't look boring does it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSP_MvxtoeU

I'd also like to see it up against a STANDARD Escos as well and perhaps then people would start taking their cossie/4x4/fwd is shit/not a cosworth blinkers off.

Pardeep

I personally believed that it should of been 4WD with the Inline 6 Engine!!!

HOWEVER, The only 4wd were the cosworths. I think this new Focus RS is worthy of the RS badge. Most RS were 2wd and FWD

Like Jost Capito said that if their ever was a Focus Cosworth it'd be very HARDCORE. It would not even have Air Con.

Lets just pray that one day a Ford will have a Cosworth Badge again and it'll wipe its arse with the Evos and Subarus. Until then, i say enjoy the modern day RS Turbo!!!

col cos1

iTrader: (5)

end of day all cars ok standard dan,but who keeps them that way???

fuk me you work for a mag,can you see 500+through it in the end?

dickycox

Your missing the point lads we are all still defending it new focus rs 30 grand and a 2003 scooby sti woukd leave it for dead around a track a sti is 5 secs quicker than the evo 10 in evo mag around bedford autodrome and you are talking about a 10 grand car now.the rs should of been 4wd with 350 bhp end or story.Ihad the mk 1 frs and loved it but as soon as i got back in the escos totaly difrent drive power to the road and went in a straight line.

morph

iTrader: (1)

I'd say alot of owners did considering most of them went out and wanted it chipped because it was so overwieght due to the 4wd setup, my rs turbo at the time with 170bhp was keeping up with them back then! just says it all really! 4x4= too much weight and not enough bhp!

morph

iTrader: (1)

if you actually have been in a 225bhp escort cosworth and a 212bhp Frs you would honestly
pick the FRS allday due to the much more direct steering, sharper handling and much more responsive engine! i drove several escort cossies and unless they have 350bhp + they are slow in comparison to modern day hatch.

Stoo

Have I not seen a couple of posts from you saying you had bought one? Did you cancel your order or something?

DanW@FastFord

iTrader: (1)

Yes I can perceive them being a lot more powerful, and as with any car you're going to have to modify it heavily to make that power 'work'. Chuck 500+bhp through an otherwise standard car and it'll struggle, but what car which comes as standard with 300bhp wouldn't find that level of power tricky to handle?

People really have to take their blinkers off and accept that FWD can be made to handle awesomely. And I've every confidence that people will get more power from them and have an even better car.

I've not always worked on Fast Ford so have been lucky to have driven a lot of performance cars. I've driven Evos, Scoobies, Skylines etc and I'd still go for a Focus every time (and not just because I have an obvious Ford bias). If you'd have driven one you'd know exactly what I mean.

EIL132

They're modern day RSTs and even follow the same script, MK1 was better looking and made in lesser numbers. I dont think anyone believes the "no need for 4x4" when going up against Evos and Scoobies, it's just not in that market. Take it for what it is.

jhot80

The thing about the new FRS is they have gotten the most out of the focus if u bought one theres not much you could do to make it go any faster round corners if u bought a evo even the top of the range u could get it to go faster on the track just cos it can keep laying down the power. Even if u kept the same power and put a 4x4 into the FRS it would be quicker through the bends mayb not down the straight but it could carry more speed through the corner.

When the new Astra VXR expected next year is released its going to have a 4wd system then ford is behind the times.

Bullett

iTrader: (2)

i agree with this. tbh ive read loads of decent mags reviewing the car and most say its awesome and will happily keep up with the evo and scooby

tbh 5th gear isnt a good test as they dont compare the two cars equally as dan said,tiff is notorious for sliding a car(like topgears jez)but that doesnt make it quick,it makes it look good. which is why the stig is a better judge.he drives the cars as equal as poss being an ex racer he is going for a proper lap as much as poss rather than being flambouent(sp)

and no i dont want one or own one

Bullett

iTrader: (2)

we will see! a 4wd system is expensive.and gm owning vauxhall may have an issue with that as they have just shit themself with money probs

Shings

The only person who seems to 'get it' well done!

jhot80

True FWD cars can be made to handle well but they would not keep up with a RWD or 4WD that has had the same amount of time and money spent on it. Powerful FWD is just giving the front wheels too much to do

Bullett

iTrader: (2)

correct! the r26r is the closest but still cant be compared as such due to being a 2 seater,poly windowed,carbon fibre cladded,semi slick track based car

jhot80

however vauxhall has already got the 4wd system developed. its in the insignia so not really going to cost them much. vauxhall must also be making a mint out of the insignia aswell there everywhere you look and only been out couple of months.

Mint FRST

iTrader: (1)

If it does make it into production I think you will find it will be AWD... A different kettle of fish I'm afraid...

Why thank you. I truly believe it will be a great car (I Should do after paying 27 large for one) Most of the motoring press seem to like it anyway. I hope in the future it will be remembered in comparison in cars such as S1's...

It should be remebered as a trend setter I hope also...

I also believe an evo model is on the cards....

This looks interesting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQEm1c2SETk

DanW@FastFord

iTrader: (1)

Once upon a time yes, but FWD is more capable than it's ever been. I don't agree that RWD or 4WD is always going to be faster. It's not like the BMWs trounce the FWD opposition in the BTCC (although I don't know if they get a weight penalty for being RWD?)

I can totally understand how it seems wrong for a performance car to 'pull' you rather than 'push'. But just because it's the conventionally expected norm that fast cars are RWD it doesn't mean that there can't be exceptions to the rule.