Chip

iTrader: (3)

Ford make some good cars, but none that appeal to me personally at the moment other than I do quite like the focus RS, but I would prefer a mk1 one as a basis for a project, and i would want it RWD.

FWD cars make ok cheap trackday hacks, and ecoomical daily drivers, but I dont like them other than that personally, they dont stir any emotion in me like a decent RWD car does.

ajamesc

I have driven a mondeo st200 and a mrk1 focus rs and are traniee has a new st fiesta new fords just dont do it for me mate if they do for u then thats fine! Im more into things like m3s evos or amg mercs i think ford have sold out and now just make rs cars for sales figures and dont really make or care about real performace! Take top gear the other night a merc 2.3 190 a e36 m3 and a cosworth if u did that now would u put a new focus with a new m3 and a c63! no u wouldent! because they dont have anywear near the performace they did back in the day when they hold there own with marks like that. The only reason i like sierra,s is because of the engine and the fact i can have 500bhp and i dont like the way u keep saying im stuck in the past. As i say i dont like new fords . Maybe your stuck in the fwd ford world and need to get out there and drive a modded evo or a newish m3 or amg merc or maybe an rs4 audi!

ShiftyOldScoob

iTrader: (3)

I'd quite like to mod one of the new shape mondeo 2.5 titanium x's...there was one in ford and it looked the part...proper well made!

My current motor is an st tdci and its genuinely one of the best handling cars ive driven so how anyone can say the moddern run of ford are crap is beyond me...fair enough there not the rwd or 4wd beasts of back in the day but there all round better cars!

Or I'd quite like a v8 falcon but there already pretty well sorted

Or I quite like the idea of an st tdci estate...seen one the other day and it looked awsome!

DanW@FastFord

iTrader: (1)

They haven't sold out to anyone or anything, they're a business. They care about making money. It would be the worst business model in the history of the world if a car manufacturer said "Hey, let's forget about shareholders, and profits, let's just make cars for real enthusiasts!"

Of course you can't compare the cars, they're pretty much twice the price!!
Focus RS - £27,575
BMW M3 - £51,505
Merc C63 - £54,635
Audi RS4 - £51,000

I've driven three out of those four. I've also driven a selection of new Fords, and I stand by my comments.

ajamesc

im not talking about price mate as back in the day the e36 and the 190 were more than a saff aswell! And yes they are a business hence the fwd shopping / family car market there in not like subaru and mitsubishi who do both (family and hardcore road) And there is no appeal to me to drive the new school fords id rather drive a new m3! or saying that id drive the new gt40 or new mustang they have appeal. And im getting bored of this argument with u now its my opinion not to like them as u have yours to like them mate!

Chip

iTrader: (3)

ajamesc, his point was that "selling out" is nothing new, they had "sold out" to commericialism when they made the cosworth as well, the only reason it was done was to promote brand awareness and increase sales, it wasnt done to do any of us a favour

ajamesc

And my point was selling out as in not needing to build a proper focus as in 4x4 and powerfull to match things like the top subaru and the fq 340s or 400s as they no all the have to do is slap a rs badge on the back of something these days and people will buy it And they dident sell out when they made the cosworth they went to cosworth so they could get somewear in touring car raceing hardly selling out

Chip

iTrader: (3)

I dont believe that is true, 25-30K is a lot of money to part with and I think most RS buyers have bought it because its got the badge AND because its a good car, or just because its a good car, but very few have bought it purely for the badge, as lets face it, the general car buying public have never really viewed the RS badge as very special anyway.

ajamesc

LOL u think even my mum knows what a cosworth is and she dont even drive and long before i had one It was veiwed as specail with its rally and race background but your right its not now lol.If anything its seen as chav (boyed up cars) as there isent really anything to relate them too like in the old days when rs meant the car was a bit specail. And they must have been as sales were so good and everyone wonted to nick them lol

Chip

iTrader: (3)

cosworth badge yes, its an icon, rs badge though, no.

People often say to just about everyone I know who has a cosworth (or something like looks like one such as mine, lol):
Is it a cosworth?

They almost never say
Is it an RS?


The RS badge IME isnt really very well respected at all comapred to the cosworth one.

ajamesc

I dont know about that back when the rs2000s came out they were very well known and still are today and it is an rs cosworth!

Chip

iTrader: (3)

I dont think that these days RS mk1 and mk2 escorts are well known to many people who arent over 40 and specifically into fords.
Im convinced if I wandered out into the street and asked people what a ford RS was, very few would say anything other than the new focus!

DanW@FastFord

iTrader: (1)

You're totally entitled to your opinion - but when you claim that Ford "don't make any good cars", and that they've "sold out", you're claiming things which simply aren't true.

The same is true for the prices. The cars then were much more 'on a par' with their peers.

M3 -£23k
Saph - £19,500 (£24K for the 4x4)
Merc 190 2.3 16V - £26,520

ajamesc

Like i say i dont like them and nor do lots of others! And to me they dont make any good cars!And u may wont to check them values again lol if u talk to bmw a new e36 was about 42 grand! And regaurd less of price the ford was still in the same group it wouldent be now a days!

DanW@FastFord

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, but the Saph's contemporary was the E30, not the E36

I think we've pretty much exhausted this 'argument' anyway now