2009 Ford Focus RS!

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Very mean! I really think Ford could have made quite a bit of cash selling these babies over in the States.
 
That thing looks great in non-doctored up studio shots. Although I'm still a little iffy on the rear.
 
I sort of like the rear better than the ones that have more of a semi-circle rear, though it would look better if they pulled the taillights down on the corners rather than on the slope.
 
The tail lights are there on every Focus hatchback, the Euro models anyway.
 
Considering there is no US hatch at current, yes, they're like that on every Focus Hatch.
 
I wonder how much power the standard turbo on this will max out to. SEAT really need to make a leon cupra r now to combat this thing!
 
Dave A
The tail lights are there on every Focus hatchback, the Euro models anyway.
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Jim Prower
Considering there is no US hatch at current, yes, they're like that on every Focus Hatch.
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Oh I know they are there on the Focus hatchbacks, I'm just saying it would help out how the rear looks if they weren't up top but rather down lower (IMO)
 
Let's see some reviews and how far the new front suspension geometry takes it. I for one am very curious, and, if this car turns out to be good, surely in the market.
 
forza2.0
wow what an ignorant comment. Take it you have not driven a high powered FWD car before.
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Granted, he may be ignorant, but what gives you the right to say that you must have driven a car to have an opinion on it? it's impossible to have driven every single car in the world.

and it could have been this.

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or this.

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It's not that there aren't good ones...the Focus is probably quite good, although personally, I wish it were closer to the WRC version, and that SEAT you own is probably good as well. But FWD has the legacy of the Saab 900 Turbo, Taurus SHO, and other Torque-steer monsters in it's past. and the Caliber SRT in the present.

I'd just like a Focus that's as good on Gravel as Tarmac. Group N is dominated by the Japanese.
 
determine high powered FWD.. a 150 BHP Nissan Primera GT was bad enough. supposed to be sporty, yes? well, it wasn't. in addition, have YOU been in situation like this? uphill, pouring rain, speed limit of 80kph and FWD. = no steering feel whatsoever, the wheels kept spinning despite going slower than the limit. and that was with fresh summer tyres. power isn't necessarily good, especially not in FWD that is already multitasking the front tyres as it is.
 
buickgnx88
I'm just saying it would help out how the rear looks if they weren't up top but rather down lower (IMO)
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I think the look would improve a lot if the roof didn't look stretched and the rest just look all blocky, like the car just ends.
 
Leonidae
determine high powered FWD.. a 150 BHP Nissan Primera GT was bad enough. supposed to be sporty, yes? well, it wasn't. in addition, have YOU been in situation like this? uphill, pouring rain, speed limit of 80kph and FWD. = no steering feel whatsoever, the wheels kept spinning despite going slower than the limit. and that was with fresh summer tyres. power isn't necessarily good, especially not in FWD that is already multitasking the front tyres as it is.
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Good modern hot FWD cars have sophisticated front differentials these days that remove all the old torque-steer characteristics.
 
I may be mistaken and would be grateful for someone correcting me should I be wrong, but I thought that a front differential improves grip, but also increases torque-steer. Many cars with front differentials are known to grip very well, yet, wrench the drivers arms out.
 
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Leonidae
it LOOKS fast. With AWD it actually could BE fast.
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Leonidae
determine high powered FWD.. a 150 BHP Nissan Primera GT was bad enough. supposed to be sporty, yes? well, it wasn't. in addition, have YOU been in situation like this? uphill, pouring rain, speed limit of 80kph and FWD. = no steering feel whatsoever, the wheels kept spinning despite going slower than the limit. and that was with fresh summer tyres. power isn't necessarily good, especially not in FWD that is already multitasking the front tyres as it is.
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Without AWD it laps Ford's Lommel #7 handling circuit faster than the current Impreza WRX STi.


Incidentally, yes I have been in that situation in a variety of FWD cars - 60hp, 140hp and 225hp. I don't recall any issues.
 
Mmm.. situation wasn't helped by the fact that the road surface had nice grooves on it. that must've had an effect on it.
 
I live in the UK. We have nothing but hills, rain, low speed limits and crappy roads.
 
Looks very good at the front.. though the wheels are a little weak compared to the ones on the 1st post.

I a saw really short quote from a motoring journo a few months ago who said he'd been to a private test at the 'Ring for a new FWD superhatch. He said he couldn't say which one it was (though it was clear he was talking about the Focus), and in his opinion it would completely change peoples perceptions of just what was possible performance wise for a FWD car... talk is of easy sub 8 minute laps of the 'Ring - not sure if this was on Nissan's 'special' tyres or not though ;) which is damn fast for a FWD hatchback.
 
Leonidae
just how much does Porsche pay to you, anyway..? :p
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Porsche doesn't pay me anything as, unfortunately, they've spent all their money buying VW... but I do thank them every morning. I could write an essay, but I'll limit it to...

It's not the speed as I very rarely get chance to drive mine in anger, but even the shortest drive in a Porsche is a sensory experience... and on the odd occassion I get to drive mine properly it is a trully rewarding experience. The feel of the major controls is perfectly matched (particularly the steering, which is just perfection) and the throttle response is razor sharp. Porsche just feel different to enything else.
 
^^^ I can't compare to a Porsche, but I think the thing about most modern sporty cars is just what you talked about: thorough enjoyment on every trip, no matter how long or short, fast or slow.

the Interceptor
I may be mistaken and would be grateful for someone correcting me should I be wrong, but I thought that a front differential improves grip, but also increases torque-steer. Many cars with front differentials are known to grip very well, yet, wrench the drivers arms out.
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I can't say I know too much on this, but a bigger rear anti-roll bar did eliminate a lot of torque steer and the left wheel spinning from my friend's 1999 Saab 9-3.

Although it would make sense that since a differential allows the wheels to rotate at different speeds, it could keep torque steer more in check. But again, I don't know too much on this. Oh, and I seem to remember the Focus suspension being a big secret to the car's performance, but that could just be through grip.
 
The one big problem (as I've probably said a bazillion times before) with FWD is the options it gives you coming out of a corner. Unless it's set-up with a stiff rear anti-rollbar or the equivalent, it'll just push through the corner. But having driven a few rear-drivers on the racetrack, I can honestly say that that's not a sin confined to front-drivers. In fact, there are very few cars per se that will hang tail comfortably at reasonable cornering speeds.

The more worrying trait of front-drivers is lack of out-of-corner traction. A limited-slip front differential helps a lot in this regard, but as it stands with current tire technology, anything over 300 hp is wasted on current front-drive platforms. At least until we start seeing front-drive chassis designs capable of taking really wide tires... from 245-265mm. Currently, front drivers need adaptation (tubbing, fender flares, etcetera) to fit wide rubber.

Having wider tires in front gives the bonus of making the front end more grippy than the rear, giving it a more neutral balance. This is the opposite of what happens with rear drivers when you size up to bigger tires in the rear to cope with power... too much rubber out back helps contribute to low-speed understeer... which is why a Honda Fit went faster than a Z06 through the 300-ft slalom at Car&Driver.

Heck, given a tight autocross, wide tires and a too-stiff suspension are actually a hindrance, unless you tune the suspension to make the car very tail-happy.

FWD ain't perfect... but tuned right, it's not rubbish. Not by a long shot.
 

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