Focus RS is a winner

  • Thread starter Thread starter Stotty
  • 192 comments
  • 14,652 views
^ I agree. I've driven one a bit rapidly around the local streets (what my friend does not know does not hurt him) and I have to say, the handling is quite admirable. i've never driven one around a track, which is why i referenced motor trend and Randy Pobst, but i absolutely love that car.
 
mPWRD
You're right. We do focus a little bit on the Nurburgring laps. But think about it - for us in the states, the only thing that could even come close to a Focus RS caliber (FWD, 250+ hp) is a Cobalt SS. The caliber srt-4 looked promising, and then turned out to be terrible. You are correct in saying that the cobalt shares its chassis with the astra - but it has been tweaked and strengthened. Apparently, it handles quite well - see October '08 issue of Motor Trend for details - but I'm also wondering how, with 300 hp, the Focus RS manages to overcome torque steer.
Click to expand...

Yeah, we've been 'spoiled' here in Europe with lots of fast FWD's. A Cobalt SS wouldn't score more than mediocre at max here I think, where in the states it's considered a great FWD performance car. On the other hand a Mustang is something special here, while you wouldn't even notice them passing by.

Although the Focus RS is a great piece of kit with a revolutionary front suspension, it's probably too advanced to become succesful in the states. Here in Europe we have lots of interesting roads where you can have a bit of fun. From what I've heard you shouldn't be caught doing that over there...

For mPWRD:


EDIT: Just read Toronado's post. If the Cobalt SS is obviously better than the Astra, I'd like to see it tested amongst the European hatches then. Seems promising then! They should have given the Astra an upgrade here...
 
Last edited:
Don't know... I for one certainly feel that Ford is robbing us of their cars... Falcon, anyone? There are plenty of roads here where you can have a little bit of fun. For example, there are some backroads that form a neat circuit near where i live. I always go there to test out the cars that I work on.
 
Hugo Boss
EDIT: Just read Toronado's post. If the Cobalt SS is obviously better than the Astra, I'd like to see it tested amongst the European hatches then.
Click to expand...
It has been tested frequently against the GTi and the new WRX, which could be some indicator.
 
Hugo Boss
Am I correct in saying the Cobalt shares it's chassis with the European Opel/Vauxhall Astra?
Click to expand...

Kind of. They're both based on the first generation Delta architecture, but the Cobalt had the advantage of time to make some major adjustments to the North American car. Having driven both a standard Astra and a standard Cobalt, the differences between the two aren't huge, but the Astra seems a bit more floppity. Both suffer from the dreaded electric steering box, but even having driven one of the first Cobalts to hit the streets before the re-tune, in retrospect it felt far more connected than the Saturn... Uh, Opel. However, having driven neither a VXR/OPC or an SS, all we can do is compare figures.

We're talking about a small car that can pull 0.92g on the skidpan, do 70-0 in 163 ft, hit 60 MPH in 5.5 seconds, and smash through the quarter in 14.2 seconds. All that, mind you, in the sedan form (the coupes figures are pretty much the same). Considering that you can pick one up for $24K or less, its an absolute bargain compared to what kinds of cars it normally puts to shame.

Certainly, there is more than enough engineering in the Focus RS to make it the better car - no one is debating that - but to completely write off the Chevrolet as a competitor, I think that may be a fair bit shortsighted. The 2.0L Turbocharged engine in there is an absolute gem, and it is a massive shame how well the engine and chassis has been sorted, but the interior and overall quality of the car otherwise falling short.
 
or do you mean GTD? apparently it's a diesel. and it just might not make this moot. the focus rs will still make more power and be better overall with regards to performance. at least they're no longer calling it the rabbit. yuck.
 
Nah, the GTI that's supposed to be putting out ~270 hp from the 2.0T that should be around in a few years.
 
well, think about it. The Cobalt SS (let's stick with the current version) is around 24K USD. the VW GTI pushes 30K and probably more with the new version. The Focus would be around 35K with all the high tech and crazy numbers. So... the Cobalt is the best deal, but the Focus is the most desirable. hm...
 
mPWRD
VW GTI pushes 30K and probably more with the new version. The Focus would be around 35K with all the high tech and crazy numbers. So... the Cobalt is the best deal, but the Focus is the most desirable. hm...
Click to expand...

The GTI starts at like 23,230. Might hit 25k.

Focus would, at current conversion rates, be 35k, but 28-30k is more likely.

Then again the current GTI makes do with low 200s for power figures (although it's easy enough to turn the wick up).
 
Toronado
It has been tested frequently against the GTi and the new WRX, which could be some indicator.
Click to expand...

You know of any footage of these tests? It feels weird that the cheaper Cobalt outperforms and outhandles the more expensive Astra, but it seems I made wrong assumptions..

YSSMAN
Kind of. They're both based on the first generation Delta architecture, but the Cobalt had the advantage of time to make some major adjustments to the North American car. Having driven both a standard Astra and a standard Cobalt, the differences between the two aren't huge, but the Astra seems a bit more floppity. Both suffer from the dreaded electric steering box, but even having driven one of the first Cobalts to hit the streets before the re-tune, in retrospect it felt far more connected than the Saturn... Uh, Opel. However, having driven neither a VXR/OPC or an SS, all we can do is compare figures.
Click to expand...

It's really out of my reach that GM/Opel didn't upgrade the OPC/VXR if they figured out how to improve the handling... It really has a bad reputation over here I and rarely see them on the road. I'll take your word for it if you say the Cobalt SS is a better package. Only then I really have no clue what GM is doing. Opel surprised me with the new Insignia, but in most tests here I've read it's the engines and the sport mode that disappoint. Just the two points that seem to be the best part of the Cobalt SS. Two different cars yes, but the engineers must have worked together..
 
I have to say, I find it hard to believe that GM (in any of its various incarnations) can produce anything that is able to rival the Focus on any measurable other than price.
 
mPWRD
could make it interesting, but by that time Chevy should have a new cobalt ss as well.
Click to expand...

:confused:

The new Cobalt SS just came out, and the Cobalt name is dead after this generation. Plus, the GM division that makes these cars has been suspended sooo...

It'll be a long time before a comparable Cruze SS comes out, if it ever does.

Leonidae
that'd be R25.. the rumoured 2.5l 5 cylinder sports version
Click to expand...

Nope it's the R20. It'll have the engine from the TTS.

Way to keep up on the news, guys.

Rotary Junkie
The GTI starts at like 23,230. Might hit 25k.
Click to expand...

The MKV will hit $30K loaded I believe. Or it'll get up close to that.

Focus would, at current conversion rates, be 35k, but 28-30k is more likely.

Then again the current GTI makes do with low 200s for power figures (although it's easy enough to turn the wick up).
Click to expand...

I wouldn't be surprised to see this thing priced a little under the rally twins, seeing that this will probably have comparable performance. I'd bet that the R20 will be around there too, which is around the price of the current R32.
 
Philly
It'll be a long time before a comparable Cruze SS comes out, if it ever does.
Click to expand...

I'm doubting it at this point, and I'm normally pretty optimistic about things. My guess is that we'll get a nicely tuned suspension upgrade, but it will likely run the 1.4L Turbo mill, unmodified. Perhaps they'll tinker with the 2.0L Turbo, but given the distance between now and when the Cruze gets here, perhaps that engine will be "too old" for that car.
 
Philly
The new Cobalt SS just came out, and the Cobalt name is dead after this generation. Plus, the GM division that makes these cars has been suspended sooo...

It'll be a long time before a comparable Cruze SS comes out, if it ever does.
Click to expand...

Yes, I forgot it was the Cruze SS. And that's rumored to have around 280-300 hp... or maybe i'm just hopeful. (it's completely possible)

Philly
Pretty sure it's R20. I don't remember hearing anything about an R25...
Click to expand...

It is R20... and why on earth did they cancel the scirocco version?
 
This is cool

revo_knuckle.jpg


After reading about it in a magazine review, didn't expect to find such a detailed file about it.
 
Now here's the big question:

Can we retrofit that into an older Mark II? With any engine option? I so want one.

So they're claiming it's almost as good as a double-wishbone?
 
Ssshh! don't say that out loud or Rotary Junkie will be upset.. from his point of view, double wishbone> anything else..
 
I'd like to see this car go head to head in a tight twisty track with the Japanese FD2 civic type R. I've been hearing that the FD2 has the best handling FWD cars, beating the S2000 and thrashing Integra Type R around tsukuba. the battle between the two car will really show if the focus RS new suspension is any good or not.
 
I don't think 'tight & twisty' will be the Focus' forte... it's possibly a bit heavy to really compete with a Civic... though I'd expect an R26R would give the Civic a good run for it's money on that sort of track.

The role of the 'revo knuckle' bit of the Focus' suspension is to prevent torque-steer. It's needed as the Focus has 325lb ft (vs 159lb ft for the Civic or 229lb ft for the R26R), and putting that sort of torque through the front wheels would normally result in very wayward steering.
 
i don't think the civic will be able to keep up with the renault since it has bigger displacement plus a turbo and only weigh just a little bit over the civic, but It'll be interesting one cause I think the civic might have an advantage on the cornering because Honda never fail to make a FWD car handles.

back on the RS. I'm still really interested on how the Ford Focus RS really handles on the corner because the main point they make a new suspension is to make the car handle better, I know it's heavier than the FD2 type R and R26 but I think if their new suspension really works out it should be able to kill the civic and the renault. Ahhh this reminds me of GTR (heavy) vs 997 TT (light) LOL.
 
Well, I doubt you're going to be able to toss the RS into a corner like you can with the Renaultsport and Type-R models, but that shouldn't make it a slouch performance wise. Perhaps the phrase "point-and-shoot" fits a bit better in this situation?
 
Funny, because I'm reading things like the cars forte not being the "twisty" bits and not being able to toss the car into corners. I'd wager that the cars forte is the twisty bits and that being chuckable into the corners is something that this car really will be. And I don't say that just because I'm a Focus owner, Ford take the handling of the Focus (especially the ST and RS models) very seriously and they take pride in how good they have been making them in this regard.
 
It outlapped the Impreza and Evo X around the Lommel #7 circuit. This is a 4.3km (2.7mi) circuit of two lane road with 20 corners.

And Lommel #7 looks like this:



​

Twisty bits? They've got that covered.
 
The truth is, I really don't know. The short reviews I've seen thus far made it sound as though it was heavy, and relied more on power to be fast. That doesn't suggest that there isn't any grip, because there is plenty, but more or less that it goes about putting up numbers is a different way than some of the others out there.

Personally, while I'm normally a closet Renaultsport fan without ever having seen one, by days end, I know the RS would make me happier because it goes about life as a "normal car" (in the German sort of way) while still being a track monster otherwise.
 

Latest Posts

Back