rb5 286

iTrader: (2)

wot i cant undersrtand is y ford employees arent entitled to discount like they r on all other cars, this is the 1st time its been done, bummer really as my brother works for em and i was interested in 1 a year ago.

as for no test drives!!!! how the **** r u spos'd 2 be able to see how the car is without driving it.

ye sure ur gonna spend £20k and HOPE its as good as its made out to be........

when i spoke 2 my local fmc dealer she told me that there was no discount and no test drive, i asked her how they intended selling em, she said 'it's an RS, wot more needs to be said'

she also said that only a few dealers are allowed to sell them throughout the country, this dealer is a RS dealer and they rn't allowed!!!!

altyhough she did say that all RS focus's have already been sold subject to contracts!!!

any1 still awake

i must admit tho they do look the nuts, shame about the interior

rb5 286

iTrader: (2)

wot i cant undersrtand is y ford employees arent entitled to discount like they r on all other cars, this is the 1st time its been done, bummer really as my brother works for em and i was interested in 1 a year ago.

as for no test drives!!!! how the **** r u spos'd 2 be able to see how the car is without driving it.

ye sure ur gonna spend £20k and HOPE its as good as its made out to be........

when i spoke 2 my local fmc dealer she told me that there was no discount and no test drive, i asked her how they intended selling em, she said 'it's an RS, wot more needs to be said'

she also said that only a few dealers are allowed to sell them throughout the country, this dealer is a RS dealer and they rn't allowed!!!!

altyhough she did say that all RS focus's have already been sold subject to contracts!!!

any1 still awake

i must admit tho they do look the nuts, shame about the interior

jonmorris

People CAN test drive the Focus RS.

Actually, people ARE test driving the Focus RS.

Only this weekend, a load of people who are down on the waiting list were up in Gaydon taking one of six cars out on the track (also made to resemble an ordinary motorway).

Other people, or those who couldn't make the Ford event this weekend and next will get test drives once dealers get their own demo cars, which quite a few will be doing soon (once the initial pre-orders are completed).

People who say "I won't buy a car until I get a test drive" aren't the people who put down a deposit at the Motor Show in 2000! The Focus RS is a special, limited edition, car.

If it was going to be mass production (like the ST170 for example) then things would be totally different. How easy is it to get a test drive when there is a limited edition Impreza (or for that matter an Evo?). What about special imports?

Many people will either wait to try it, or decide to take the plunge and place an order in advance.

If anyone gets the Focus RS and hates it, they can return it within 30 days anyway. The dealer would have no trouble selling it within minutes!

Jonathan

PS. It was funny on Top Gear tonight when JC more or less admitted he was a crap driver. Tell us something we don't know!

R.B.5

Hmm i'm still undecided about the Focus RS. They had one down at the Ford Plant where my Dad works so i went for a look. I really do like the look of the styling its rather chunky looking, wheels are quite nice too. I think they should have put an older style recaro seat in the car though. Something like the Audi S3 Quattro seat which is exactly the same as the Mondeo ST220. The seats imo dont really look that clever. I dont think i would complain if i had one though.

All Ford Special Editions and RS models inc Racing Puma dont get the Employee discount as too many people within FMC would own them given the discounted price. Ford loose bags of money and the general public loose out on precious SE models, so its fair if you look at it like that! I wanted a racing puma at one point (dont know why) and was told no discount!

I'm glad i bought my Scooby and i guess that the debate over RS v Scooby could be done to death, im pretty sure it already has been. Each to thier own is what i would say and i know after owning many FWD cars and RWD cars with bags of power (350hp) along with my Scooby i know for definate what i think is best.

All We'll Drive

Ian2wdsaffcos

LMFAO at RB5, 'ave a word with yourself, please explain how you would easily pull away from a car with the same power & weight as you but with less transmission losses unless he wasn't giving it any stick as he'd just bought it as I'm dying to know!!?? Whats this bollocks about being able to hear his turbo spool up aswell?? This is a standard car we're talking about with a standard exhaust for god sake, especially if you were giving it stick aswell......or do you have the hearing of a bat???

Oh & if a manufacturer told me that you don't need to run in a brand new car & I'd spent £20k on it I would still run it in regardless of what they said.

Cheers,
Ian

PS. I am not a Subaru hater, I just don't like seeing people spouting bollocks.

R.B.5

Ian2wdsaffcos:

ROFLMFAO @ you, can you read? I was not in any way saying that i was pulling away from or have the same weight car or could hear the turbo spooling up. I can hear mine though and my hearing is fine. If you would care to actually read the posts before you reply you'll find you are talking bollox.

I was saying after owning some fast cars both FWD, 4WD and RWD i like the Subaru. Nothing in the slightest bit points to the weight power, pulling away from argument that you so kindly reminded us of!

At the end of the day who cares about what car is faster! I was mearly saying :

I'm glad i bought my Scooby and i guess that the debate over RS v Scooby could be done to death, im pretty sure it already has been. Each to thier own is what i would say and i know after owning many FWD cars and RWD cars with bags of power (350hp) along with my Scooby i know for definate what i think is best.

Take a look at the last line..... "blah bla...what i think is best" Therefore imo and exactly where does weight and power and all this racing bollox come into it? I'm talking about driving not racing.

not laffin anymore?

Ian2wdsaffcos

LOL Sorry mate, didn't notice there was 2 people on here with RB5 name, my post was meant to be for RB5 286 (the original poster of the thread) not you, he did say everything I mentioned.

Sorry for the confusion.

R.B.5

lol nps mate!

rb5 286

iTrader: (2)

ian2wdsaffcos: sort it out!!! i was cruising when i went past him and heard the turbo spool up, some cars STANDARD you can hear the turbo spool up, i mean i can hear em easily on lorrys and vans all them time, u must be DEAF if u cant.

when i bought my brand new fiesta zetec-s in jan this year i asked if it needed to be run in, was told that they are already 95% run in but just need a bit of care for 1st 500 miles.

and at the end of the day its up to the person driving it how hard they drive it aint it, who knows if he owned it or not, all i know was that @ 80mph he was up my *** trying to get me to go 4 it so i obliged him (in the cars b4 any1 gets xcited )

I was there and i know how it went.

Redkop

Not for one minute do I think he was trying to race you

Quotes from a very impressed owner on the RSOC and don't try and flame him and say he doesn't know what he is talking about, becos you would be well wrong!

1] got my focus rs yesterday
there is only one way i can describe this car and that is awsome, ive got to say ford have got it right with this car, its well worth the wait. as for the torque steer there isnt any i came into a roundabout today at 25 mph in third in the wet booted it as i was coming out of it, it lit the front wheels up and didnt pull side to side at all it just pulled straight. performance wise they are quick, very quick.

2] escort and sierra cosworths thay are really great cars ive had about 50 escort cosworths as people on here know BUT its got to be said the focus is far better to drive its a lot quicker than STANDARD escort cosworths, i mean lets face it the running gear on cosworths, its sixteen years old.! i do still love cosworths thay are wonderfull cars , but things have to move on !!!! and as for ford they really have got it right with the focus rs

3] i dont know about the purists, but there is one thing i do know, you have to drive this car to belive just how good it is, you could never have told me that the focus would be better than an escort cosworth but hey i will hold my hand up it is and i as you know have an absolute passion for escort cosworths and allways will have!!!!! i mean look at when top gear put the focus against the impreza wrx six seconds faster was the focus, civic type r four seconds faster was the focus, purist or no purist ill say it again this is one hell of a car

4] as for the handling ive not driven it in the dry yet, but if its half as good in the dry as it is in the wet ill be well happy

5] this realy is one awsome car, ive not been out of it all day i just cant get enough of it

Ian2wdsaffcos

Pardon??LOL Just watched Top Gear again & I couldn't hear the turbo spool up on the Focus & even if you did hear this from the FRS you passed, the boost comes in at around 2-2500rpm so doesn't mean he was definitely planning on racing you once you had passed, some people just do insist on sitting on your **** no matter what!!

On the matter of running in, I think a Focus RS is in a slightly different category to the Zetec-S....I would think the higher the performance of the car the more critical to run a car in properly??

I know you were there & I wasn't, I was just interested on how you managed to cheat the laws of physics that's all???

Jonto

Ian - not really taking part in this thread, but just because you couldn't hear the turbo spool on 'top gear' doesn't mean you can't here is in real life you know !

The turbo on my punto can be heard from quite a distance and that is standard.

Ian2wdsaffcos

Jonte,

Yes I know because I couldn't hear turbo spool up on Top Gear doesn't mean you can't hear it in "real life", that's why I said "but even if you did hear it".....ie. not ruling it out. However, I suspect it is more dificult to hear it at Motorway speeds from another car with all the other noise going on (wind, your own engine, stereo, tyre roar etc etc.)

Cheers,
Ian

RichardPON

I went to Dagenham Motors in Colindale about three weeks ago, where they had a Focus RS.

McRae was there doing a meet and greet, and then they packed him up, and drove him to the airport in the car.

The car is stunning in the flesh, and looks the part, but would I have one? No.

FWD.
Too slow.
Poor VFM.

And I'm an RS owner!

Ian2wdsaffcos

Rich,

So if someone said they would do a straight swap with you for your saff you wouldn't take it?? I know I'd bite their hands off, yes it's much slower in a straight line than my saff but would run rings around it in the corners & it looks the dogs bollox as far as I'm concerned.

RichardPON

Ian,

Yes, of course I'd take it as a straight swap! The Focus costs over 20k or whatever, and my saff is probably worth about £14.50.

Personally, I'd take the cost price of the Focus, and buy an older EVO, or a 380 brake Escort Cosworth if I had that sort of money, but it's whatever floats your boat.

Sure, it's an RS, so that is good, but Ford just seems to be lagging so far behind everybody else. Subaru have been doing it well for years, Mitsubushi have it spot on (don't like the EVO 7 though), and even Audi have mental 4x4 performance models. The RS is launched after what seems like 10 years since the initial hype, and all the other manufacturers have good cars out or coming out soon - Clio 172 cup, Clio V6, the new Alfa, the R32 golf etc etc....

Of course I'm excited about there being a new RS on the block, but I don't really see 13 and 14 year old kids hankering after one the way I used to when the Escort Cosworth was launched.

Ian2wdsaffcos

True Rich BUT then it isn't a Cosworth model is it afterall, more of an RS Turbo replacement!!! The cossie model WILL be a car to shout about & dream of owning one day. When you think about it cost wise, an Escort Cossie cost about £26k in 1993.....with inflation that would be the equivalent of probably £32-34k today wouldn't it!!!(pure guess work btw)

Chrisp,

Not actually planning on changing cars for a while mate & when I do get bored with the saff, my plans are to put all the running gear in a Dax Rush as that should satisfy me...for a bit!!

RichardPON

Okay Ian, but consider this.

This is currently Ford's flagship motorsport based model, and where's the excitement?

Where's the snap of the head, or the stand and stare effect that the cossie had when released, and even the Impreza. Those were cars that used to make people point and sit up and take notice. Sure, things have moved on, but subtly styled performance isn't always best.

Look at Renault. They released the Clio V6, whihc smacks so much of the old Turbo2 Reno 5 it's untrue. Where's the agression in the focus? Why build a car that is as good as the WRX or might be slightly better, when you had the chance to build one that would massively better the scoob and put Ford back in the performance market? No-one dreams of a Ford anymore - that's the truth.

An opportunity missed I think.

Ian2wdsaffcos

Yep fair enough Rich....BUT please don't use the Clio V6 as an example as it is shockingly bad, only thing it has going for it is styling & individuality. These cars are actually slower to accelerate than the Clio 172 Sport (never mind the Cup version!!) & apparantly are one of the most twitchy cars ever on the limit (dangerously so even on race tracks) as they swap ends with no provocation whatsoever.

R.B.5

I dont think much of the Clio V6 as i trashed one a few weeks ago. "No i didn't initiate the race" before anyone starts! We'd just come off a green traffic light, I had my hand on the gearstick ready to change into second gear, i could see/hear him flooring it so i left it in first all the way to the redline and into second. By the time i had reached 5,000rpm he was well in my rear view!

I dont like racing as i think its dangerous but occassionally i will tag along.

Anyway back to the Focus, i think the cosworth will be the one to look out for. Hefty price tag to come with the 4WD beast i expect though. I doubt i will ever change from subaru now that i have one. If i did i would buy a BMW coupe or better still a 5 series with all the toys. Man i miss my german cars!

jonmorris

Ford are using the Focus RS as a way of relaunching the Rallye Sport brand. They've done an amazing job, considering the platform can't easily (or cheaply) be adapted for 4WD.

The next platform can and after spending this much money on relaunching the RS name, you can obviously work out that they will be using it again for other cars - i.e. the next generation Focus and possibly even the Mondeo and Fiesta.

Once they get some new engines and 4WD, expect to see "Cosworth" return (although it will just be a badge this time around).

If the Focus RS fails (which I can't see happening going by the number of pre-orders) then RS would fail with it. Ford Motor Company would probably then ditch the RS name forever.

It's unfair to compare the Focus RS with companies like Subaru and Mitsubishi who have made regular production models of their performance cars for many years. Ford have always done it in a very limited way, making very few cars in each RS series.

The upside of course is that cars hold their value very well, with the exception of the Racing Puma that was a bit of a fiasco and too overpriced from day one (note the lack of the RS badge here). A rather suspect Escort Cosworth will still command much more than a better condition Impreza of the same year, for example.

The ST cars are effectively Fords answer to the competition but, while the ST220 is a bloody impressive and fast car (shame about the depreciation), the ST170 disappoints and has had quite a few teething troubles. The trim level and options list is somewhat more substantial though. For someone who wants a bit of power but also wants refinement, comfort and toys - the ST170 is likely to appeal much more than a Subaru and indeed even the Focus RS.

Ford have presumably noted that the majority of customers don't want all-out performance but want something that looks sporty with bells and whistles thrown in. In this respect, Subaru and Mitsubishi are years behind.

That all said, I think Ford have now realised they need to have something like the Impreza/Evo 7 on a regular basis. To do this, they must be able to make a car on the usual production line without having to set up a separate facility (as they have with the Focus RS) to bolt on the "non-standard" bits.

If things go well, they will do this for the NEXT generation cars. If not, then we'll never see a fast Ford that can be bought like any other model at a reasonable price.

At the end of the day, you have to thank the likes of Subaru and Mitsubishi for giving Ford a good kick up the backside and making them realise that making a few thousand "special edition" cars isn't good enough these days.

Jonathan

R.B.5

Well said

supraTT

Really hate to put a spanner in all your works here guys, BUT on the way home to Aberdeen from Dundee the other night, me and my passenger suddenly had some guy in a P1 hard up behind me.

I pulled in to let him past and then thought "what the hell!" and went for it, well lets just say i gained on him in about 5-6 seconds, and he was "going for it" as can be verified by my witness, who incidentally is neither of a Ford OR Subaru biased nature.

Was hard behind the P1 for about 2 miles, (to rather naughty speeds), and the guy was getting a bit agitated, so he pulled over, i slowed down alongside, and away we went again both from about 75mph.....again the scooby was, i must admit a rather good match for all of about 5 seconds, then it seemed to run out of puff as i sailed away to about 7-8 cars ahead and backed off....

Give the guy his due he gave me a flash and off he went a few miles later in the opposite direction.

BUT.....judging by the fact that his car sounded like it was about to take-off and the back end was dropping like mad when he booted it, i would presume he WAS going for it ??

Now slag the Focus RS or whatever, but this is conclusive proof that one of Subarus finest was trounced......TWICE......by my Stage 3 Escort Cosworth.

The moral is that there is always a faster car out there, and for my tuppence worth i dont really think this guy in the Focus RS would have been silly enough to give a brand new car full pelt without running it in guys.....i know i wouldnt....

Race with P1 was by far the best i have had from a Scooby yet tho.....brilliant !

Michael

supraTT

Really hate to put a spanner in all your works here guys, BUT on the way home to Aberdeen from Dundee the other night, me and my passenger suddenly had some guy in a P1 hard up behind me.

I pulled in to let him past and then thought "what the hell!" and went for it, well lets just say i gained on him in about 5-6 seconds, and he was "going for it" as can be verified by my witness, who incidentally is neither of a Ford OR Subaru biased nature.

Was hard behind the P1 for about 2 miles, (to rather naughty speeds), and the guy was getting a bit agitated, so he pulled over, i slowed down alongside, and away we went again both from about 75mph.....again the scooby was, i must admit a rather good match for all of about 5 seconds, then it seemed to run out of puff as i sailed away to about 7-8 cars ahead and backed off....

Give the guy his due he gave me a flash and off he went a few miles later in the opposite direction.

BUT.....judging by the fact that his car sounded like it was about to take-off and the back end was dropping like mad when he booted it, i would presume he WAS going for it ??

Now slag the Focus RS or whatever, but this is conclusive proof that one of Subarus finest was trounced......TWICE......by my Stage 3 Escort Cosworth.

The moral is that there is always a faster car out there, and for my tuppence worth i dont really think this guy in the Focus RS would have been silly enough to give a brand new car full pelt without running it in guys.....i know i wouldnt....

Race with P1 was by far the best i have had from a Scooby yet tho.....brilliant !

Michael

ChrisB

How much power is Stage 3 cossie going to be running? 350+?

scoobynutta555

Aberdeen to london, youd prob be on the hard shoulder halfway down tho lol. And at the end of the day its down to the driver to make the most out of the car, not saying he was a bad driver, but possibly you were a better one . I have nothing against escort cossies, i wanted one for years, but standard they are a bit underpowered. If you make extensive mods to any car, which it seems that you have, then you are not doing a comparable test. Im sure a similarly modded impreza would give you more of a run for your money.

shunty

I raced an escort cossie 3 weeks ago, a mate of a mate over the road bought one, told me it had 400 bhp on full boost (26psi apparantly), looked really nice in white with leather etc, engine looked like it had some money into it.

anyway, went for an agreed blast down the "mad mile" (there must be 1 of these in every town) & we couldn't be seperated, absolutly same speed up to xxx speed.
I know this is all useless info unless you know for sure what power figures it was putting out. Mine has 290bhp & 265 lbs ish.
He was spitting out 1 foot flames at times & seemed to sit down lovely when he florred it in 1st & second. He reckoned he was running 22 psi when he raced me, & 26psi gave him 400 bhp....???

shunty

shunty

guys, I realise it's a focus thread, I had just read the last few replies about an escort cossie beating a P1 (not that that's got anything to do with it) & thought I would add to the thread, I do realise that my scoob is NOT the fastest & most besterest car in the world.

shunty

co55ie

The Focus also beat the Alfa 147 and new Golf R32 that has been previously mentioned in top gear magazines latest head to head test.

I wonder what the scoob owners view of the RS would be if it had a Subaru badge stuck on the front. Slightly different me thinks

Ian2wdsaffcos

Shunty, assuming your mate is still running the standard T35 turbo 26psi will actually produce around 350bhp MAX, so at 22psi I would expect it to be around 310-320ish.

Cheers,
Ian