andythejock01wrx

Paul, I agreed with your entire post apart from this phrase.


Andy

funkyspider

Comparing a modified classic impreza to a new unmodified focus is just pointless.

If you were buying a new car, not to modify, but as a simple - as it comes daily driver - No ICE install, no back box etc. What would be the better specc'd choice for the equivalent cash at the moment (ignore the new hatchback impreza STi as thats not available right now). Taking into account build quality, general running/servicing costs, resale value, dealer support.

I must admit I think I'd choose the focus to be honest, but probably not in dale winton orange lol

AllyJ

Well thats the kicker isnt it, one of the main reasons for me buying a scooby in the first place was superior grip and ability in the wet vs almost everything else.

Living as I do in brentwood with warley head office located there for ford europe, we are flooded with ford staff and their focus chavs sorry I mean STs.

One thing I can thank the Focus ST for is that it attracts chavs like flies to a dung pile and hopefully less will drive a scooby in future. Certainly with the extra expense of the STI and running costs vs a Focus, the ST is the chav car to get bless

Oh and to answer the thread question, I drive a my05 350bhp sti and have encountered Focus STs and seen them all off with minimal effort, within speed limits of course. I had the same experience in the STI with just ppp aswell, STs have no chance, unless they have been modified aswell of course, wouldnt fancy one modded though FWD...eek.

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

Ok Andy, how's this:

"Impreza drivers only being able to dream of 300ft lbs torque?? You're having a giraffe mate!!"

It doesn't matter how much those RS boys go on about it having good traction etc.... The indisputable point is that it has too much power for the inherent limitations of the FWD drivetrain and has to be electronically leashed in 1st and 2nd.

There comes a point when you get to a level of hp and torque where you have to accept that no drivetrain will be able to deploy most/all the power cleanly, but 300bhp/lbs ft should not the point, I'd argue.

Also, we live in Britain, it rains.....a lot, so a performance car optimised for thi country needs to accommodate this. 4WD cars like the Scooby do, hgh powered FWD cars like the Focus are a compromise.

I won't touch a Hot Ford on principle untill the do the decent thing and build the 4WD Cosworth Focus!

Ns04

andythejock01wrx

Indeed.

The traction thing is v important to me since I live in Scotland-shire. Up here, what with our dreich weather, the Imprezas and Evos are very much top of the dungheap !

jubhi

My cousin has an 07 ST3 in Panther Black, very nice car and all that, well built and smart interior with the leather recaros etc.... Pretty quick too.

However, when he had a ride in mine, a MY05 STI PPP, his own words were that power wise the Subaru is in a different league.

IRC450STI

Ive got a classic wrx import and one of my mates has the ST we came onto a M1 slip road and i left him eating my dust now hes sold it and bought a scoob but that was when it was standard now a lambo would stuggle

trails

iTrader: (41)

not sure why you are calling it a Chav car?

blazebro

It's very easy to to claim that once a scooby has exhaust/remap/air filter that it would be pushing 350bhp but how many actually realisticly reach that? The wolf conversions were independantly TUV tested in Germany.

My understanding is that to get TUV accreditation it has to achieve exactly as claimed.

I could also bang on about how many Imprezza's I've beaten/overtaken/destroyed, but I hardly see the point, at the end of the day its perception and pub talk.

Yes the ST is torque limited in 1st and 2nd, but that is to help with traction only. The Volvo drive train can cope with 400bhp+. You can reduce this limiter with a dream science.

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

No one in their right mind will claim that a WRX with a std Turbo will produce 350bhp, 280bhp and similar torque is available with the mods you mention. To go higher you need a bigger turbo. Depending on turbo choice and appropriate supporting mods, WRXswill achieve 320-350bhp all day long. There are more dyno proven packages and successful conversions with scoobies than Focuses (Foci?) The car is older, the tuning scene has been around longer.

Of course, if we're talking STi's or JDM scoobies, the gap is even larger, as they have internals that will see them to post 400bhp comfortably with the right turbo choice and supporting mods and will make 330-350bhp all day long on the std turbo with just exhaust mods and a remap.

A 350bhp scooby with similar torque will attain such a lead in first and second, a 350bhp Focus would never catch it up on the road. I suspect it would be the same story on the qtr mile.


It's not what you've got, it's what you can use!

mac12

the focus st is an overpriced,underpowered,fwd illuminous male hair dresser's love wagon enough said.

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

I wouldn't go that far, just that FWD hot hatches are now reaching the inherent limits of the configuration.

Problem is, in the GTi market BHP sells, so manufacturers are probably going to continue trying putting more power through the FWD cars.

Ns04

The Chief

15 years ago 200bhp+ was (mostly) unheard of in a FWD hatch, now advances in chassis and tyre technology means that to a degree upwards of 200bhp+ can be channelled through the front wheels, agreed the Focus for what it is is a great car but you simply cannot get away from the laws of physics with acceleration and weight transfer, until Ford build a 300bhp+ permament AWD Focus it simply cant and wont compete with the higher tuned (forget the boggo warm WRX) STI's and EVO's of this world. the same goes for Golf GTi's and VXR Astras.

mac12

[QUOTE=New_scooby_04;6995398]I wouldn't go that far, just that FWD hot hatches are now reaching the inherent limits of the configuration.

ok sorry all male hairdresser's....

trails

iTrader: (41)

its not over priced, its the best value hot hatch out there...especially when you consider the versions available.

its not under powered, it sits on the higher side of the hot hatch outputs.

illuminous?

i don't think its enough of a pose to be a hair dressers car...but then an impreza with all those scoops and silly wings, now that's another story

trails

iTrader: (41)

anyone that tells you that is a liar...unless they have a spec c or similar. pretty much every other impreza will require a turbo uprage along with other supporting mods to hit 350.

amazingjames

the bodys that slag of the st have any of you been in 1?. there not meant to compete againsy scoobys and evo's thats not the market there in. they are very good hatch backs that just happen to have a bit more go than most. they never said its going to set the world aligh. they could if they choose hand it over to cosowrth or the like and let them do there magic but thats not there aim. they are good cars that when pushed will pootle along quickly. scoobys and evo's were made to go fast and not ppootle along.although a focus is not meant for ir can and will put up a good fight. i aplaud the boffins at ford tjey have built a great every day car your nan would and could drive to the shops wiothpout kangarooing everywhere. please dont hate them and compare against your car as that would not be fair.

-JUST-POOTLING-ALONG-

My blob eye blue wagon must have been sh*t hot for a boggo ,Ive raced and won st`s a few times before modding it . I think people chase figures too much B.H.P means nothing.

I have a yaris t-sport(fastest arm chair i`ve ever been in) for the wife with a 103bhp and spanked allsorts ,75%car/25%driver its the bendy bits that are the fun and show you how good a car is.

The two best mods I`ve done are detangoing and uprating the rear drop links+anti-roll bars. The latter doubled the overall point to point speed of the car, the first gets rid of the orange because it looks alot better on the st.

GOD I go on , but I would much rather have a front drive golf to awd one, mrk 5 gti in white is soooo chav but looks sooo gorgous(?)....