mutant_matt

Co55ie,

The STi isn't 30k, it's 25k for the main model (or 23k if you import). The added on styling bits (the Prodrive Style) was 27k but it's not a fair comparison as they were styling mods only.

Ok so 5k is still quite a difference for two cars of very similar performance but I think it comes more down to what kind of car you want to drive. I do spent a lot of my driving time on tight twisty, bumpy B-roads and more than 50% of the time, it's wet and slippery also. I would be surprised if the RS was as good in this environment and would also expect it would take a lot more work and talent, to go as fast in this environment as my STi. However, if I was buying now, I'd seriously consider both models. If I couldn't get a test drive in the RS due to it's rare nature then it would exclude itself from my list (as I'll never buy a performance car I haven't driven!!!) but opinion on test drives seems to be divided. Some people say you can't get one and others say that some dealers will have a demo car in the New Year....

Why does it have to be, the STi is great therefore the RS Focus is cr4p/the RS Focus is great therefore the STi is cr4p???? Can't both cars be a good choice depending on what you want from a car?

One other point - I am planning on getting my STi up to 300bhp and 300ft-lbs in the near future (one option is the Prodrive Performance Pack). IMHO, that is a good reason to go the STi route if you are planning a warrantied 300bhp/torque type car. I would be surprised if you can get these kinds of figures out of the Focus and a) keep your warranty b) keep traction on the road . If you are anti-Subaru then you would probably argue that if you wanted that kind of car, then you'd buy an Evo and that would be a good and valid argument

Ta,

Matt

[Edited by mutant_matt - 12/3/2002 8:43:13 AM]

LEE P

Hi folks,

Has anyone driven the new focus yet?

Seen two road test up to now!

5th Gear tested it and said it was great on track due to the quaife etc. but crap on the road.
all well and good.

Then motors Tv have a group test which the focus won, Type R 2nd and STi 3rd.

Conclusion was it was great on the road but crap on track?

So which is it? or is it just a case of theses figgin journos cant tell there @rse from there elbows coz someones telling porkys?

Not that im buying one just never heard such conflicting road tests!

Lee

dazc2

1 person on the RSOC BB has just taken delivery of his and he says he was doubtfull of the car with all the bad press about how it drives before he took delivery, but once he had done a few miles in it and had got a feel of the car he said it wasnt as bad as it has been made out to be......he loves it.

LEE P

I bet he does!

i think its just a case of you have to go and drive these things yourself!

Seeing these road tests makes me want a go in one! maybe its clever marketing to make peeps go and see for ourselves and be hucked!

Not that i would coz om not a ford man, but them modded cossies a kin quick!

dazc2

i like Fords.........and Scoobs and Evos and Skylines etc etc.....i drw the line at vauxhalls

if i could post the link on the RSOC i would but the bulletin board is down at the moment

FRP

I drove three different ones at the weekend and I could see no problem with the handling or diff, very well balanced, excellent brakes and awesome grip out of corners.

Maybe if you drive every where like you **** is on fire you may find it a little oversteery (sp?), one of the guys spun one in front of me, but all cars have there limits, even F1 cars can spin.

GaryC

Saw one in a petrol forecourt in Edinburgh yesterday, got talking to the (50-ish yr old) owner/driver about it. He loves it, used to have an STi (been with an Evo in the meantime). He said the diff is very harsh and causes it to be 'jittery' under full acceleration on rough roads. Un-nerving, and is minorly disappointed because of it, but still a lot of car for the money and on smooth roads is stunning. Said he misses the outright grunt and performance of the STi and Evo, but the RS is as much fun and the fun comes at slower speeds.

co55ie

"but the RS is as much fun and the fun comes at slower speeds"

Rather a strange comment as the RS has been proved itelf faster round each and every circuit it has come head to head on against an STi. As you you all say its the twisties that matter and Fords FWD RS destroys a scoob AWD in this dept.

GaryC

The RS is not faster than an STi? were do you get that from?? A quick look at PWR ratios will be an enlightener for you

CAR mag's PCOTY placed the RS one place above the STi despite the RS being slower around the circuit. It said the RS was better on circuit (ie smooth surface) on the corners as it handles better, but the STi (and EVO) has far superior straight line speed and hence made the difference up.

But under the same conditions/criteria, the MINI CooperS was placed several points higher than the RS

co55ie

You are right the RS is not faster in a straight line but as you all tell me its the twisties that count and the Subaru is obviously severly challenged in this dept if a 30k 280bhp AWD Scooby Sti struggles with a 20k FWD 212bhp Ford.
Please enlighten me as to the lap times in CAR magazines test ?

LEE P

Well numerous testers were doing a group test on a damp track and the RS and the Type R came out above the Sti.

4wd gives you traction outa the corners but isnt grip down to suspension and tyres where 4wd make no differance?

probably wrong and im sure somone will tell me! so the TWISTIES is irrelavent!.

Be interesting to have a dabble in the RS! and to be hhonest in road situations is a extra 50 0dd bhp going to bee that noticeable?

anyway this thread wasnt a scoob v RS just enquiring as to who was right on the road test front!

GaryC

I've never said 'it's in the twisties that counts' - how often do you get to really use a car 'in the twisties' these days?? Surviving congested traffic, poor road surfaces and wet conditions is far more relevant in this country

The lap times arn't given, but it states that despite the STi being quicker round Cadwell than both the RS and CooperS, it is placed lower as overall track performance was only one small part of the equation - hence why the R300 did so poorly The STi certainly doesn't 'struggle' with the RS anymore than the RS 'struggles' with the MINI CooperS

I can see the pull of an RS Focus over a WRX (although that is more down to the softening/nannying of the bug-eye Scoob ) but if you would genuinely prefer an RS over a Prodrive STi PPP then you need your bumps felt

LEE P

Matt im not anti subaru at all as ive spent the est part of 60000k in one.

But the warrented 300bhp/torque if you get it rolling roaded and its less do you get your money back? as it wont be the first time it happened!

Sprint Chief

I think Matt means the car has a dealer warranty, not the power output... i.e. if it breaks, they fix it for nothing.

Tweak your Focus RS to 300bhp, however it is achieved, if the engine breaks, the dealer almost certainly wouldn't touch it with a barge pole...

mutant_matt

I did indeed mean the car was warrantied and has 300 of each. AFAIK, the only Dynoed PPP'd STi's that have been run were @ Powerstation and their rollers are a) known for being pessimistic b) the torque figures are always very pessimistic to the point where some people have said they have a problem. Prodrive probably produced their power figures from a bench dyno anyway....

The other thing I wouldn't fancy is 300bhp through the front wheels on a Focus

Matt