Bobby Peru

Is it possible to up the power of the Focus RS, if so, how much do you think?

ChrisG

There is someone in Switzerland claiming to have increased his to 260 BHP.
Personally though (I have one) I think the car is more about the handling and driving package as opposed to overall power. I do think it is proboably at its limits for traction and Ford could have easily got more but left it at 216BHP or whatever it is for a reason.

alanbell

iTrader: (6)

TO make it go faster YES trailer on back of scooby ???? lol only jokeing fords are OK ?? IVE got a transit thats not bad and thats a ford HA lol TONY can you tell Im babysitting AGAIN ?? FORD RS nice bttt

jonmorris

Although a lot of the development of the Focus RS was based on the T230/250, I don't think it was close enough to suggest Ford had built press cars running 250bhp or higher.

It's true that they planned more power and 212bhp was less than most people imagined. Reliability was no doubt a factor, being honest, but that doesn't mean you can't get more power with other, well designed, modifications being made.

I think a chip may make a reasonable increase possible without engine mods, but anything more and you will probably need to start spending serious money. People already appear to be but time will tell if these early "experiments" are safe and reliable (and value for money).

The Superchip removes the torque restriction in second but not first, as the gearbox is a known weak point. I think trying to put all the power down in first is a recipe for disaster and a good way to get to know your local tyre dealer very well.

Edam

Ummm, okay, you give a fwd that struggles with 220BHP more power, you're going to have an even bigger peice of sh*te than you started with.

FWD is pointless to turbo, you cant go anywhere with it.

47 NAT

Theres plenty of 200bhp+ fwd cars about nowdays in the way of Escort/Fiestas RST's (old skool stuff!?) and even near on and plus 300bhp..OK this is old technolgy, so whats the new stuff like. The FRS apparently handles like its on rails (in the dry..been fwd), but the old will get better, before the new do..so do that mean it will go backwards?

I take it you dont like fwd? thats your choice or is turbos you dont like? What is yours?

Nath

chrisp

Sure like most cars you can up the power but then things break (even on cossies ) because they were designed for less power.

Sure there are some very highed powered cars FWD/RWD/AWD but tend to lose their drivability. No fun in having 300bhp if it has 120bhp at 6000rpm and then 300bhp at 8000rpm.

Its always going to be a compromise with a FWD car between power,grip and steering. Get the balance wrong and you end up with a car worse than you started out with.

steve G MAN

lets not go down the tit for tat road to you focus guys out there is the cossie comeing out just a thought

Edam

No, its not i dont like fwd, or turbo's, ive got an RX7 TT, what I dont like is fwd AND turbo, as you're limited by fwd, I know there are a few 200bhp+ fwd's about, but they seriously dont take to it well, even LSD's etc cant compensate completely.

So you take a turbo'd engine, which has the potential for 280BHP + by nature of it being a turbo charged engine, then put it into a focus. The RS focus without modification has a reputation for torque steer with the 220BHP or whatever it has already, so why present an engine with the potential for so much more, in a chasis that is at its limit? There are manufacturers that can offer 2.0l 220BHP cars without the turbo.

I cant see 280BHP ford focusses being much to drive hard, they'd be hopping all over on normal roads, I believe Ford took a short cut with the the focus, as in "its too expensive to put 4wd/rwd in this chasis, but we'll turbo it and put an rs badge on anyway, people will buy it".

For me, a fwd should have less torque, more power sort of setup, as it suits fwd better, like the new Integra Type-R, 220BHP, but still handles really well, as the torque arrives smoother, and isnt a great wad of turbo torque.

Just mho, its something Ive never seen the point of in a car, a turbo fwd, just seems like a bit of a cop out to me.

stevebt

iTrader: (8)

a cossie foucus with 4x4 sweet

steve G MAN

yup id have to agree i think that would be a real nice car a cossie focus but dont get me wrong i dolike the rs as well. As it stand at the moe ill be sticking with my scoob )

jonmorris

I'm sure a lot of the current Focus RS owners will be getting the 4WD Cosworth car if/when it arrives. The problem will be convincing Ford to make a Ford performance car instead of using the new platform to make a powerful Jag, Mazda or Volvo.

Chances are the engine will be a Volvo or Mazda one too. Ford intend to share this platform just like VAG (and like Subaru, Saab etc in the future). This means building a Cossie Focus would be as easy as "recasing" a powerful Volvo but they must make sure it's something really special at the same time.

I am not sure I like the way VAG make 101 cars using the 1.8T engine and the same chassis.. It means no individual car is that special or unique.

TurboBoost

A few years back a company called GMD were building FWD Foci with 230 and 250bhp Turbo power. Some were used for motorsport, but I think a few road cars were built.
Given that there are a few 260bhp Leon Cupra Rs about now, I'm sure the Focus could take a few more bhp. The extra torque would probably exaggerate the darting about though on rougher roads.

Funny though how the quoted 0-60s for the T230s and T250s were hardly any quicker than the Focus RS press cars....

[Edited by TurboBoost - 3/6/2003 11:56:59 PM]

S600HBY

I was told that there was a cossie focus on its way in maybe 2 years as the new focus out this year uses the C1 platform which can be made to run four wheel drive. I think the power on the rs was built with 212 bhp so not to tread on the toes of the cossie if it comes out with 300 bhp as the clio cup does with the clio v6.

Having owned a escort cossie which i believe ford de-tuned for the road as these engines made 300 bhp easy i was tempted with the rs focus but was put off with 2 wheel drive, so i am waiting to see if the cossie does really come out and then its bye bye scooby

[Edited by S600HBY - 3/8/2003 5:57:49 PM]