14N-FR

iTrader: (3)

Well as I work offshore and while I am on my leave I dont have much to do during some afternoon's I thought it would be a good idea to go for a few test drives (Focus RS, MK6 R32, S3). The RS is the one I will write about though.

First impressions of the car from the outside, its totally mental. I love everything about it apart from the easily 'chippable' piano black front bumper portion. It looks great brand new, but the other couple of 59 plate cars in for repair/service looked a bit worst for wear. Maybe a coat of clear vinyl over this when new would solve the issue?

Inside, the cabin is a nice place to be, it does feel more grown up and more expensive compared to my Hawkeye STi, but then again most European cars do! I liked the dash lay out but my biggest gripe was the dining room high Recaro's. I have sit in Recaro's that were too high for the car before (my old Astra VXR), but the ones in the RS are ridiculous! It makes the whole driving position feel too awkward for me. I could not get comfortable at all.

The driver controls all felt really nice, but the clutch pedal is stupidly light, with no feeling of the biting point at all (but in its defense I have been driving a Blobeye Sti and now a Hawkeye STi for over a year, so its bound to feel light compared to them).

Out on the road, it handles all surfaces well, I had the opportunity of driving on a decent B road and dual carriageway. All in all it handles well but I still think it feels like a fast Focus and not like a focused drivers car (excuse the pun). This was the main reason I sold my VXR, as that too just felt like a fast Astra with no excitement from the controls.

I dont know whether I have this opinion of these cars because I am too used to driving Scoobs, but I have been disappointed by all of the cars I have driven today. For the mean time I cant see passed Scoobies.

LG John

FWD, 4WD, 4WD.... I think I see the problem here

chrisevo2000

Hello,mate

What do you do,offshore,and what rig are you on? (just being nosey!)
I am a pipe fitter and am away to the Fulmar(dump!),tommorow.
Oh joy!
Wouldn't mind hearing how you got on,test driving the new R32,if you can be bothered!
Chris

nik52wrx

I didn't think there was a mk6 r32?

paulwrxboro

sorry to hear you dident like it, im still loving mine, ive never had a problem with the seats my self, im 6 foot but have herd people say there high , my black plastics are still in top condition after 9000 miles but its not often on the motorways

out of intrest what bhp is your scooby ?

14N-FR

iTrader: (3)

I'm a 2nd engineer on this:


Apologies, I meant mk5. It was a 58 plate car.

Its not that I didnt like it, it just didnt feel special enough for me. Its a tremendous car and I love the look, but the driver controls didnt give me the same feeling that driving a scooby does.

Spec'c'57

iTrader: (1)

steering settings are changable for more feedback. if you get the chance to really push one it is a great feeling car. i will report on the 400bhp as of tommorow.

Tidgy

assuming you havn't torque steered into a hedge,,, lol

geesta

Hold the wheel with 2 hands, what are you? A girl?

14N-FR

iTrader: (3)

I didnt know that. The salesman also didnt know the car at all and was very unhelpful.

Thing is my mother has a Focus and when I drove the RS it felt no different at normal speeds apart from weightier steering.

The best way to describe it is this: It felt like a fast Focus and not what I expect an RS to feel like. It didnt feel like a true drivers car.

paulwrxboro

Lol are you sure it was an RS the RS is nothing like a normal focus maybe the inside looks a like and at low speeds it dries well but hit the gas evrything changes if you said a ST then maybe i could let it go

paulwrxboro

ooh yeah steering has sport, comfort, and normal, settings

dunx

iTrader: (3)

I beg your pardon ?

LOL

dunx

paulwrxboro

I was in a 375bhp one last week

it was a bit peperarmi

mervil

iTrader: (5)

I went to test drive the RS a few weeks ago but the dealer said they had a ban on test drives in the area due to them allowing one guy out in their first demo car and he binned it, p1ssed (not sure how they didn't realise).

The seat was a problem for the mrs as she needs it high as possible and they can only be adjusted in the workshop apparently. I love the look of them, would have to get a white one my Scoob has been sprayed the same colour, frozen White

paulwrxboro

for a scooby white is best, for the RS green is best, blue if your shy or white if you want everyone to think its an ST seats can be ajusted with an allen key

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

There isn't: It'll either be a 4 banger R20 (two cylinders and 1.2 litres short of a R32 ) or a MkV R32

If a MK6 R32 (or Golf R36) existed, I'd have chopped mine in by now

Spec'c'57

iTrader: (1)

all i will say is ****........ around the 400 mark is rather mental..... tyres wont be lasting much longer me thinks.

Terminator X

iTrader: (7)

^^ Can you & some of your RS friends come to Marham in 2011 as I'd love to see how you get on 30-130 mph? The FWD cars got beat in 2010 although I don't think there were any 400hp ones there

TX.

Spec'c'57

iTrader: (1)

will keep my eye out for details.

Matteeboy

Ali - do you know why the mk5 is so much quicker than the mk4 R32 (in terms of acceleration to 60 and 100)? Only 10bhp more yet also a fair bit more weight.

Shorter gearing?

Will always like R32s a lot but never warmed to the look of the mk5 version. Such a shame they are no longer made.

SPEN555

PMSL! So you spent a shed load of money to get torque steer?

Jimpreza

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Not sure. I didn't think there was that much in it

Maybe the newer generation Haldex so it can get the power down better?

Matteeboy

Well it's half a second quicker to 60 and over a second quicker to 100 according to Evo mag. Quite a difference.

salsa-king

anyone seen this RS forsale...
http://www.swancar.com/used-car-sale...-2-305BHP.html

does it sound a good price?

and is the LUX pack 2 the top spec car?

Mog

Looks a bit expensive to me, if you are in the market for one give Calvin a ring at Rates Ford in Essex as he had some good discounts going recently. BTW that car doesn't have the part leather option, the only other option was USB/ipod hook up.

Mog

Mog

Which 400 package did you go for as I'm considering changing mine !!!!!

Mog

Spec'c'57

iTrader: (1)

i have the JMS400R package mate, what pack did you get?

zs_phil

iTrader: (1)

with my old mk1 focus rs the more i tuned it the better the torque steer got ,although i did quite like the torque steer as overtaking cars on boost you didnt need to use your hands to go around them it did itself