What I was pointing out there are loads of cars out there with 220 ish bhp. Yes a UK turbo has that and a better/smoother gearchange and a better/lighter 4WD system. The cossie in its days was a great bit of kit and modified ones still are. Drive a standard one back to back with a WRX or STi or even a Focus RS and you might be surprised.

David - try buying one at Parkers prices - think you will be in for a hell of a shock. Every marque has 'shed's and thats all you would get at the prices quoted by Parkers!!!

personally I think they are both great cars that have a lot going for them. Both have great looks and both are WRC icons.
Personally I would chose the Cossie though. Why? Just that little bit more exclusive.
astraboy.

I would however.. I would buy the shed and fix it. as I do with most cars I buy.. big problem is I get attached to the odd ones..

Would have fetched about 10k after 2months work (including me respraying it).. i dont put a cost on my spare time :D

I wont try buying as I dont want to down grade :o :p

see you at totb.

:)

David

I currently own both a Impreza turbo wagon and a 2wd Saphire cosworth, the cosworth is great fun and is fast and on a track is 10 times as much fun as a the scoob, plus you can drive the cosworth very hard and it takes it no problem.

But for everyday the scoob is so much less work and is great in bad weather etc..

Just my opinion from my experience of owning them

Just to clear up a few things;

Firstly, The Focus RS was front wheel drive because the platform couldn't take 4WD and it would have cost too much to modify ahead of the new Focus/Mazda/Volvo/Jag platform coming out later this year (on the Volvo V50 and the new Mazda something-or-other).

I totally agree with the Halo effect which is why Ford have done so well with the Focus RS.. a complete sell out and rave reviews (bar JC and Evo, who did the opposite).

When I spoke to a few Ford guys on our pre-order customer track day, I was told the Mondeo was not part of their plans for a M3/Evo/STi killer - because at the end of the day, most people will never buy a Ford over the others. They took the decision to make a fast Jag and build the ST220, which is more competition for the 330 than the M3. Of course, you can never say never!

The Cosworth name will return, rest assured. When the Cosworth name returns for the next-gen 4WD Focus, the RS brand will be introduced on the Fiesta. Ford are desperate to compete with the new line up of hot-hatch super minis and you can expect to see a ST150 and RS in the next year or two.

Ford have done virtually nothing for a long time, due to internal politics, lack of money and arrogance. Now they're on a mission to make lots of new, fast, cars. In a few years time, they may well do a U-turn and cut development again. I hope not, but with the Focus RS doing so well, this can only help guarantee the Focus Cosworth will be with us in 2-3 years.

For me the whole cossie thing stems from my childhood (I'm 25 now), I remember seeing the 2 & 4wd saphs when they were new and just fell in love.

They were the fastest things on the road for the money, and they were attainable. Porsche performance for reasonable money. I remember the look on my dad's face when they used to thunder past us on the road. He's an old school guy and a V8 man, but I could still see even then, that he was impressed.

I guess it was also because cossies where a realistic boyhood dream. I thought it was something I could actually own one day. Sure as teenagers we all looked at pics of Porsches, Ferraris and Lambos and thought "ooh I have one of them when I grow up...", but you could actually see cossies on a day to day basis. They seemed more tangible because of this.

Imo cossies were also a two finger salute to the back-in-the-day hypocrisy. They went faster than I'm sure the feds would have wanted, and in a way gave a small feeling of power and significance back into the life of the everyday man.

God bless 'em I say.

[Edited by naefeart - 7/8/2003 1:56:41 AM]

Astraboy used to own a 3 door cossie and I have driven it hard on a few occasions around a couple of airfields and the handling was so predictable :cool: his was tuned to 260 bhp and on a runway he put it up against Gossy in his 280bhp wagon and only lost out due to traction off the line (40psi in the rears for drifting just don't help standing starts :D:D:D) as soon as the power was down he was catching Gossy and as we got to 100 it was definatly in his favour :cool: If you gave me the choice of driving (not owning) either a cossie or scoob I would pick the cossie because they are such a hoot. Get a 4x4 one and they will definatley whip a scoob (on a sprint) but I guess it's down to the fact that they are more tuneable and stronger cars but the scoobs have more grip. I respect them both :)

Paul :)

[Edited by paulpalmer - 7/8/2003 10:35:45 AM]

TBH an escort cossie feels more special to drive than a standard uk scoob (pp runs and hides!;)) and looks alot better (but more nickable :()

[Edited by paulpalmer - 7/8/2003 3:05:47 PM]