2015 rs focus

[Frosticles]

I think the MK2 Focus RS was a fantastic car and really didn't need the 4WD. (Have driven both the "Standard" Focus and the RS500). 4WD isnt the bee all and end all TBH. It adds a lot of weight as well. I would be very happy to buy the new Focus with only 2WD.

Bring it on

[flyingpilot]

A Ford vehicle use to only get it's RS badge of honour because of some kind of motorsport involvement, the last RS Ford I owned was the Sierra Cosworth, and I loved it. I know it was far from the Rouse touring cars but it still made it feel special.
When I got into the current RS Focus I had visions of it being like an old RS Turbo I once had, all torque steer. I was surprised, it didn't, in fact it pulled beautifully, but.......there was something missing.
After all you push a wheel barrow not pull it .

[rwdrs]

Ok so you did 15 miles on the test drive....?

My point being plenty of keyboard jockeys slag cars on the basis of the magazine articles on them....

So your point is...

May I assume you are referring to my post, I haven't read any magazine articles on the Focus RS, except the one coming in 2015 btw?
If so, I can tell you having worked as a mechanic in the UK and Germany having worked in dealerships (including 6 years in a Jag dealership and at a Ford dealership) and having owned many a Ford myself and owning a Focus at the moment.

My point being a criticism of the current "way of things" at Ford and in the SVE programme. This is not a per se criticism of current cars, I do think, however, as I said that an RS badge doesn't (or it didn't use to) just mean a few more horses under the bonnet and better seating, it actually meant it has some form of motosport provenance/pedigree.

I think Ford are relucutant to invest money in exciting cars, I've no doubt that a new ST is or the previous RS is a nice car, but that's not the point. Anyway, if Ford fail to produce decent cars, they will simply go bankrupt, so they have to produce a presentable car in the first place that is surely a given, regardless of whether it could have been far better with 4-wd or not.

The point being is that even now there isn't an ST (a year after mainstream model launch) and Ford will wait even longer to see "if there's a market" for an RS. This is ridiculous, it exposes the "planning" at Ford and the way it is going, as Top Gear said in its test of the New Focus that "The old model handled better and you could tell that the new chassis had been tuned for a world audience" [sic], which they said wasn't a bad thing, but "as Ford always makes a big deal about the handling of the Focus it makes it a shame the new model doesn't feel as agile as the old one."

It may be your opinion that 4wd wouldn't bring anything to the Focus but I'm pretty sure it would. Certainly the RS4 (the old one) was an incredible bit of kit and whilst I'm sure the Focus RS was a nice motor, why badge a warmed up ST as an RS?

What are Ford so afraid of?

[rwdrs]

See this story from the Beeb on halo cars