I would rather wait another 3/4 months for a reliable car, rather than one that has possible issues awaiting to show is ugly head. I can't wait to see what it's official time around the ring is. Cars like this, the golf r, merc a45, Honda R and the seat lean have absolutely mental times around the ring.

The ring times usually show them as being chunky monkey AWD or part time AWD's does it not.

The manufacturers not prepared to just take a new car as will be on sale and then post the times.

At least the Focus RS has the Optional Tyres available now, so no need like with the Seat Leon Cupra to launch a Sub model because you claimed a record with something not Factory.

It's important (imho) not to lose focus (pun intended) on the fact that this car is allegedly the best drivers car in it's segment and given the excellent cars that it competes with, it must be something special. Nuburgring isn't so important to me.

 

I'd love a proper test drive in one, but hate the idea of wasting the Salesperson's time as I am not going to buy one and as an ex-salesperson, I can tell you, we hated time wasters that just wanted to go play in the car and had no real intent to buy one (they always claim, "well I might if the price had been better" or if it was "better to drive"-actually said to me after a young man drove our 306GTi and compared it to his Nissan Almera!) In reality, you normally get vibes very early on they just want to have a free go in the car.

At least the Focus RS has the Optional Tyres available now, so no need like with the Seat Leon Cupra to launch a Sub model because you claimed a record with something not Factory.

 

A bit off-topic but: 

 

The Sub8 is not a different model at all, it is merely an add-on pack to the factory Cupra. What you get with it is: 370mm 4-piston Brembo brakes, lighter 19" alloys and sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 which of course all-together work wonders on a track. All these are literally bolt-on upgrades on the very same factory car. However, all the driving characteristics and dynamics are there whether you spec the Sub8 pack or not, you simply gain a lot more stopping power and traction with the later. Most (raving) reviews on the Cupra were done without the Sub8 pack anyway which goes to show how great it already is. It's just that if you plan to do some track time, SEAT can sort you with what you're going to be needing the most with any road car that hit the track occasionally: Sticky tyres and serious brakes.

 

I think it's a great choice to have. Golf R and Audi S3 come with single piston brakes which are reported to fade and lose feeling after a couple of laps (same's been told about Cupra's stock brakes, same single piston 340mm design) and they don't even offer the possibility for an upgrade for factory. I know I needed a brake upgrade on the 230bhp Fabia on track, imagine pushing hard any of those 300bhp cars... That was one discouraging factor for me when considering the R. Let alone that at 2K the, pack is probably a bargain for track users. At the same time, it keeps the base car cheaper for people that only care about public road performance and allows them to run smaller, cheaper wheels as well (Anything below 19" won't clear the Brembos). A great choice to have really.

Edited 28 March, 201610 yr by newbie69

It was not available to buy at a Seat Dealership as a Sub 8 when Seat went big on how quick around the Ring was it?

Only afterwards.

 

Anyway, no factory support / technicians, not running light, no chasing a wind breaker etc, 

the Cupra or ST will do the business.

Edited 28 March, 201610 yr by GoneOffSKi

It was not available to buy at a Seat Dealership as a Sub 8 when Seat went big on how quick around the Ring was it?

Only afterwards.

 

Wasn't following the availability on launch so don't know but I was of the impression that it was mentioned in the press release that the car was a stock one with air-con, stereo and everything plus a track pack consisting of brakes, tyres and wheels that would be later available to customers? If that was the case it's good enough for me. No reason to rush and buy a car without it if you were told an extra pack was coming. That's if you're interested in track performance anyway, otherwise as I said, it is the same car in either case.

 

Actually, for anyone that missed it due to very early ordering it is quite simple to retro-fit the sub8 pack. Just brakes, wheels and tyres really. Although they can't probably be bought at a mere 2K as they are offered on new cars, I think that's what you'd have to pay just for the Brembos judging by their smaller 323x28 kit I was checking out for the Fabia last year.

Edited 28 March, 201610 yr by newbie69

Yes sorry, we are really OT on the Focus RS.

For the Seat Cupra 280 & 280 ST there are quite a few threads from 2014/15 just in this section, and even members build threads on Remapping to 320 bhp and the likes in the Performance section.

Edited 28 March, 201610 yr by GoneOffSKi

Thread: Road test: Ford Focus RS v Volkswagen Golf R

 

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03-11-2016, 05:01 AM
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Road test: Ford Focus RS v Volkswagen Golf R

 

 

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by John Calne, 10 March 2016.

Two brilliant hot hatches, but less similar than you might think. Which is the one that’s sold its soul to the devil?

If you want to be the best hot hatch, you have to beat the Golf R. A simple sentence, but not a simple task.

The Golf is a very fine car, and the Golf R is a very fine Golf. It’s absolutely usable everyday, a touch less cosseting but far more exciting to drive than the everyday versions of the same vehicle. And they were already exciting.

That’s what the new Ford Focus RS has to beat. It aims to do so by playing a slightly different game, refusing to compromise on performance and dynamic intent in the name of daily-drive niceties.

Seldom has a car been more eagerly anticipated than this Focus. The stats make it sound like a junior supercar, and the sub-£30k price tag has left most of us doing sums in our head. Initial experiences have been hugely impressive, too.

And here we are with these two heavyweights, ready to do battle on the sort of dream roads you find in southern Europe. Fast, beautiful corners abound, all of them surfaced with a smoothness we in Britain can only imagine.

We have a Golf in six-speed manual form, which is a happy fluke as that’s the kind of box the RS comes with too.

Both units drive all four wheels and are turned by four-pot motors, but the differences outweigh the similarities. The Ford’s 2.3-litre engine plays the VW’s 2.0-litre unit, giving it 345bhp and a 4.7-second 0-62 time — compared to 296bhp and 5.3 seconds.

Another difference is that while the Golf’s power goes mainly to its front wheels, in the Focus it’s the rears that take charge. Needless to say, both have an array of mechanical and electronic systems controlling traction, vectoring torque and so forth.

And that, right there, is what sorts these cars out. They’re both fast, with the Focus’ extra power giving it more get-up-and-go in the guts of the rev range. They both ride well and steer with aplomb, but Ford gets the nod in each case.

And while the Golf’s engine note is mainly synthetic, in the RS it’s spine-tinglingly real.

But those things are details, and in each case the differences are fairly marginal. It’s when you get into the corners that the RS turns into a thing possessed.

Once again, the Golf R is very good here, with excellent body control and immense grip. It’s absolutely willing and biddable, never unruly but always eager.

But the Focus RS? Oh my. Body control isn’t just excellent, it’s superlative. Grip is huge, but with the rear wheels in charge it turns in with a light, precise vigour that gives way to equally instant acceleration as you get back on the gas. It’s like what would happen if you were to cross a kart with a supercar, yet with the adaptive shocks doing their thing there’s never any hint of the ride either would subject you to. This is more than just a stellar hot hatch, it’s a cornering legend. Put it up against anything, anything at all, and the RS will hold its own.

Put it up against hundreds of miles of motorway, on the other hand, and this Focus is second best to the Golf R. As we mentioned earlier, the Golf is still a Golf, just faster. The RS is an RS, just one that happens to be a Focus.

So the Golf has better trim materials, better ergonomics and a better seating position. It’s less likely to get you murdered by gangsters who want to nick your car, nor picked on by every boy racer this side of Basildon. And it’s still an exceptional hot hatch, so don’t write it off on the basis of what you see here.

But on these roads, this is a handling battle. And the Focus RS has the handling to beat almost anything. It’s good, very good, in every department that matters — and stupendous in corners.

How do they do it for less than thirty grand? Faust comes to mind. But however devilish it might look, for many people the new Focus RS is the most heaven-sent car they will ever drive.

Ford Focus RS

Price: £29,995

0-62mph: 4.7sec

Top speed: 165mph

Economy: 36.7mpg

CO2: 175g/km

Kerb weight: 1599kg

Engine layout: 4 cyls, 2261cc, turbo, petrol; Installation Front, transverse, 4WD

Power: 345bhp at 6000rpm

Torque: 325lb ft at 2000-4500rpm (347lb ft on overboost)

Volkswagen Golf R

Price: £31,745

0-62mph: 5.3sec

Top speed: 155mph

Economy: 39.8mpg

CO2: 165g/km

Kerb weight: 1476kg

Engine layout: 4 cyls, 1984cc, turbo, petrol; Installation Front, transverse, FWD

Power: 296bhp at 5500-6200rpm

Road test: Ford Focus RS v Volkswagen Golf R - John Calne - Daily Post

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Road test: Ford Focus RS v Volkswagen Golf R

 

 

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by John Calne, 10 March 2016.

Two brilliant hot hatches, but less similar than you might think. Which is the one that’s sold its soul to the devil?

If you want to be the best hot hatch, you have to beat the Golf R. A simple sentence, but not a simple task.

The Golf is a very fine car, and the Golf R is a very fine Golf. It’s absolutely usable everyday, a touch less cosseting but far more exciting to drive than the everyday versions of the same vehicle. And they were already exciting.

That’s what the new Ford Focus RS has to beat. It aims to do so by playing a slightly different game, refusing to compromise on performance and dynamic intent in the name of daily-drive niceties.

Seldom has a car been more eagerly anticipated than this Focus. The stats make it sound like a junior supercar, and the sub-£30k price tag has left most of us doing sums in our head. Initial experiences have been hugely impressive, too.

And here we are with these two heavyweights, ready to do battle on the sort of dream roads you find in southern Europe. Fast, beautiful corners abound, all of them surfaced with a smoothness we in Britain can only imagine.

We have a Golf in six-speed manual form, which is a happy fluke as that’s the kind of box the RS comes with too.

Both units drive all four wheels and are turned by four-pot motors, but the differences outweigh the similarities. The Ford’s 2.3-litre engine plays the VW’s 2.0-litre unit, giving it 345bhp and a 4.7-second 0-62 time — compared to 296bhp and 5.3 seconds.

Another difference is that while the Golf’s power goes mainly to its front wheels, in the Focus it’s the rears that take charge. Needless to say, both have an array of mechanical and electronic systems controlling traction, vectoring torque and so forth.

And that, right there, is what sorts these cars out. They’re both fast, with the Focus’ extra power giving it more get-up-and-go in the guts of the rev range. They both ride well and steer with aplomb, but Ford gets the nod in each case.

And while the Golf’s engine note is mainly synthetic, in the RS it’s spine-tinglingly real.

But those things are details, and in each case the differences are fairly marginal. It’s when you get into the corners that the RS turns into a thing possessed.

Once again, the Golf R is very good here, with excellent body control and immense grip. It’s absolutely willing and biddable, never unruly but always eager.

But the Focus RS? Oh my. Body control isn’t just excellent, it’s superlative. Grip is huge, but with the rear wheels in charge it turns in with a light, precise vigour that gives way to equally instant acceleration as you get back on the gas. It’s like what would happen if you were to cross a kart with a supercar, yet with the adaptive shocks doing their thing there’s never any hint of the ride either would subject you to. This is more than just a stellar hot hatch, it’s a cornering legend. Put it up against anything, anything at all, and the RS will hold its own.

Put it up against hundreds of miles of motorway, on the other hand, and this Focus is second best to the Golf R. As we mentioned earlier, the Golf is still a Golf, just faster. The RS is an RS, just one that happens to be a Focus.

So the Golf has better trim materials, better ergonomics and a better seating position. It’s less likely to get you murdered by gangsters who want to nick your car, nor picked on by every boy racer this side of Basildon. And it’s still an exceptional hot hatch, so don’t write it off on the basis of what you see here.

But on these roads, this is a handling battle. And the Focus RS has the handling to beat almost anything. It’s good, very good, in every department that matters — and stupendous in corners.

How do they do it for less than thirty grand? Faust comes to mind. But however devilish it might look, for many people the new Focus RS is the most heaven-sent car they will ever drive.

Ford Focus RS

Price: £29,995

0-62mph: 4.7sec

Top speed: 165mph

Economy: 36.7mpg

CO2: 175g/km

Kerb weight: 1599kg

Engine layout: 4 cyls, 2261cc, turbo, petrol; Installation Front, transverse, 4WD

Power: 345bhp at 6000rpm

Torque: 325lb ft at 2000-4500rpm (347lb ft on overboost)

Volkswagen Golf R

Price: £31,745

0-62mph: 5.3sec

Top speed: 155mph

Economy: 39.8mpg

CO2: 165g/km

Kerb weight: 1476kg

Engine layout: 4 cyls, 1984cc, turbo, petrol; Installation Front, transverse, FWD

Power: 296bhp at 5500-6200rpm

Road test: Ford Focus RS v Volkswagen Golf R - John Calne - Daily Post

Ruddy Hell Keith!

 

 

I think your post has developed a life of it's own!

I'm shocked at the Weight difference of the two car. If a ford has an RS or cosworth on it, I'm a fan. But I do wonder how the golf would do if the drive was more rear basis like the focus, This is not the first time I've read this about the golf. I have to disagree with the write up in one aspect, I don't think the focus shouts look at me. I think the focus and the golf are sleepers, OK a bit sportier looking but not out there like the civic type R and the merc A45.

http://nurburgringlaptimes.com/lap-times-top-100

Edited 28 March, 201610 yr by GoneOffSKi

I see an article in April TG Mag,by one of their journos, who was let loose on the Focus RS production line.

 

Does anyone know if this was initial production start up in Jan 2016 or post re-start after the production stoppage in Feb / March 2016.

 

If he was there pre stoppage, he obviously never picked up any Quality Issues being experienced.

 

Very keen eyed journo then !? 

Edited 29 March, 201610 yr by vrskeith

Now I am not sure if this is the first of the April Fool car videos or not, but it's a fun watch anyway.

 

Ford RS Engine Listeners....honest 

They are building the Focus RS, but they are all being held pending whatever quality checks and upgrade is required and they are currently doing.

This has to be done before Ford release then to the general public to hoon about in.

As of yesterday not a single production car had been "gate released" for transport to a dealer.

There are a couple of pre-production cars doing the rounds, spending a few days at each dealer that qualifies for a visit, but no dealer demos or customer cars have arrived yet.

Boss,

Any more knowledge since your last two entries on deliveries to UK dealerships. Might nip over to my local dealer, who has demo and 4 early owner cars due for first delivery. Only 9 miles away for seeing in the flesh.

Another general review not seen before. I do prefer the grey compared to the blue.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OOGVDfsHPNI#

Boss,

Any more knowledge since your last two entries on deliveries to UK dealerships. Might nip over to my local dealer, who has demo and 4 early owner cars due for first delivery. Only 9 miles away for seeing in the flesh.

 

I got an email from my dealer late last week.

 

Built and gate despatched, expected arrival 23rd April.

Boss,

My local dealer is clueless,thinks it will be end of April. However,he still feels in the dark. He has 4 very early ordered Customers cars.

Edited 4 April, 201610 yr by vrskeith

I got an email from my dealer late last week.

Built and gate despatched, expected arrival 23rd April.

Boss,

That's good,then you can begin to enjoy it's attributes !!

Boss,

Have you read the article piece about brakes.

See attached thread from other site

http://www.focusrsoc.com/forums/topic/226682-so-not-all-good-news-at-the-valencia-launch-then

Thought it was an April 1st prank.

Edited 4 April, 201610 yr by vrskeith

 ?

Boss,

Have you read the article piece about brakes.

See attached thread from other site

http://www.focusrsoc.com/forums/topic/226682-so-not-all-good-news-at-the-valencia-launch-then

Thought it was an April 1st prank.

 

If you do multiple Journo sessions on track with stock pads I'm not sure what people expect.

Also seen a lot of odd stuff on RSOC, which is why I hardly ever bother to post there.

 

Not worried at all.

I won't have stock pads for long.

 

The brakes on the RS are bigger than my Yeti which has over 150bhp more and I can never get brake fade at all on track in that.

Edited 4 April, 201610 yr by BossFox

Autocar review on UK soil.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/ford/focus-rs/first-drives/2016-ford-focus-rs-uk-drive-review

Autocar review on UK soil.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/ford/focus-rs/first-drives/2016-ford-focus-rs-uk-drive-review

 

They seem to like it.

Took it on track for a session and no brake issues either.

Personally I think those Journo cars got over used by one person after another.

 

 

 

Should I buy one?

Oh heavens above, you must. It’s £31,000 (£1000 more than originally promised), which might be plenty but it’s peanuts next to an AMG A45, and even undercuts the Golf R. Or, if you put down £10,000, what about £180 a month on Ford’s Options finance deal?

Give or take you could cover that by sending back your iPhone 6 and replacing your supermarket delicacies with some extra vegetables each month.

 

And you won’t regret a single moment of predictive texting on your old Nokia 3310 while crunching on another raw carrot. Why?

Because an iPhone or Tesco’s Finest bangers and mash can’t tap into your central nervous system and switch on the endorphins the Focus RS can.

 

That’s why it’s wonderful, exciting, and lives up to its billing. Seriously, it’s everything you’ve dreamt it’ll be, and makes you feel like a ten-year old on Christmas morning again. Priceless.

Edited 6 April, 201610 yr by BossFox

Autocar review on UK soil.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/ford/focus-rs/first-drives/2016-ford-focus-rs-uk-drive-review

Another UK Soil review by Autoexpress,so UK deliveries for press cars has now arrived,presumably Dealerships and Customers at last as Boss outlined.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/ford/focus/93280/new-ford-focus-rs-2016-uk-first-drive-review

Edited 6 April, 201610 yr by vrskeith

Topgears first UK review drive in the UK.

http://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/ford/focus-st/23-rs/first-drive-0

So some slightly reserved comments about its performance, On some tight and bumpy UK back roads.

Edited 8 April, 201610 yr by vrskeith