While track and test data are plainly available for the GTI Clubsport/S, Type-R, Megane RS, Leon Cupra etc. I struggle to find any official lap times about the Focus RS, anyone got any sort of links out of curiosity? I've only seen Autotrader's mega test but that was on a rainy track and not representative at all for FWD/RWD cars.

 

From straight line tests/accelerations it already seems the car performs more like a 300+ ps hot-hatch instead of a 350+ one for some reason. Don't know if all the cars tested are still under breaking-in period but every acceleration I've seen so far is disappointing to say the least for an engine of such a theoretical output. I am not talking about drag racing, it's also slower on a 60-160km/h and 100-200km/h run than every other of its competitors with anything from 50 (R/S3) to 85 less bhp (Clubsport - part time) so I'm curious as to whether and by how much it makes up for the lack of straight line power with its reported cornering superiority.

 

Reason I'm bringing this up is I came across Autocar's recently published Clubsport S drive and track review where it managed an impressive 1.4" off the Type-R's lap time on MIRA proving ground (01:16.1" / 01:14,7" )  so I was really curious to see how did the RS do, but they don't publish any time other than the 0-60 they did in their Focus review.

Edited 26 August, 20169 yr by newbie69

While track and test data are plainly available for the GTI Clubsport/S, Type-R, Megane RS, Leon Cupra etc. I struggle to find any official lap times about the Focus RS, anyone got any sort of links out of curiosity? I've only seen Autotrader's mega test but that was on a rainy track and not representative at all for FWD/RWD cars.

 

From straight line tests/accelerations it already seems the car performs more like a 300+ ps hot-hatch instead of a 350+ one for some reason. Don't know if all the cars tested are still under breaking-in period but every acceleration I've seen so far is disappointing to say the least for an engine of such a theoretical output. I am not talking about drag racing, it's also slower on a 60-160km/h and 100-200km/h run than every other of its competitors with anything from 50 (R/S3) to 85 less bhp (Clubsport - part time) so I'm curious as to whether and by how much it makes up for the lack of straight line power with its reported cornering superiority.

 

Reason I'm bringing this up is I came across Autocar's recently published Clubsport S drive and track review where it managed an impressive 1.4" off the Type-R's lap time on MIRA proving ground (01:16.1" / 01:14,7" )  so I was really curious to see how did the RS do, but they don't publish any time other than the 0-60 they did in their Focus review.

 

I don;t know about the test cars but mine seemed to loosen up a bit at around 800 miles.

 

Also they are heavy.  For a Focus, very heavy.  Over 300kg more than a Fiesta ST !!!

So it's not a blisteringly quick car in straight lines.

 

I think Ford have kept away from all the number crunching comparisons because the car is designed to be fun.  Hence manual only. Which actually makes it slower.

But like it's little brother the Fiesta ST it's a hoot in the corners.

I don;t know about the test cars but mine seemed to loosen up a bit at around 800 miles.

 

Also they are heavy.  For a Focus, very heavy.  Over 300kg more than a Fiesta ST !!!

So it's not a blisteringly quick car in straight lines.

 

I think Ford have kept away from all the number crunching comparisons because the car is designed to be fun.  Hence manual only. Which actually makes it slower.

But like it's little brother the Fiesta ST it's a hoot in the corners.

 

Ford have definitely kept away from numbers, that is clear, but I was referring to real world tests/reviews showing how fast it actually is against its competitors.

 

I don't doubt at all it must be great fun in the corners but its competitors seem to be not that far from it either, and with reviews like http://www.pistonheads.com/features/ph-features/vw-golf-gti-clubsport-s-vs-british-roads/34846   where it's made clear that today's top hatches (with the exception of the Focus, FWD's are actually topping that category) are just as rewarding and great to drive on public, bumpy, non-track roads (2016 and we are finally getting rid off the myth that these cars are only tuned for track) it toughens the competition quite a lot, to a point that you inevitably look at the performance field as a whole, including straight line performance, lap times, tuning potential maybe etc.

 

Anyway, not meant as a criticism or anything like that, it is pure interest to see what real-world stopwatch benefits the Focus's fancy AWD translates into. (For me the only actual highlight of the car after all the reviews and real world tests I've read). Especially after watching a vid of a slightly tuned Cupra (light remap to 340ps and KW Clubsport coilovers) overtaking an RS on the 'Ring after a short fight.

Edited 26 August, 20169 yr by newbie69

Anyway, not meant as a criticism or anything like that, it is pure interest to see what real-world stopwatch benefits the Focus's fancy AWD translates into. (For me the only actual highlight of the car after all the reviews and real world tests I've read). Especially after watching a vid of a slightly tuned Cupra (light remap to 340ps and KW Clubsport coilovers) overtaking an RS on the 'Ring after a short fight.

 

Criticism doesn't bother me.  It's not perfect, like any car.

 

Thing with track videos is that driver skill plays a big part.

Or lack of it.

I was at Bedford GT circuit last week, hunting down and passing a couple of Porker 911 GT3s.  In a stock RS on road tyres.

Car's that should be quicker.

Edited 26 August, 20169 yr by BossFox

Criticism doesn't bother me.  It's not perfect, like any car.

 

Thing with track videos is that driver skill plays a big part.

Or lack of it.

I was at Bedford GT circuit last week, hunting down and passing a couple of Porker 911 GT3s.  In a stock RS on road tyres.

Car's that should be quicker.

 

True about the driver skill. That's why I said that it intrigued me... Not sure whether it's the case or not without any actual laps made from the same people between the cars.

 

On the other hand, without having driven all 3 of them yet (2nd one is due to be driven - for long - from next week on :p ) cars like the Cupra, the Clubsport and I assume the Focus RS, all equally offer an exceptional (for the price and engine output point) level of performance which is at the same time attainable by a large majority of enthusiasts but still non-professional drivers. Same thing is far more difficult to claim about BMW and Porsche's. Which is why you see that mad Cupra frequenting the Ring eating up RWD/AWD German supercars every weekend, or similarly you embarrassing those GT3's with the RS at Bedford