New Ford Focus RS Shots

Ford and bonnet supports, sigh...
 
Do Ford have ANY idea how stupid diffusers look on their cars in the real world? The base design is just not brave enough to carry off a big-ass diffuser with pointy edges. It looks like something a 'visual tuner' would add to his car.
 
As much as I want to hate on the fact that it doesnt have AWD, I have driven a 300ft/lb GTI with a dif and it put its power down ok, though first gear did have some wheel spin.
 
I jizzed in my pants
 
yet another summer car.. yay.
 
Mammoth torque steer ftw. I don't care what Ford say or how they try to justify it, it WILL torque steer like a shopping trolley full of logs. I've owned a car with similar power, FWD and a trick LSD, and it still understeerd like poo. Does look good tho.
 
How come its "torque steer" and that, you don't know that till its been tested. I think Ford can pull it off, They done it before and this time is no different!
 
Mammoth torque steer ftw. I don't care what Ford say or how they try to justify it, it WILL torque steer like a shopping trolley full of logs. I've owned a car with similar power, FWD and a trick LSD, and it still understeerd like poo. Does look good tho.

I like how you judge a car that no public person has driven yet.
 
I'm making a comparison based on my own personal experience with a powerful front driver. If Ford can pull off what no other automaker has ever been able to do, and something which basically defies the laws of physics (when you launch a car, the weight transfers to the rear wheels lifting the front wheels off the ground. The front wheels then have no weight over them and jump and pull trying to find traction) Then good on them and I wish them luck. I'm happy to be wrong, I just can't see it, IMO. To me, it just seems like a copout to make it FWD as they can't be buggered, or don't have the cash flow to make it a proper AWD. Anyway, just my 2c.
 
Well, if you belive the guy who made the new suspension setup, it seems he was able to minimize the feedback of power into the steering. Traction however is a totally different question.
 
I love all the so called experts on here judging a car that has not yet been released to any journos to drive.
I think I will wait till someone tests it before I can comment.
 
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fucking want!

but being in the states i am sure ford will fuck us again like they did on the Sierra RS and the Escort RS and the other Escort RS and the first Focus RS. Either way i think it looks fan fucking tastic and cannot wait to hear what the car mags think.
 
I'm making a comparison based on my own personal experience with a powerful front driver. If Ford can pull off what no other automaker has ever been able to do, and something which basically defies the laws of physics (when you launch a car, the weight transfers to the rear wheels lifting the front wheels off the ground. The front wheels then have no weight over them and jump and pull trying to find traction) Then good on them and I wish them luck. I'm happy to be wrong, I just can't see it, IMO. To me, it just seems like a copout to make it FWD as they can't be buggered, or don't have the cash flow to make it a proper AWD. Anyway, just my 2c.

GM and Chrysler were able to pull off big HP to the Front wheels with no Torque Steer (Caddy DTS, Buick Lucerne, LHS Chyslers).

Solution? Equal lenght front driveshafts.

I've driven a rental Cadillac Deville (05, FWD with the Northstar 4.6l). And being it was a rental car I proceeded to beat the shit out of it.

Plant your Foot to the floor from a dead stop, tires spin but theres virtually no torque steer (it moved slightly to the right IIRC). Ford probably has the same kind of setup in the Focus. Plus what else they did to the suspension.
 
It looks absolutely fantastic. I just hope Jost is right.
 
I'm with you stevenford. I just hope it drives like a rally car...
 
To me, it just seems like a copout to make it FWD as they can't be buggered, or don't have the cash flow to make it a proper AWD. Anyway, just my 2c.

They first tested it with AWD and according to them the AWD setup wasn't any better/more fun to drive than the FWD setup. There is a video about it on www.autocar.co.uk I think.
 
I heard the same thing. I am in no way a FWD fan of any sorts, but given this case, an AWD will make the car heavier and raise drivetrain losses by quite a margin. So since they claim they sorted out the FWD, I don't think AWD would have much advantage here except a few specific situations.
 
Do Ford have ANY idea how stupid diffusers look on their cars in the real world? The base design is just not brave enough to carry off a big-ass diffuser with pointy edges. It looks like something a 'visual tuner' would add to his car.

I don't think it's that bad. It could be smaller, but I don't think it needs to go away completely.


I heard the same thing. I am in no way a FWD fan of any sorts, but given this case, an AWD will make the car heavier and raise drivetrain losses by quite a margin. So since they claim they sorted out the FWD, I don't think AWD would have much advantage here except a few specific situations.

Why has rear wheel drive been forgotten here? You still get the traction lift with an AWD car... bah, I'm still a RWD guy.
 
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Why has rear wheel drive been forgotten here? You still get the traction lift with an AWD car... bah, I'm still a RWD guy.
If I'm not mistaken, there is no RWD platform in Fords European portfolio.
 
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