We've finally got a production ST to test vs our production VXR's.
So first impressions then a back to back drive.
First impressions;
Exterior - its in red and looks rather cheap. Difficult to tell its a 'performance' version. Dreadful ST badge on wing highlights the tackiness.
Interior - Nice seats , bit high and not as figure hugging as ours but good. Extra dials look pretty at night but pointless - tho fun to chase the boost gauge round. Again a feeling of cheapness in controls and quality of dash etc... Instruments look like a regular car and the interior overall does not feel special at all. Disappointed
Engine - Great engine note. Offbeat warble. Gutsy , long throttle pedal masks how quick it can go but once you realise and wring its neck it feels quick. However as noise rises you realise it sounds faster than it is. Otherwise love the engine.
Gearbox/Torquesteer - Box notchier than usual Ford excellence but could be this car. Car torquesteers as much as ours , so not much.
Handling - Slighter softer than ours but very well controlled. Steering nicely weighted and better than Astra. You can jump in this thing and fly down the road. Very nice. Not as edgy as ours and ultimately not as much grip but the driver will make more difference than the chassis on these.
Overall - Not as aggressive or as good looking as Astra. Great engine (but see below) and very good handling/ride. Sort of sits between the SRi and VXR really - really needs an RS version that would then sit above VXR.
Back to back.
We tried roll on's in 2nd 3rd 4th and 5th. In every gear on every occasion , and even getting the jump on the Astra on some occasions the result is the same. The Astra would slowly ease out a few feet then you could visibly see the Astra start to take off and disappear as the Focus warbles away to itself. This was std car vs std car. With a car with the Miltek fitted tha Astra just walks away. With the 280PS and Miltek set up it just disappears.
Mechanically the focus is a nice package and I expect all its customers to be happy with it in isolation. When next to the Astra (or Civic , even Golf) it looked unexciting and flat. The interior is a total let down that fancy coloured fabric cannot liven up. Give the car a facelift , extra 20PS or so and it'd be a contender.
Obviously all just our observations.
Stu
So first impressions then a back to back drive.
First impressions;
Exterior - its in red and looks rather cheap. Difficult to tell its a 'performance' version. Dreadful ST badge on wing highlights the tackiness.
Interior - Nice seats , bit high and not as figure hugging as ours but good. Extra dials look pretty at night but pointless - tho fun to chase the boost gauge round. Again a feeling of cheapness in controls and quality of dash etc... Instruments look like a regular car and the interior overall does not feel special at all. Disappointed
Engine - Great engine note. Offbeat warble. Gutsy , long throttle pedal masks how quick it can go but once you realise and wring its neck it feels quick. However as noise rises you realise it sounds faster than it is. Otherwise love the engine.
Gearbox/Torquesteer - Box notchier than usual Ford excellence but could be this car. Car torquesteers as much as ours , so not much.
Handling - Slighter softer than ours but very well controlled. Steering nicely weighted and better than Astra. You can jump in this thing and fly down the road. Very nice. Not as edgy as ours and ultimately not as much grip but the driver will make more difference than the chassis on these.
Overall - Not as aggressive or as good looking as Astra. Great engine (but see below) and very good handling/ride. Sort of sits between the SRi and VXR really - really needs an RS version that would then sit above VXR.
Back to back.
We tried roll on's in 2nd 3rd 4th and 5th. In every gear on every occasion , and even getting the jump on the Astra on some occasions the result is the same. The Astra would slowly ease out a few feet then you could visibly see the Astra start to take off and disappear as the Focus warbles away to itself. This was std car vs std car. With a car with the Miltek fitted tha Astra just walks away. With the 280PS and Miltek set up it just disappears.
Mechanically the focus is a nice package and I expect all its customers to be happy with it in isolation. When next to the Astra (or Civic , even Golf) it looked unexciting and flat. The interior is a total let down that fancy coloured fabric cannot liven up. Give the car a facelift , extra 20PS or so and it'd be a contender.
Obviously all just our observations.
Stu
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