New Focus RS takes on the might of the GT-R. For more Ford news and reviews visit www.autocar.co.uk/ford/ and for Nissan news and reviews visit www.autocar.co.uk/nissan/
Matt Hassig Really? Well, is the R34 a Supercar? No! The R35 is like the R34, a Sportscar.. Then Nissan launched It, back in 2008. They called´it there new Sportscar like a 911 or 911 Turbo.. That Simple. A supercar is something special like a Lambo Aventador or Pagani Zonda, how can you not know?
Damn you Ford! Please make the RS available in the states. Fair trade, UK get the new Mustang for 2015 (which is going to be a block buster hit), the states should get the RS!
I dont think it will sell a lot. Not being offensive or anything but, large proportion of American buyers expect a higher prestige for a car at that price. Even if its a Focus RS, its still a Focus on their mind, so it doesnt feel special enough for them. I personally would buy it, but I dont think a large number of of Americans will.
@Kamukix Not really. The main feature of a Rally is that the drivers DON'T KNOW THE COURSE until the race itself. The Navigator can only tell the driver what the next turn or crest is. Road hazardconditions (dust, dirt, debris, water, weather, etc) remain unknown variables there. Notice during the race in Targa Tasmania it's dry at times and rainy the next. It's not part of the Navigator's pace notes.
Focus RS is too heavy, has no poise, it's like trying to slice a tomato with an axe. Too much power too, it';s a sloppy car which just understeers. On a track, i recon a 200hp EP3 type R would beat it silly.
+inthepuss 0610 I would not say slow as fuck... There are plenty of cars on the road that will beat them but vastly more that will lose. Especially for what they cost to buy / insure / run as a daily driver.
Both are fantastic cars to be honest, I can't say either are bad at all. Ok I admit I would rather have the GT-R, but I wouldn't be disappointed with the RS, and no it isn't actually that overpriced, it offers a lot of bang for yer buck but is also practical as a hot hatch should be. This is a good test as well.
Yeah it's so hard to choose these days so many cars in all price ranges. Golf, Focus RS RX8, Honda Civic, Evo X 370Z, SLK350, the list goes on and on...
He's got a good point, confidence is what driving on a twisty road is all about. If you know exactly where the car is going every single time with little to no variance, you have more confidence. That Nissan keeps wanting to tear loose when given too much throttle in the corners. For this kind of road, I'd prefer FWD to unevenly-distributed AWD
R mode does not affect breaks and the only reason the fuel consumption increases is that the driver tends to be driving the car harder. When R mode is engaged across all 3 settings it also reduces the stability control allowing the car to slip more in the corners. You can turn off the stab control altogether but it's claimed that if you do it will invalidate the warranty so never tried that :) Still a pretty good answer especially for a 10 year old :))
What a road; Buttertubs pass in North Yorkshire! This test though has been done many times before, just the age old comparison that shows that on public roads that you don't know all that well, theres only so fast you'll be willing to drive, regardless of how fast the car you're driving is.
firstly, the RS is a brilliant car.. and secondly, the purpose of this test was how much FUN you can have with both cars.. thats why they compared so different cars
agree with you 100percent....too many people buy cars that practically drive themselves...for me i'm a purist when it comes to motoring....don't need some fancy computer system in between myself and the tarmac, just raw mechanical engineering
Ok, now I want to say first before I get carried away, I genuinely respect Autocar as an old name in the business. However, as has been said this is not a 'vs' so much as a comparison with normal road speeds, as 'of course' the speed limits would have been obeyed. This from the outset means the GTR is just humming along, not being pushed at all, which is obvious from both driver comments and observation. Oh, and it is NOT a "60 grand supercar" it is a four door saloon, as fast as a supercar.
They have a valid point about the Focus being just as good on that road. We should all be able to relate to certain roads taking away from a cars capabilities. Things like bumps, curves banked the wrong way, and so on. It is very possible that the Ford takes that road as well as the GTR can. On a track, there is no comparison, but they already said that, right?
today i spent from 9am to about 1pm in the RS and i got to tell you it is an awesome car, fast, stylish and even though it is front wheel drive it is so much fun!!! however driving in the real world the RS is a very stiff car, so you feel every bump on the road. however when you go up windy roads it is a lot of fun. overall amazing little car, just make sure you get it in BP Ultimate Green colour.
You people are missing the point. The point is that the GTR, despite being insanely fast for the price, isn't that fun. You'd enjoy a Golf GTI or Focus RS more (hence the comparison). You want fast and fun more in the GTR's price range (might be different in other countries): Jag XK, Corvette, Porsche 911, or a Dodge Viper. And the XK, 911, and even Corvette (if you're not old and fragile) are still usable, every day cars
Yeah that Capri is a nice car. Reminds me of a Datsun 240Z or Mazda RX-7 gen 1. Love those old sports cars! Luckily we get the next gen Euro Focus and the Fiesta next year. Take a look at the new Taurus SHO. It's badass for a big car.
i meant to buy it in Mexico, the price is 450,000(about 34,500 dlls)go with some dealer from Laredo TX, cause i dont recommend you to come to Mexico if is not a beach or if you dont know the place, good luck, i hope i get mine by the end of this year
Excellent comparison, sadly it seems that 90% of the people commenting are either way too young to drive or don't understand in the least bit basic automotive truth. This is the same comparison as having a Mazda MX-5 on a windy road and then driving a Dodge Viper right afterward. Sure the Viper/GT-R will absolutely CRUSH it on track, but that means less than nothing on a real world road. You simply can't push a car of that caliber out there. Hurts but it's 100% true every time. Kei
Actually the Ford Focus is a Rally car, that is why if faired well along with the GTR as it was out of it's element. I have a Focus and it handls really well in tight courses.
I would chose Focus too. I agree that GTR has way more power, but , as this guy said,Focus is more fun to drive on normal mountain roads. Power isn't everything, what is good to have power when you don't have the proper road to use it.
let me give you guys a good example on how bias this test is: "two boxers got inside the ring for the fight, boxer01 can freely do what ever he pleases. the other boxer02 can only use 1 hand during the fight, because his trainer said so" trainer: the electronic limiter of the GTR boxer 02:GTR boxer01:focus RS
Lol. Belive me, i couldn't believe it either but i'm very happy about it! Its the current issue out at the moment. One orange and one blue lambo on the front cover. Sept, 2009 is the issue name and its page 126/127. The mountune got to 130 half a second faster than the RS and the RS was only quicker between 100 and 120 mph in 4th gear, every where else the Mountune was considerably quicker. The RS has too much power for front wheel drive, thus the mountune can put it down better.
The point you make is exactly the point the video made. That the GT-R is a phenomenal track car but in the real world a cheaper car is usually more "fun" to drive. They could have used the Evo X or the Impreza WRX Sti instead of the focus and I am sure they would have drawn the same conclusion. That on that stretch of road, they were more "fun" than the GT-R while also being cheaper. That was the whole point of the comparo. They said again and again that the GT-R was phenomenal.
I know it sounds daft but i think i would, there's something overly clinical about the GTR. Although, i have just read EVO magazine and discovered that the Mountune ST is faster than the new RS up to 140 mph (thats when they run out of track!), and not just a little bit either, 0.5 of a second over pretty much the whole range!! And thats without the suspension upgrade so i think i'm best off keeping mine, the eibachs have made it even better!!
And it turns out that the RS is 82 kg heavier, which is basically an average person, which is a lot. RS 0-60 did 6.0, ST mountune 0-60 did 5.8. If it was anyone other than EVO or Top Gear i wouldn't believe it myself but it was a completely fair test.
I thought this was a great test. The only problem is in the US we have strict speed limits and very few twisty roads. If we want to do high performance driving, it has to be on a track.
they make a person believe that in "real world" a clio cup which is "close" to the RS, which is "close" the GTR, would stand a chance a against a GTR. But in real world, when you see a GTR in your clio don't think you can come close
this thing has brutal in gear acceleration, where in reality itll be able to exploit most of its performance potential. Sad that they couldnt keep the weight down a bit more.
Top gear really does kick arse!! I totally agree with you, i reckon 4WD and put it up there power and speed wise with the fastest EVO's of this world. As it is, it's just a heavily tunes ST with too much power that can't put it all on the road, and as a result, it would seem, an ST with 260 bhp is faster! I really don't know what team RS were thinking. The escort and sierra cosworths were properly quick cars, but the focus RS just seems to be another quick hot hatch. Its a shame.
Then you've lost the bet already. The GT-R has been capturing win after win in the Super GT/Japan Touring Car Championships since its debut in 2008 (in 2008 alone, the GT-R scored 7 wins in 9 races (though by different drivers/teams) in the Super GT).
I really find it sad and yet hillarious that so many people are offended by this video. They are not trying to tell you that a Focus will outrun a GT-R because we all know that is like saying you'd rather kill someone with a blowgun than a .357. What they are trying to say is that you dont need to spend 60 grand on a GT-R to have a car that can be fun on a real life road. Sure the GT-R is amazing but its limits are so high there's no challenge to drive it on a road like that at legal speeds.
Because it isn't a Skyline, it's a GT-R. It might be the replacement to the Skyline and the Skyline might have used the GT-R badge as well but it is just a GT-R.
That's great if you were just choosing which car to drive. You could just choose a Focus or a Civic Type R etc. If you were being given one and had no option of switching back and forth whenever you wanted your outlook would be a lot different. Also if you were buying one the amount of money you had to spend would greatly influence your choice. These real world test only benefit the journalists so they can take these cars out for a spin. We already know that hot hatches are "fun to drive".
@cytomatrix he didn't say it was better than the GTR, he, and every other auto reviewer ever have simply stated its staggering the amount of grip this FWD car does have.
@GFXKallum it doesnt matter what ppl think of the gtr cause its rep and track times speak for themselves. my 280kw fwd pulsar does 12.3et and is very quick around a race track but it doesnt last for many laps like all fwd, the front wheels are under too much load, wit straightline, corner traction and braking all directed 2 the front wheels while rwd have its traction and power stress directed to the rears which leaves the front wit only braking stress which obviously means the tyres last longer
I think this is a great video personally and know where they are coming from. The GT-R is an amazing car and is in a league of its own, especially given its value for money, as is the RS focus.But on normal country roads, even me in my diesel mapped mondeo st, can fight my own and keep with hot hatches like the civic type r and vxr astr, even imprazas. Thats not a boast but they can only get so much grip and can only accelerate so hard before having to slam on the brakes. I know from my cbr600!
I have driven a GT-R, it is a nice driving car. Never driven a Ford Focus RS though. But I will say it is more comfortable than a F-430. Just throw it in automatic and you can just cruise.
And health care. In Britain, hundreds of hospitals were found to not wash sheets or change bed pans regularly. You have to outsource your administrative works to India. In Italy, the hospitals were charging the government for actual medicine, but then giving patients placebos so they could spend the money elsewhere. Most people in Canada come to America for surgeries. Nowhere does it work. Lets go to school for 7 years, $100,000s in debt, then work a minimum wage job.
They should have hired Tony Quinn, veteran race driver from the Targa Tasmania Road Rally Series (he drives the GTR in those gruelling road races), to take the GTR on that road.
@h38604460 the caterham is completely street legal. it has the ability to drive over speed bumps. both requirements to get on the poower lap board on top gear. they also both have tha seme power/weight ratio. the bugatti also does not have a comfort suspension, on the track they had it in handling mode, which lowered the ride height, raised the wing and increased downforce
I was being a little harsh I guess. The 2010 Mustang is pretty nice. All the magazines say it is a good track car compared to the new Camaro and Challenger which are more expensive and heavier. But I'd still not buy one and get the new GTI, or upgrade to an Evo X or Golf R when that gets here. And a Corvette starts at about $48,000, but who knows what they're actually selling for considering the state of GM.
Oh jeez. "the traction control is always cuttin off". If it's killig the go, kill the TCS. I bet a old legacy 200 wagon has worse suspension and driveability but still i know you can keep it uder control while it's spinning the wheels. I've driven one, 270 bhp on wheels and bit icy road. Had a blast. This guy doesn't clearly know how to drive a GT-R or any other AWD. It takes determination and totally different approach tha 2wd. He drove the gt-r like any other FWD.
@FrenchCanadianSean Unfotunately most people in the states dont' know how to drive manual as you pointed out. But in the specific area where I come from in Ohio we use mostly manual transmissions. But me I just prefer the greater control over the vehicle inherent with a standard. So take it easy on us. Not all of us have forgotten how to drive..... but most.
@chiwiitube You can't turn it off on public roads or else you void the warranty. It's only when the GPS registers that you are at a track does it allow you to disable it without any consequences
I'm an American and it pisses me off that Ford is selling their best stuff overseas and not here. There's no reason that car should not be for sale here in the states, and if it were it would be outselling the wrx, evo, Civic Si, etc. COME ON FORD!!! Now is not the time to be pulling punches.
@cosworthben88 ill take your word for it since i havent driven it myself but i still think it would be a better car and in a higher class naturally if it were RWD not saying its no good as it is... im sure its fun and the current setup works well
@h38604460 on a wet track only, on a dry track awd will actually slow a car down. rwd also allows etter launches, despite the gtr having launch controll (although it voids the waranty)
Trust me you don't want a Mustang. And they're actually not that expensive. A well equipped Mustang GT is closer to $30,000~£18,000 or less. But, you have so many cars there that are better. I love hot hatches, the Focus RS, the Megane R26, Clio Cup, Civic R, VW Scirocco... Stick with those. Most for the money from what I can see.
@h38604460 the bugatti veyron has awd and a power to wight ratio of 500 hp per tonne. the caterham 7 is rwd, and has a ptw ratio of 500hp per tonne. the 30k caterham is faster around top gears test track than the 1.6 million dollar veyron with the most advanced awd system in the world, but the same ptw ratio
But you can never compare the level of confidence of the Gt-r with a ford RS, a better comparison would be an evo and a GT-r ( both are turbo charges, both are AWD ) :)
While I agree that the the Focus RS would match for the Impreza WRX STi/Evo, I also think the Corvette ZR1 would have been a better match than the GT-R, and only because the driver has more control over the car, and its traction. Of course, having less automated traction control requires a much better driver to be able to handle the raw, uncontrolled power.
@Kamukix Also, by your logic the Corvette Z06 should have demolished the competition in the 2010 Targa Tasmania which it took part since it thrives on the straights. In reality, it was nothing more than a footnote in that race (it finished 16th place, as far as 10 minutes behind the race leaders, including the 3rd placing GT-R).
