It's a 'first drive', hence the lack of detail. Either way I trust his opinion and enjoy his writing, especially his full reviews.
Fairs dos. Personally I don't think it's much better than an RS Meg. In fact I think the Meg is a better car and cheaper. 37k on a focus one has to take leave of their senses to think that's a good idea! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
At least he pointed out the seating position is too high. However he also said the steering is heavy[emoji848] this is completely contrary to what I experienced. It's light. Especially compared to the Megane. I had the sensation he describes when getting into the Megane (that it was going to be a serious machine). Whereas setting out in the focus I didn't get that feeling. Yes it looked great but the seat and steering I was like wtf?? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Look on pistonheads. Yes list price is 32 or thereabouts if you're lucky enough to source one through a dealer. I specced one when I drove it and it was about 35. Too much money for what it is (or isn't should I say). Plus the one I drove had something rubbing too. The sales guys shrugged it off and said it needs to be fixed. I mean, a demo car with problems!? Couldn't believe it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Depends what you want from a car TBH, Theres no shadow of a doubt that the FRS is the quicker car down a UK B road with our weather anyone that tries to say otherwise is dreaming. If i had no intentions of trackdays and just wanted something that could get from A-B as quickly as possibly it would be a contender along with a Golf 7R. Renault need to do something special with the MK4 IMO.
I always thought that on the road the limiting factors were line of sight, traffic and licence conservation.
Sometimes the fastest car a to b is not always the most exciting. Any car in the wrong hands can be a recipe for disaster if driven at 9/10ths on the road, best to save it for the track if that's what your looking for. One thing to note a lot of people are buying dash cams which have now been used in prosecution cases one case resulted in 8 month jail sentence
All modern hot hatches are capable of ridiculous licence losing speeds across country. I always marvel at the pace my R26 can set from A to B at 7/10ths. I am surpised we don't see more prosecutions for massive excess speed.. I think the speed record for being caught is still 155 from a bmw driver on a motorway. I know a few guys that get close to that on B roads round here... National papers and long jail term if caught no doubt..
Have to admit I do drive my trophy quickly most days. It just eggs you on to go quicker. Difference is in a performance car you can go and stop quickly whereas in a lesser vehicle I'd say speeding is more dangerous as its less controllable. Would like to see Evo or similar do a proper test against the Renault Meg RS and the FRS. Two of the greats against each other. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
all the big hitters lapped within half a second of each other at Bedford. any of them well driven would be hard to hang with..
This. Ultimately they are all great cars. Civic. Seat. Megane. FRS (although perhaps not as good as they say imo but meh). Golf R. Hell even Golf GTD's are quick. One stuck to me the other day to about 100 and I was in sport and really pressing on. Very surprised. Thing went like a rocket. Thought they're only supposed to be about 170Bhp? No fucking way this was running that power![emoji51] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Had the Golf R estate been available with a manual that's where my money might have gone, particularly now with the current list price of the Focus. The market being saturated with cheapo lease deals also put me off the R.
Good review and very much accurate, apart from the 'offbeat warble' no mention of the fact it's completely fake. The sound generator really needed an option in the menu to switch it off, it's a very marmite feature.
Seen my first RS on track today. As always pace is down to the driver and not the machinery, but looked a bit bland and pops and bangs that you'd expect to be there just weren't. Just did not look special, good yes but not special..... 20161008-IMG_5127 by John Phillips, on Flickr
I love how they look. Would be ever better in three door. I am just going to put it out there, the ohlins suspension in my Megane is WAAAAAAY superior to the RS suspension. Been thinking about it this morning. It just feels so plush. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Is it WAYYYYYY superior cause its softer and more compliant, but possibly not able to attack corners in same manner as before but you don't know cause you've never actually taken it to limits before It's a genuine question, not all folk stress their vehicles to max then fit aftermarket components and do same again to get realistic comparison and two of the items that are most subjective are brakes and suspension.
I was there too. My mate had a bit of fun with it in his 182 turbo. I was up with another lad in his 530bhp Impreza spec c. Decent day Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The scoob was epic. All the right sounds and very very quick. I only made it up for the last two hours. There was some nice machinery on show. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
http://www.topgear.com/videos/chris-harris-drives/chris-harris-drives-tgs-speed-week-special Not good news for the Ford.... Chris Harris said.... not me...
Oh I cannot wait to see what Harris says, so hope the delivers the truth about this motor....[emoji1374] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Well well well Chris Harris confirmed exactly what I said about the FRS - finally some common sense. Funny he loved the Megane when he drove it years ago and still loves the trophy R - oh well[emoji848] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Club sport s looks interesting though. Agree about the frs. seen a few now and initially I though yes please, now....meh!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Harris really is the motoring journalist of the moment. I have loved everything he has done..right back to the early days. These topgear videos are superbly filmed..good luck to Chris Harris. He should have been the replacement for Clarkson from the start. They are actually very similar people,but Harris has the advantage,of being a world class driver as well.
I think Harris is actually fair about cars though. He offers a well balanced impartial view and he's driven so many sports cars that he just knows how a good one should feel. I also can't help feel that the bangs the frs make sound a bit crap compared to the Megane too which actually sounds like a more expensive car (think jaguar exhaust note etc) the ford has a tinny resonance to the bangs which sounds a bit...well, just not quite right. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
GTI Clubsport the new R26.R I guess then by the looks of things. Universally praised by the motoring media and to get in that top 5 a huge achievement.
but to the masses a pointless car. .Already all sold.So only the select few will get to sample it. All the money VW must have spent to promote the car, after they have already all sold, seems a waste.
I think manufacturers are realising finally that there is a market for impractical fast cars. Not everyone cares about five doors boot space and a soft ride (ooh errr). Some people want rock hard suspension no back seats a loud exhaust and bad ass looks[emoji41] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That may be true (and I do agree) but the manufacturers don't seem to have any confidence, hence the low volume/limited run cars like the Clubsport, Mini GP's and the Renault R's. In one sense, a hardcore hatchback is an oxymoron I guess.
They need to stop making these horrendous gas guzzling dirty stinking diesel utility vehicles/range rover style road trains that are littering our roads piloted by idiotic rich mums who simply cannot drive them park them or judge their distances correctly. Hardcore hatchbacks FTW! Just make one with no back seats but some where to mount the babyseat in the boot space![emoji14] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
All about improving the image of the brand and residuals for both new and old cars. Porsche have been the masters at this, I went into Bournemouth OPC in the summer to get parts for the 944. On one occasion it was less than a tenners worth of seals and bolts but you always get treated like a VIP, the 5 star level of service. The GTI Clubsport in this regard is no different to the GT# and RS Porsches, cars you can't actually buy but they get rave reviews by the likes of Chris Harris, massive media coverage and massively enhance the image of car brands amongst petrol heads. People will scoff at the value of this tiny niche but all the evidence over the past 30 years IMHO is that the entire image and brand value of car companies is built on this niche. If it wasn't we would all be running around in Kia and Hyundai lease cars.
Just found my print out from ford when I drove and specced one up. £35,050.00 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Found this comparison lap for Silverstone, Focus RS vs Civic Type R: Almost identical lap time but the differences in how the two cars go about it is quite interesting, the Focus looking much better at getting out of the corners and down the straights but conversely the Honda much better into them. I suspect Megane comparo would be a similar picture.
Don't think the focus rs is selling like the previous models there's 7 here at my local ford then another 2 at smaller dealers
