MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Finally got iPlayer to work and watched a recent Top Gear.
Focus RS looks like the dogs danglies, 330HP and room for a bike. Want one.
Looks like a fun car for sure.
Will get you from A-B very quick, but ultimately wont be as much fun as a rwd sports car.
And besides its only 300 bhp, not 330 !
Its the danglies alright, according to Clarkson and his midget... dont bother with the R8, but then again...
UncleFred - Member
Finally got iPlayer to work and watched a recent Top Gear.Focus RS looks like the dogs danglies, 330HP and room for a bike. Want one.
There's room for a bike in a Megane r26.r (??, have I got that right?). Check out evo this month.
dout you'd get a bike in a Megane R26, the roll cage thingy would get in the way....still somewhere to chain it too when it's in the back!
You'd have to Krypto it to the rollcage of that Megane, if you could even get it in to start with; those plastic windows aren't gonna keep anyone out...
Quick car, but hopelessly impractical, you might as well have that super-hot Caterham.
Think I'll wait for a Golf R20T, at least it'll be able to go round corners.
dout you'd get a bike in a Megane R26, the roll cage thingy would get in the way....still somewhere to chain it too when it's in the back!
when it's 18months old the chavs will be saving there drug dealing cash in order to buy one
Will get you from A-B very quick, but ultimately wont be as much fun as a rwd sports car.And besides its only 300 bhp, not 330 !
Isn't that the idea though? A-B ****ing Fast. Not many RWD sports cars you can get a bike in?? (And the 330 was a typo).
4WD version would be fun!
There won't be a 4WD version. I have a 20 page PDF press release, they ruled out 4WD as being overly heavy and complicated at the price point.As for going round corners, if Evo and Drivers Republic rate it you can be sure it will be a great car to drive.
I did some wheel kicking a while back. They're 27k with a decent spec, not a cheap hot hatch. I just couldn't justify it but I will be keeping a very close eye on them second hand.
I grew up in FWD cars and I find them much more craic on country roads!
Barryboy motor
The roll gage is an option on the megane, you don't have to have it, and I bet it's pretty easy to remove it if you like.
I saw one of the RSs at the Nurburgring two weeks ago. Not sure on the colour but looked pretty cool:
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IMO it would have to be that colour, or white like the lone I saw yesterday
Those are the best photos I've seen of it so far. For some reason I think the press photos and videos do do the body changes justice. Just love the massive grill and arches.
I would have to go white, I love shiny white things.
Its always going to get dismissed as a chav car. I think the Focus RS and the Megane are two of the best new cars in years. The Megane is the ultimate evolution of the fine-tuned hot hatch and the Focus is a big technological showpiece for Ford and a great revival for the RS badge.
The car market is awash with overweight, underpowered, too soft, crap.
J0N - Member
Those are the best photos I've seen of it so far. For some reason I think the press photos and videos do do the body changes justice. Just love the massive grill and arches.
Plenty of other fantastic cars at the Nurburgring to takes photo's of too. Great place to go!
santacruzsi - Member
dout you'd get a bike in a Megane R26, the roll cage thingy would get in the way....still somewhere to chain it too when it's in the back!
Well, since you're the expert you'd better tell evo to remove the pics of a Megane r26 thingy with a bike in the back under the cage. (In the current issue) 😉
I love the old "It's not as much fun as a RWD sports car"
What RWD "Sports Car" can you get new for £25k that has the performance, kit/equipment levels, praticality and reliabilty (modern fords are bloody good), not much I'll wager.
I do like how the white ones look and the ford racing blue, they green is a bit liek th old orange ST's, an aquired taste.
its probly gonna be pretty unbeatable untill renult make a fast version of the new megane...i dont think the golf will be very good and it looks awfull...
as cars for mountain biking i think the only thing thats better than the rs is the RS6 estate...
but for 25k u could get an oldish mondao and TVR Cerbera which will make ur drive better...(people who own RS's or ST's generaly drive too fast and dont think about other road users)
Why spend the money on a old (inevitbly un-reliable) no longer existing company made car and another car.
Two times everything; insurance, tax, servicing, fuel, parking.
Just go for the whole solution in one
I like it,a lot! Green for me,but sadly way too expensive for my modest means
its probly gonna be pretty unbeatable untill renult make a fast version of the new megane...i dont think the golf will be very good and it looks awfull
The new megane will have 250hp,(the r26r is quicker than the RS anyway, road or track )but doesn't look that good (in pics). The R26r when bought originally from new could be spec's with or without the rollcage. LAst months issues of 'EVO' had catchpole's spesh in the back with the roll cage version. This months 'EVO', mmmm supercar edition, and the new LAmbo SV, i'd swap the wife anyday
The most appropriate accompaniment for a TVR is a tow-truck.
Hot hatches can be driven hard on public roads with a lot more safety than a RWD sportscar with no ABS.
The point that Top gear and evryone else seems to be missing is that the Renno will break, then when you've handed over a chunk of money to get it fixed, it will break again.
At least the non standard Rs bits have been tried, Quaife & Volvo.
But at the end of the day you either get fast fords or you don't.
I reckon the RS is stunning, but unfortunately once the novelty wears off and a few appear second hand will be unbearably chavtastic - look at the ST now. I'm holding out for Golf R20T (rumoured to be called the Golf R and 300ps) but suspect it will be grossly over priced by the time it's specced up.
That is crying out for 4WD.
I like the 500 Abarth ss class.....................ducks and hides behind sofa 😳
Had a good nosey at one in my local Ford dealer last weekend,must say that the green colour looks better in the flesh.If only i'd got 25grand!
Just imagine if they bring out a RS Focus Estate,ideal bike carrier...
(Ford have 'previous'for this,in the 70's they built a few Mk1 Escort Mexico Estates).
golf r20t will only run 270hp by the sounds of it. Low pressure turbo in a 2.0ltr engine. The scirroco r is running that anyway( bit less).
Your right bout renault, like mine it will break millions of times and cost an arm and a leg to replace
Scirocco R is running big turbo 2.0litre out S3, Leon Cupra, and Gti Ed30 and is 270 odd, front wheel drive. Golf will be 4wd and should be more powerful.... Apparently.
Your right bout renault, like mine it will break millions of times and cost an arm and a leg to replace
Exactly.
Wonder if the MeganeR26 has that stupid key card ignition?
Drove a 'standard'Megane a few days ago,puts card in slot,dash display still says "Please insert card"....yes,i've done that!,card out & back in again a couple of times,then display says:"Press clutch or brake & then start",did that...no start...pressed 'Start' button 4 times before it decided to start.
Whatever happened to the good old metal key? FFS.
My other half has a Clio 197 and I miss badly miss that key when I'm back in my car. You can leave it in your wallet/handbag and never have to faff about while carrying shopping etc ever again.
The RS might be a fun car to drive but having had one at work, the quality of it is dreadful, the bodykit is a different colour to the body, it fits where it touches, wouldn't give you £10 for one, your local back street body shop could do a better job of the body kit and what is it with using gloss black on the mouth, diffuser and spoiler, will be matt in next to no time.
both look like fun but I'd rather have the focus. If I pay 25k for a car it had better be pleasant to be in as well as being quick. I must be getting old though, if a lad in an RS pulled alongside me at the lights and proudly announced he could do 0-60 in 5.5 seconds or whatever it is, I would stroke my car and *more* proudly announce that it could do 55mpg.
They're a terrific car but the word is Ford dealers etc are buying them for themselves at the moment so scarce as hen's teeth.
I was told there was zero chance of discount, then offered a pretty rubbish trade-in value on my Golf, I think the enthusiasts are out in force which is to be expected after the shambles that was the last RS.
I'm pretty sure I read that VW had ditched the 4WD on the top of the range Golf? They can obviously do it given that they have the S3, but they seem to have been scared off by the recession. If the Golf is FWD it should still handle very nicely, the GTI is a long way ahead of the current Focus ST.
They're a terrific car but the word is Ford dealers etc are buying them for themselves at the moment so scarce as hen's teeth.
You meant to say "creating a demand"...
the renault will break before the ford.. aye.
did top gear test the strength and reliability of the cars? no.they dont care about that,they want to know about performance. they went on track and tested them to see what can go from start to finish around the track the fastest.the most unreliable,lightest,best cornering car won.
why would folk look at the next best hothatch because its got more boot space,more horsepower or more gubbins that make it slower than the renault? you buy a tdi estate with all the gubbins for that.or is it the looks of the car and the RS badge that does it for you?
also, some folk on here seem to think a car needs all wheels driving it to make it go fast and that anything with over a certain amount of bhp in fwd cant possibly work.what did they say about the megane around the nur? you could down a cup of tea and a slice of cake by the time that new focus finished a lap.. and thats with a boot full of tubular steel too!
picture todays wrc rallying.. and consider the power they have going to all 4 wheels. Now watch this and consider how fast a wrc car of today would be tackling some of these routes.5 mins 20 seconds is quite good.
but my fav clip is at 2 mins 53/Grasse aplin 94.
that "girls" car would put a lot of todays wrc cars to shame.
"What RWD "Sports Car" can you get new for £25k that has the performance, kit/equipment levels, praticality and reliabilty (modern fords are bloody good), not much I'll wager."
Your missing the point of a rwd car, but making the point of the type of people who want to buy cars like the Focus.
Cars like this have massive amounts of grip and will get you A-B bloody quick, but they are not much fun, and you can't exploit your own skills safely on the road.
Having driven a rally prepared Impreza it was the fastst thing A-B I have ever driven on the road, but I could see over time it would get dull because I would never come close to exploiting its full capability due massive levels of grip and the fact it isnt safe to drive it quick, and I didnt have the level of skill to take it to its limit (not many would).
If you want real fun in a car on the road, get some thing like an MX5 or Elise, you will learn much more about car control and in the end have much more fun!
However if you want a car that makes you feel like a driving god (or makes you feel like you have a big penis) a car like the Focus, yes you will get from A-B bloody quick, but ultimately it wont be as much fun.
Dunc you can just say you prefer RWD, you don't have to bring genitalia into it.
Having the same wheels steering, doing the majority of the braking, and putting the power down, brings its own challenge. The major factor in making a car rewarding on good roads is driver feedback, most of the cars mentioned don't need much more than 200bhp and would be less enjoyable with 4WD
Martin the most important difference between the R26 and the RS is rear seats. If you're restricting yourself to two seats a whole raft of other cars come into consideration. The Megane is just as desirable as a drivers car but if you have kids to consider or a wife to keep happy it isn't an option.
then just buy a r26 then. S'pose main prob bout both cars is that their old hat as soon as their formed. The megane has just brought our the new megane shape, and the new focus will be along soon.Ford missed a trick with the RS by bringing it out so late. The should stick to their original recipe of race them 1 day, build them the next
If you don't like the "Halfords Ram-raid" RS, you can get an ST and give it to Mountune. For £1150 they will make it as fast as the RS, and it won't invalidate the warranty. Plus you'll save a few grand.