So what your looking for is a Lexus ride quality with Caterham R500 dynamics and steering feel? Good luck with that. Also what are you doing with your tongue at 8.20, maybe enjoying the RS, concentrating on the experience? Keep your foot in and the car will reward but tootle around and your better off in something softer and more friendly, something a little less RS.
Thanks for watching and commenting DS. There are many cars which combine handing every bit as sharp as that of the Focus RS with better compliance. I remarked specifically on the balance of the car on the street. It's over-damped in all but its "normal" mode. And even that mode is arguably too stiff for hooning on the street. In fact, there are quite a few race tracks where adjustments to the Focus RS' stock damping/spring rates would have to be made to make the car work well. And yes, I have plenty of experience on-track and off. I've been reviewing cars for more than 15 years as well, so I have a wide range of experience/reference to draw on. As for my tongue. It's just something I do apparently. Weird I know. Maybe I just find driving "tasty". So what's your take on the Focus RS. Have you driven the car?
Twin Cam : I sure have, I use mine as a daily driver. As such I didn't spec the shell seats as standard Recaro seats suit me better. My commute is a mix of bumpy B roads, a little motorway and smooth A roads. I like to enjoy the drive and I'm often spirited in my approach. The. RS rewards with great steering feedback, great turn in and the ability to steer it on the throttle..... all for £30k I agree the car is firm, buts it's supposed to be as it's an RS, a car that has to work when it's under load and that's where it shines. It's always been the same, my 74 mk1 AVO Mexico had much firmer spring rates and damping than the 1.6l the BDA twin cam was the same. What they had on their side was a lack of weight. A modern RS needs to deal with a lot of weight. I used to run a TVR Cerbra, another car with outstanding turn in but as the car had no driver aids whatsoever they softened up the suspension in an effort to create mechanical grip over uneven road surfaces. What you ended up with was a fairly soft and comfortable ride but you needed to be paying attention because when the rear broke traction you needed every inch of that quick rack to catch it. On track the body roll hampered quick direction changes and on bumpy B roads it ran out of travel and you were on the bump stops. I haven't had the RS on track yet but my track time is taken up with my race prepped Porsche 944 on KW coil overs, now that's a firm and over-damped set up... but it's supposed to be, it's a track car. I also run a KTM Superduke 1290r and guess what, the WP suspension is firm. I can stiffen up the damping even further for track use. Our family car is a Renault Espace. It's comfortable and my wife, kids and dogs enjoy tootling around in it. It is however a terrible performance vehicle is over weight, under powered, under damped, under braked and has the turn in feel of a custard tart. But then it's supposed to, it's a family bus. Please keep reviewing cars we appreciate it, but also consider that the RS is available throughout the world and as such it has to work super hard at its price point... Does a performance car need a heated steering wheel? Probably not but you can have one with the RS.
Thanks for commenting gents. Indeed there have been a number of issues with the Focus RS in the year since its debut. As Kilgore notes some are to be expected but there have been other problems aside from drivetrain issues. Visit the RS forums to read more.
So what your looking for is a Lexus ride quality with Caterham R500 dynamics and steering feel? Good luck with that.
Also what are you doing with your tongue at 8.20, maybe enjoying the RS, concentrating on the experience? Keep your foot in and the car will reward but tootle around and your better off in something softer and more friendly, something a little less RS.
Thanks for watching and commenting DS. There are many cars which combine handing every bit as sharp as that of the Focus RS with better compliance. I remarked specifically on the balance of the car on the street. It's over-damped in all but its "normal" mode. And even that mode is arguably too stiff for hooning on the street.
In fact, there are quite a few race tracks where adjustments to the Focus RS' stock damping/spring rates would have to be made to make the car work well. And yes, I have plenty of experience on-track and off. I've been reviewing cars for more than 15 years as well, so I have a wide range of experience/reference to draw on.
As for my tongue. It's just something I do apparently. Weird I know. Maybe I just find driving "tasty".
So what's your take on the Focus RS. Have you driven the car?
well said I love the line something a little less RS
Twin Cam : I sure have, I use mine as a daily driver. As such I didn't spec the shell seats as standard Recaro seats suit me better. My commute is a mix of bumpy B roads, a little motorway and smooth A roads. I like to enjoy the drive and I'm often spirited in my approach. The. RS rewards with great steering feedback, great turn in and the ability to steer it on the throttle..... all for £30k
I agree the car is firm, buts it's supposed to be as it's an RS, a car that has to work when it's under load and that's where it shines.
It's always been the same, my 74 mk1 AVO Mexico had much firmer spring rates and damping than the 1.6l the BDA twin cam was the same. What they had on their side was a lack of weight. A modern RS needs to deal with a lot of weight.
I used to run a TVR Cerbra, another car with outstanding turn in but as the car had no driver aids whatsoever they softened up the suspension in an effort to create mechanical grip over uneven road surfaces. What you ended up with was a fairly soft and comfortable ride but you needed to be paying attention because when the rear broke traction you needed every inch of that quick rack to catch it. On track the body roll hampered quick direction changes and on bumpy B roads it ran out of travel and you were on the bump stops.
I haven't had the RS on track yet but my track time is taken up with my race prepped Porsche 944 on KW coil overs, now that's a firm and over-damped set up... but it's supposed to be, it's a track car.
I also run a KTM Superduke 1290r and guess what, the WP suspension is firm. I can stiffen up the damping even further for track use.
Our family car is a Renault Espace. It's comfortable and my wife, kids and dogs enjoy tootling around in it. It is however a terrible performance vehicle is over weight, under powered, under damped, under braked and has the turn in feel of a custard tart. But then it's supposed to, it's a family bus.
Please keep reviewing cars we appreciate it, but also consider that the RS is available throughout the world and as such it has to work super hard at its price point... Does a performance car need a heated steering wheel? Probably not but you can have one with the RS.
They are okay till the motor blows up because the block cracked or until the AWD system gives up the ghost
Thanks for commenting gents. Indeed there have been a number of issues with the Focus RS in the year since its debut. As Kilgore notes some are to be expected but there have been other problems aside from drivetrain issues. Visit the RS forums to read more.
So your saying its dull like your personalities and the only thing you like, ironically, is the "dull" grey color...