focus RS (Mk2)

[AMT]

I'm not a fan of the 370 tbh (New Nismo aside lol) but if you gave me the choice of that and a Focus RS (even the new 3rd gen)... I'd tell you to stick your focus (no matter how quick it is) up yer backside. None of them excite me in the slightest, sports cars or GT please. Mainly based on looks, have been out in the first two gens but they just don't look good to me. Hot hatches never will, even when I considered some before the Z in the back of my mind they weren't swoopy or sporty looking just... bits stuck on a hatchback

Edited February 5, 2016 by AMT

[Ekona]

I'd rather just have the car that drove the best. I prefer to drive my cars rather than pose in them, you see.

 

[zxrob]

To be honest I think they are one of the better looking hot hatches, I've never drove one, I don't doubt the credentials, but, they just don't do it for me, not what I'm looking for in a car

 

Rob

[shaunRS]

Hi, not really a poster on here, I usually come to keep up to date on the Scottish road trip my dad has organised.

 

I own a mk2 focus and without being biased its a brilliant car. Yes its fwd but it handles so good. Yeah you may not be able to drift it but it gos round corners very well. Stock for stock vs 350z there's nothing in it, the RS will pull ahead once into treble figures. My RS is stage 1 remap and few other bits and pieces and once into 3rd gear its bye bye 350z as my dad can confirm lol.

[Bigjimg]

A friend of mine owns an RS in green and was phoned by a main dealer the other day to go and see them.

Upshot of this is they offered him far more money than he paid for it so he sold it to them.

So that kinda puts the prices coming down on them to bed me thinks.

[Irn Bru]

Love the RS brand and heritage, just wish they had kept the Escort name...Focus just sounds @*!#. However as my son has said above they are brilliant cars and fast even in standard form. I'd have one but not at 22k as they are selling for now. I really like the ST500'S as they are rarer and cheaply modded for power. My son had the ST before the RS and spend a few quid on bhp mods and it was stupid fast for a 2.5ltr car and handled really good.

Edited March 13, 2016 by Irn Bru

[zippypooz]

Just off the point slightly but also slightly relevant, i was chatting to an ex F1 test driver the other day and he asked whos the zed was, i said mine, he said 'i almost bought one of those when they came out after test driving it, its one of the best handling cars ive driven, i loved it'. He said 'for me, sports cars should look like that'...incidently he turned up in a gorgeous Aston Martin Vantage. I was quite chuffed!!! Haha

[GeorgeW]

The RS is the only car ever to try and race me on public roads - a dual carriage. It was the weekend after I bought it so was excited, I kept on his tail the whole way, but wouldn't have any more to pass him, so in a straight line we were equally matched!

[nowhereboy]

I pass one most days on the way into work, driven by a chav looking guy in a baseball cap, always eyes my car up and tries to instigate a reaction (this guy does nothing to help the stereotype), sat on my rear bumper today then tried to undertake me, I gave in and nailed it, he couldn't get passed.

 

I was surprised to be honest, I expected it to leave me dead. Must have been slightly tuned too, was stupidly loud, pops and bangs etc.

[Ekona]

If he had room to try to undertake, you were in the wrong lane :p

[Ponsonby]

Hey all

 

With the new mk3 Focus rs out soon i expect the price of the mk2 to drop a bit later this year,

 

So thoughts on making the changes from a 350z?

 

I know it's just a focus but i've always loved them since i saw them and would like to own one.

 

I have never driven or sat in one but these would be my expectations compared to the Z.

 

Focus has better in-gear speed but worse off the mark.

 

Similar ride quality and handling (although they way they go about the handling will feel very different)

 

Worse driving position in the focus

 

Better clutch on the focus, i've never really been a fan on the Z's clutch.

 

obv practicality goes to the focus.

 

Nicer gear change and more relaxed drive in Z.

 

Has any one made the change i would love to hear peoples thoughts on this.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Not convinced the price will drop by much, if at all.

If you had bought a MK2 RS a few years ago for £20K you would be selling it for close to £20K now - can't say that about many cars.

[davey_83]

 

not a direct comparison but.......

Edited March 14, 2016 by davey_83

[Ekona]

Better than a 6RS, Exige, and a 360CS :lol:

[Irn Bru]

 

not a direct comparison but.......

 

Like that...especially because it's a Ginger one lol

[davey_83]

Better than a 6RS, Exige, and a 360CS :lol:

 

Day to day…........ Yeah

 

http://www.350z-uk.com/topic/106617-auto-express-greatest-drives/

[zippypooz]

Better than a 6RS, Exige, and a 360CS :lol:

Depends what you want from a car i suppose!

[Ekona]

Any magazine that genuinely places an E46 330d over a 360CS clearly has zero idea what they're talking about. Completely ridiculous.

 

You'd rather have a Mini than an Exige, or a WR1, or an FQ330? No. No-one in their right mind would.

[davey_83]

Yeah what a crap car magazine, who are auto express anyways.......

[Ekona]

I don't care what name is on the front. That is an absolute load of rubbish, that list.

 

Go on then, BMW diesel or one of the greatest V8 Ferraris ever? Tell me I'm wrong.

[davey_83]

Its probably not just about which car is quickest on a hot lap, its about cost to buy, cost to insure, to maintain, repair, reliability, day to day living, can you drive a f360 every day the way you can a zed probably not.

 

Let me break it down again, every car magazine has a car of the year competition. Is the winner always the most powerful, fastest, most expensive, feature "one of the greatest V8 engine is all the universe...... No, it about the one that ticks most of the boxes aka the 350z (loves bolt on's to BTW)

 

David

Edited March 14, 2016 by davey_83

[Ekona]

The title is Greatest Drives. No chance a diesel E46 is a Greater Drive than a 360CS. Not even close.

 

This is why no-one takes Auto Express seriously any more, and hasn't done for years. Well, that and the ridiculous 'artist impression scoop' stories they run all the time. Come on, blinkers off, you don't think that's even a tiny bit odd? Good god, that 330Cd is six places higher than an M3 CSL, which is superior in every single way unless you really must get 40mpg.

 

No-one's arguing that the 350Z isn't a great car. What I am saying is that that list is an utter load of tosh.

[Jetpilot]

I have to be honest, if you can afford a 360, cost to buy, maintain, insure is immaterial.

 

Value for money might make the 350 a great purchase but it is in no shape or form as good a drive and yes, i have driven one.

Edited March 14, 2016 by Jetpilot

[davey_83]

The fact the the 350z is even being mentioned in the same post as a F360.

 

Anyways, so the mk2 focus RS...... good cars, I like them to look at - never myself to own, way to look at me for my liking.

Edited March 14, 2016 by davey_83

[fishfire]

I've just sold my Focus RS mk1 after four years of ownership and bought a Zed.

 

Loved my mk1, running just over 350bhp and imo, a much better car than the mk2 RS.

 

I've driven a mk2 and found it heavier and slower than the mk1, but a bit more refined. My mk1 RS was definitely much quicker and a more involved drive. And then there's the looks....covered in superglue and ram raided Halfrauds Ripspeed body kit section

 

Comparing it the the 350? As as been said, it's like comparing chalk and cheese as there's really no basis for comparison.

 

The RS will be quicker over all but you'll have more fun in the 350.

 

That said, I'd have a mk2 RS in my fantasy garage line up!