My ED30 v RS Focus

[Msportman]

Had a phone call from a good friend of mine who runs a local Ford garage near where I live.

He was keen to see how his new Ford RS Focus would shape up against my Edition 30 with all of the added APR bits and bobs.

Like me he's a petrol head with an open mind and TBH he had not been in the Edition 30 but he has sampled a stock MK5 GTI.

I went over to the showroom to see their new RS blue demonstrator.

I would have to say I did like some aspects of the car on intially seeing it parked up but my overall impression is that parked side by side my car was so much more understated and low key. German engineeing at it's best the Golf is the Kings Road car to own.

The interior in the RS is a big step forward and is more Msport orientated but having said that the quality and originality of the Golf seats are a boon.

We both went out in my car first and the sound and performance of my Golfy took John by surprise...he could not believe it's delivery and tractibilty even without a diff. He reckoned I'd be dissapointed with the RS even before I drove it!
Out we went in the RS. First thing I noticed is the initial low down oomph but the noise was cultered and had the lovely warble but didn't rock my boat comparing the two.
As we progressed along some A roads and B roads I noticed how flat the car felt in the middle. Now I know my car is at stage 2 but this is a £28k car with the extra bits but the mid range punch was nowhere near as exciting as the Golf. The diff on uneven roads seemed to get confused pulling and tugging on the worst of the off camber sections especially the B roads.

Brakes were excellent but overall the car would not pusuade me from getting out of my car!

It's not a bad car but it's not a great step forward over the Golf and in the long run I wonder how many they will sell and how the residuals will stand up!  

[SO8]

Interesting 

How many miles are on your Golf versus the Focus RS ??   If it's very new and tight (ie. under 5K miles at least) it won't give a good account of itself just yet .....

[Oli]

Had a phone call from a good friend of mine who runs a local Ford garage near where I live.

He was keen to see how his new Ford RS Focus would shape up against my Edition 30 with all of added APR bits and bobs.

Like me he's a petrol head with an open mind and TBH he had not been in the Edition 30 but he has sampled a stock MK5 GTI.

I went over to the showroom to see their new RS blue demonstrator.

I would have to say I did like some aspects of the car on intially seeing it parked up but my overall impression is that parked side by side my car was so much more understated and low key. German engineeing at it's best the Golf is the Kings Road car to own.

The interior in the RS is a big step forward and is more Msport orientated but having said that the quality and originality of the Golf seats are a boon.

We both went out in my car first and the sound and performance of my Golfy took John by surprise...he could not believe it's delivery and tractibilty even without a diff. He reckoned I'd be dissapointed with the RS even before I drove it!
Out we went in the RS. First thing I noticed is the initial low down oomph but the noise was cultered and had the lovely warble but didn't rock my boat comparing the two.
As we progressed along some A roads and B roads I noticed how flat the car felt in the middle. Now I know my car is at stage 2 but this is a £28k car with the extra bits but the mid range punch was nowhere near as exciting as the Golf. The diff on uneven roads seemed to get confused pulling and tugging on the worst of the off camber sections especially the B roads.
Brakes were excellent but overall the car would not pusuade me from getting out of my car!

It's not a bad car but it's not a great step forward over the Golf and in the long run I wonder how many they will sell and how the residuals will stand up!   

When I test drove the RS this is exactly what I thought, especially about it tugging the car all over the place, I thought it was horrendous in fact!

[mortygttdi]

The RS can be alot more and I think people are getting in standard RS's and not seing the full picture...Ive heard alot of people say the engine is at its limits with the spec Ford have put into it  The RS with the amount of mods that some one can put into any other car will be phenominal! Dont forget this car is STILL watered down to pass euro emissions.

Any ill say it again I used to own a Focus ST225 and got rid of it for its drinking problem I will NOT own another for that simple reason.  

or yeh! forget to say I dont think id get back out of a VW now

Darren

[Msportman]

Interesting 

How many miles are on your Golf versus the Focus RS ??   If it's very new and tight (ie. under 5K miles at least) it won't give a good account of itself just yet .....

It's done the rounds at 9800 miles!

[Msportman]

I agree it's the OE watered down variety that will always be some way off our expectations from a modded car.

The straightline performance and mid range oomph are some way off my car....the RS will certainly need a map and exhaust to match or better the Ed30.

 think what it does say is what good value a used Edition 30 is against the new RS. Even a good stock Ed30 at 15k plus mods at 4k still is 7-8k under the new RS!

The mid range thump is nowhere near the levels of a stage 2 mapped car!! 

[Hurdy]

Good comparison

I don't want an RS, but I wouldn't mind trying one just to see how much it lacks> I know it does lack oomph as I've played against one before.

[mortygttdi]

think what it does say is what good value a used Edition 30 is against the new RS. Even a good stock Ed30 at 15k plus mods at 4k still is 7-8k under the new RS!

See what your getting at now Ive seen Ed30 for under £15 so to even spend £10k on it it would be some beast and be still cheaper than an RS.

Darren

[Top Cat]

Once again everyone compares their stage 2 ED 30 to standard cars. Surely to have a comparison thats worth reading you need to give the RS a 100 more BHP.
I can fully understand people putting there views and opinion's forward. But you are first comparing it against your own personal choices so straight away there is going to be bias and secondly everyone in the world knows the ED 30 lump lends itself beautifully to a re-map.
My car feels nimble and and much faster than a standard ED 30. but you would all laugh at me if i posted this.    

[chungster]

Once again everyone compares their stage 2 ED 30 to standard cars. Surely to have a comparison thats worth reading you need to give the RS a 100 more BHP.
I can fully understand people putting there views and opinion's forward. But you are first comparing it against your own personal choices so straight away there is going to be bias and secondly everyone in the world knows the ED 30 lump lends itself beautifully to a re-map.
My car feels nimble and and much faster than a standard ED 30. but you would all laugh at me if i posted this.    

Totally agree with ya TC. but there will always be these kinda threads/posts.  Remapped vs  standard is unfair. Remap the FRS and i bet the results are rather different. and remaps are what....£500??? 

[Oli]

When I test drove it I 'compared' it to my standard RS4 avant, that I had at the time!!  It still torque steered like fcuk!

[Poverty]

Residuals on the RS will be great, and a stage 2 plus RS runs 375hp and 80lbft more torque than a stage 2 plus ed30, so a stage 2 plus RS will be the quicker car by some margin unless the golf has a diff fitted.

[Hurdy]

Residuals on the RS will be great, and a stage 2 plus RS runs 375hp and 80lbft more torque than a stage 2 plus ed30, so a stage 2 plus RS will be the quicker car by some margin unless the golf has a diff fitted.

I'll believe the output figures, but I need to see actual speed figures

I've yet to see a well modified, remapped ST (that is lighter than the RS) make better than 14 seconds on a qtr strip.

I partially agree with TC, in that there will always be an unfair STD v's Modified comparison, but it does still make sense when you look at the costs of both to do the comparison.

[Poverty]

Residuals on the RS will be great, and a stage 2 plus RS runs 375hp and 80lbft more torque than a stage 2 plus ed30, so a stage 2 plus RS will be the quicker car by some margin unless the golf has a diff fitted.

I'll believe the output figures, but I need to see actual speed figures

I've yet to see a well modified, remapped ST (that is lighter than the RS) make better than 14 seconds on a qtr strip.

I partially agree with TC, in that there will always be an unfair STD v's Modified comparison, but it does still make sense when you look at the costs of both to do the comparison.

On the strip there will be not much in it imo, but out on the track the RS will make a ed30 or leon cupra look silly, nless the k04 car has diff fitted also.

Quite alot of scooby guys have traded theirs in for RS's so hopefully one of them will mod theirs soon. If not a fella from my way is gonna mod his one up.

[Msportman]

As said previously you can't compare the OE output of the ED30 against the RS.

It is useful to know however how your own car stacks up against the new kid on the block and it's also fait to say what good value the Ed30 is even with just a light re map.

I'm sure the RS would be quicker with a properly done map exhaust and induction but there again you're probably looking at over 30k. Would that be worth over 10-12k over a properly sorted ED30....probably not in my view.

I wouldn't turn one down though.

Interestingly Evo and Drivers Replublic tested the RS against the R26 on track....the Renault was quicker. Probably weight and tyre issues were to account for this. As an everyday car the RS would win was everyone's consensus.