'15 GT or wait for Focus RS?

[Supa LA]

The ST weighs over 3200 pounds. You want to explain to me how they will cut weight by adding awd, dropping a bigger engine in it, bigger wheels, bigger brakes, etc.?

I should've said "roughly" 3200. It'll be in the 3300 ballpark, I'm guessing. That's referring to a base model, not one with all that BS added to it.

Sponsored

 

[MrPoopALot]

3400+ pounds.. Easy. Bank on it.

 

[Supa LA]

3400+ pounds.. Easy. Bank on it.

Regardless of what it ends up actually weighing, I have a feeling it's going to make lots of Mustang owners angry. (Including me)

 

[foghat]

Regardless of what it ends up actually weighing, I have a feeling it's going to make lots of Mustang owners angry. (Including me)

The thing with these awd turbo 4s is you have to do atomic clutch drops to get your best 0-60 and 1/4 mile times. The 5-60 times are way off the 0-60 times. At least this is the case with the sti and evox. RS will have more hp and tq, so that will help.

And of course from a roll awd is a detriment.

But, it is definitely an appealing package and will probably be a rocket with tune.

 

[evo8904]

GT all the way. I would never go back to a turbo 4 banger. Now if I would looking at the Mustang EB, the. I would wait for the Focus RS.

 

[GNS]

If I didn't already have a GT, I would hold off on ordering until I test drove one of these. Dead serious. The ST is serious fun, so I can only imagine what this is like. I'm also in love with its looks. I'd get that blue paint in a heart beat.

This is what I'm doing. This Focus RS is going to be a real beast. Found this list on another forum:

Engine and intake/exhaust:
- 2.3L EcoBoost with over 320hp, redline at 6800rpm
- new low-inertia twin-scroll turbo with larger compressor
- high-tensile cast iron liners in cylinder block
- cylinder head is an upgraded alloy to withstand high temperatures
- beefed up head gasket with improved thermal resistance
- auto start-stop technology is standard
- free-flowing intake and exhaust (the exhaust has an electronically-controlled valve in the tailpipe to control backpressure and noise)

AWD system:
- twin electronically controlled clutch packs on each side of the drive unit (controlled by the RDU, or rear drive unit) to provide front/rear torque split and side-to-side torque distribution on the rear axle
- RDU monitors many parameters 100 times a second, and can send up to 70% of available torque to the rear axle. Up to 100% of that torque at the rear axle can be shifted to any rear wheel
- RDU pre-emptively diverts torque to the outer rear wheel, to help drive the car into the corner and help eliminate understeer
- multiple modes, including a 'drift' mode (potentially a wet/snow mode, track mode, highway cruiser mode, etc.)
- brake-based torque vectoring (likely only for the front wheels) will also work to help with torque vectoring
- more than 1g in lateral acceleration (skid pad)

Suspension and other bits:
- strengthened transmission and clutch
- larger radiator
- larger intercooler
- upgraded springs
- upgraded bushings
- upgraded anti-sway bars
- selectable two-mode dampers

Steering:
- EPS
- rigid front suspension knuckles
- shorter-link arms

Wheels / Tires:
- standard multi-spoke 19" alloys or forged wheels in low-gloss black
- 235/35/R19 Michelin Pilot Super Sports, with optional Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires

Exterior:
- exceptionally large diffuser
- brake cooling ducts
- Europe/Asia will get the clear central fog lamp
- Nitrous Blue (RS exclusive, not the same as Liquid Blue on the show model), Stealth Gray (near the end of the reveal video), Absolute Black and Frozen White.

Interior:
- partial-leather Recaros
- flat-bottomed steering wheel
- short shifter
- turbo boost gauge
- oil temperature gauge
- oil pressure gauge

Not only is this a performance vehicle, it is AWD with multiple modes so it can be driven year round with great ease (especially if you put snow tires on it for winter), made in Germany by real Cherman Verkers, it'll be even more exclusive than the Mustang and it's a hatchback so it is super practical. It should also be very tunable, thanks to the upgraded engine internals and such. If it's more than 320hp now, it should be like... 370+ or more with a tune and light mods (if at all).

I'll take mine in either Nitrous Blue (not the blue you see in the pic / video), or Stealth Gray. Two or three years from now...

 

[dirty-max]

3400+ pounds.. Easy. Bank on it.

I bet 3500+lbs just like an evo

 

[traxiii]

Am I right that the RS has 10 more horsepower than the EB Mustang?

 

[Supa LA]

Am I right that the RS has 10 more horsepower than the EB Mustang?

They haven't revealed the actual numbers yet. Some say 320, others 350. It'll most likely fall in between somewhere.

If Ford releases a tune for the RS like they did the eco, you'll be able to save your warranty and get more pep. There's just more you can do with that turbo 4, as far as responsiveness to mods.

 

[ilkhan]

0-60 the FoRS will kill a Mustang EB and probably the GT.
5-60 the FoRS will kill the EB and be close behind the GT.
Anything above that the GT will laugh at it. The biggest benefits for the FoRS will be traction and several hundred pounds. The GT is still up over a hundred HP.

Beyond that, the center clutch is already struggling at stock power levels (thus 70% to rear limitation) and will only get worse when modded. Its still a brake based traction control system which won't hold up on a track. Its still a Focus interior which is WAY behind the S550.

It will sell quite well, and the rear seat / hatch is far more useful than on a Mustang, but I don't think I'm interested.

 

[dgc333]

Does anyone else live in snow country and use a RWD car as a DD? If so, do snow tires really help? I put all seasons on the ST but most FWD cars are naturally pretty decent in the snow. This is a huge purchase so I just want to get as much info as I can and make the best choice. Thanks for any responses, I appreciate the valuable information I'm learning about this new Stang from all you owners.

I live south east of Boston and we have had over 3' of snow in the past couple of weeks.

I traded a 13 Focus ST for a 15 Ecoboost Premium with PP for use as a daily driver. I immediately bought another set of wheels to mount winter tires on (did the same with the ST).

While not as good as either the ST or my wife's Dart with snows I feel comfortable and confident driving the Mustang in the sloppy weather. The winter tires and the "snow & wet" driving mode do a remarkable job. I would say the Mustang is at least as good as the typical FWD car on all seasons.

 

[dgc333]

No idea what you're trying to say. What lesson? Isn't this Focus RS on the same platform the current Focus is on and not a new one? If so, it's not going to weigh as little as the Focus ST. Regardless, I'm still very intrigued. I'd be fine with more weight of it's refined/quieter.

FWIW, the ST gained 200 lbs over a standard Focus hatchback. I would expect the RS would gain a like amount.

 

[foghat]

5-60 the FoRS will kill the EB and be close behind the GT.

Based on what I've seen of Evo's, STI's and turbo Legacy's, I will be surprised if this is true - without high rpm clutch drops, these cars struggle until the tach is reading a little higher than it does at 5mph.

Will have to see what the low, low rpm tq numbers look like I guess.

 

[MrPoopALot]

I'd love an AWD car with gobs of power to drive year round. The Mustang just sucks when it's cold out and it takes a lot of the enjoyment out because I can't get into the throttle.. AWD in any condition is just so reassuring.

V8 is so intoxicating though. RS will not keep up with the GT, but it should be a decent car and a competitor to the STI and Golf R.

 

[Todd15Fastback]

If I didn't already have a GT, I would hold off on ordering until I test drove one of these. Dead serious. The ST is serious fun, so I can only imagine what this is like. I'm also in love with its looks. I'd get that blue paint in a heart beat.

Good advice. I would still keep my GT but....If I ever had to go back to commuting on a daily basis for my job (I have been 100% virtual for 6+ years), I would buy this car in a heartbeat and my GT would then just live in the garage (like it does now) but only driven on the weekends.

When I bought my 2003 Cobra new, I bought a 2003 SVT Focus European Package and used that as my DD. That was car was sooo sweet. Had the Recaro's, OZ Racing Wheels, etc, etc. I had the best of both worlds

Sponsored