Decision to make. Focus ST vs RS

[WILDB]

I sold an ST to order my GT PP, they are a great daily driver - very practical, fun to drive and get decent gas mileage.

I'm keen to have a drive of the new RS when they arrive, I've driven plenty of the old 5 cylinder versions, but the new one should be something else.

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[MattBassAce]

I own my 2015 Mustang and recently bought a 2015 ST1 as my daily! I love the ST! love love love it!!!

I actually prefer to drive it over the Mustang most often!

I have no qualms about getting an ST knowing the RS is around the corner.

I heard that the ST's are very fun cars as a DD. It seems like the most logical option since I only have a 1car garage and an RS should be garaged. There are a few 2014s in my area for around 18k from owner. Instead of buying new, I can use the leftover $ and buy more mods for the Stang and the ST

 

[WILDB]

The ST responds very well to mods.

 

[Chameleon]

RS FTW!

 

[ZIGZGT]

I would love to have an RS parked next to my Stang.

 

[Socalmustang]

Looking at the numbers and some reading on the RS....it looks like it's gonna be great for tracking and performance numbers are really solid.

but I'm not a fan of the hatchback style and the price on that car...seems way too expensive!

It does seem like it would be a fun car though, but no way I would ever consider that over this mustang. Just my thought!

 

[Hack]

With winter coming in the next few months i will need a DD because gt PP will be garaged(I live in NJ and we get slammed with snow). I have a few options here. Ive always wanted a hatchback for its versitility and I could put a roof rack on it for my kayaks and snowboard.

Option 1: Purchase a new or used focus ST to use as my daily. Will be financed.
Option 2: Trade in the stang and purchase a 16 Focus RS and have best of both worlds. Put Winter tirea on immediately. Will be financed.
Option 3: Keep Stang and purchase an RS. My wallet will be destroyed and the fiance would probably not approve. I would be able to comfortably afford after the new year when I get a big contract raise. Probably cant afford it until then.
Option 4: Buy a good set of snow tires for the Mustang.

Fixed and I vote for option 4.

Seriously, I've been driving Mustang GTs through the winters for the last few years. Good snow tires and it's no problem at all. Plus the car is a lot of fun on the 95% of days where the snow has been cleared and you only have to contend with mass amounts of salt.

 

[woode]

I've driven RWD sports cars with more power than the mustang through winters - south NJ at that even (which doesn't get that much snow...). All you need is some half decent winter tires and you will be fine. A Focus ST is going to be just as crappy on their stock performance tires in the snow.

 

[dwroth]

Live below your means and be financially responsible. Do that and it makes your choices a lot easier.

 

[Old 5 Oh]

Two cars that you want to mod will destroy your wallet. Get an ST and a set of Blizzaks, enjoy it daily, and turn the S550 into a beast.

 

[bahasad]

Get the RS. It will be a beast, be rarer then the mustang. It will arguably be better handling.

But you will miss the sound of the 5.0 and the balance of RWD. If you can accept that.

I myself have an AWD BMW and RWD Mustang. I wouldn't trade either.

Also the snow in South Jersey isn't that bad that you need to go out and buy an all new car necessarily. A good set of snow tires on the stang would go a long way.

 

[XKRJAG]

Our kids just got big enough to not need car seats anymore, so I was going to replace our Fusion with a Focus ST. I work at a dealership so I'm around them a lot. Focus ST is what you'd expect, fun, quick, torque steers and is generally fun, but clearly not a track car. We got in a used 16 Fiesta ST and I drove it, I fell in love, unless you need the small amount of extra room the Focus has, I'd highly recommend the FIST, no comparison in balance or feel. Some things disappointing about the FIST are the lack of features you can get on of FOST (heated wheel, HIDS, power seats, why can you get heated power Recaros on a FOST, but not a Mustang?). Wife ended up not wanting to shift, and if the cars just for me to drive, I have no issue with RWD in winter so I'm looking for a used 15 Mustang GT at the Ford sales and will be running snow tires.

So I'd highly recommend FIST, price won't be drastically lower than Focus, but its worth it.

As to RS, they had one at the GT350 track tour, it was locked, but we got to look at it, it looked mean (ugly primer color, but otherwise impressive), but I personally would have a hard time paying $40k for it. Also we've been told that they are going to be very limited, Ford said it would allocate based on a matrix of ST sales and competitive sales in the region (STI), They also said they'd try to fill all retail orders on a first come first serve basis, but warned they may not all get filled. My take on this is if RS sells, they'll be very hard to get meaning high priced possibly over sticker, if not they'll be attainable, but I look for no rebates or incentives as this will be an SVT type product meaning even when leftover Ford won't offer rebates.


They also said it should start production in the spring, so its quite a ways off, and will likely end up late like GT350 is doing now. That said he's also said they're looking at doing an RS event like the GT350 track tour next spring to try to get competitive owners in the car, but it hasn't been approved yet.

 

[NvDiS]

I would have waited for an RS but my suspicions came true.. its too overpriced.. not even competitively. Yeah i get its similarly priced to EVO and STI .. but look at the value of those cars years later..

 

[TheDivaDanielle]

I would have waited for an RS but my suspicions came true.. its too overpriced.. not even competitively. Yeah i get its similarly priced to EVO and STI .. but look at the value of those cars years later..

Loaded Focus ST - $30k
Focus RS with nearly 100more horsepower, AWD, and a bunch of other goodies - 35k starting price.

Seems perfectly reasonable, and still cheaper than the Golf-R, Evo and STI.

 

[dgc333]

Fixed and I vote for option 4.

Seriously, I've been driving Mustang GTs through the winters for the last few years. Good snow tires and it's no problem at all. Plus the car is a lot of fun on the 95% of days where the snow has been cleared and you only have to contend with mass amounts of salt.

I vote for Option 4 too. I traded a Focus ST for the Mustang and drove it through the worst winter in Boston history. With a good set of winter tires and snow mode it was nearly as good as the ST on winter tires and better than most FWD on all seasons.

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