Focus ST v GT

[wenklaw]

Well autocar excel again at lazy journalism

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/fast-ford-shootout-v8-mustang-vs-focus-st

The Focus ST is a decent hatchback but its bloody characterless in comparison to the V8 mustang. More to cars than just how it handles b-road twisties, if that's what floats your boat buy the Golf R or new m135i as they will leave both fords for dead.

The new m135i is a much better prospect in my opinion over the ST

Sponsored

 

[jonny10buds]

Well autocar excel again at lazy journalism

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/fast-ford-shootout-v8-mustang-vs-focus-st

The Focus ST is a decent hatchback but its bloody characterless in comparison to the V8 mustang. More to cars than just how it handles b-road twisties, if that's what floats your boat buy the Golf R or new m135i as they will leave both fords for dead.

The new m135i is a much better prospect in my opinion over the ST

British journos have been anti American cars for as long as I can remember, I’ve been reading car mags since the early ‘70s

 

[GR11M]

Who even decided these 2 cars were comparable ?

 

[maddog1982]

Had a mk2 facelift ST tuned to 300hp test drrove the mk3 and own a GT mustang. My mk2 was a hoot, the engine was lovely and once chipped an animal. The MK3 is crap felt so numb and the engine sounded so fake. I dont see how these two cars are in the same bracket and tested together. Worlds apart.

 

[wenklaw]

Had a mk2 facelift ST tuned to 300hp test drrove the mk3 and own a GT mustang. My mk2 was a hoot, the engine was lovely and once chipped an animal. The MK3 is crap felt so numb and the engine sounded so fake. I dont see how these two cars are in the same bracket and tested together. Worlds apart.

mate I’ve had ST’s from the mark1 to the mark 3 (mk2 bluefin map and mk3 Collins map)and I totally agree, the mark 2 was a real gem, big character, great sounding, handled well and bloody cheap baring in mind that 5 cylinder 2.5 engine which was very different to the competitors.

I liked the st170 as although underpowered it was a really nimble car. Then we had a mark3 in the family and that was not great at all and to be honest that’s how I feel about the mark 4 ST, it really isn’t anything special.
The GT Mustang is a special car along with cars such as M2’s, focus RS, Audi RS’s (to a point!) AMG’s and the like, an ST is like a pint of Carling, okay but I would rather something else.

 

[marks]

The best ST was the the Mach 2, with the 2.5 litre volvo engine, sounded good and looked cool. This ST looks and sounds drab.
The Mustang for the price is the best at what it does - sounding and looking cool.
The ST for the price is definitely not the best at what it does.

 

[Supersolo]

I've read that article too.

I guess Frankel was scraping the bottom of the article ideas barrel, when he thought he'd compare two currently produced performance cars from the same OEM.
The limited edition Bullitt Mustang & the widely available Focus ST.

Perhaps next up may be a comparison between a BMW M5 set to RWD & an M140i?

Anyway, what the ST Vs Bullitt autocar article really told me was Frankel, apparently like so many of the current crop of British Journos, isn't the uni-car hot-shoe he imagines himself to be & if he thinks he's good in a quick FWD hot hatch. It doesn't necessarily make him any good at piloting an increasingly rare vehicle layout of large displacement, N/A, front monuted engine, RWD, GT. Therefore rendering his opinion, only subjective, at best!
Quite frankly, most journos today, are simply incapable of getting the best out of a car like the Mustang GT & appear to be too lazy to learn. Their loss!

However, it's Cropley, brown nosing the UK automotive glitterati such as Speth, which would attract my ire!

 

[Gregs24]

How well did you all read the full article ? Frankel loved both cars. He also clearly said that the two cars are built for different people. The ST will clearly be better than a Mustang across country and the Mustang is clearly more of an occasion to drive.

I have driven both and for ultimate cross country pace it would be the ST every time, way more composed and easily the best ST Focus made to date, knocking on RS territory (just as well) But I own a Mustang because it ticks my boxes more than the Focus - although it would be nice to have both. Be thankful one maker provides such a choice !

 

[Supersolo]

How well did you all read the full article ?

No chance. I commented on an article I haven't read, in a magazine I didn't buy...

Frankel loved both cars. He also clearly said that the two cars are built for different people. The ST will clearly be better than a Mustang across country and the Mustang is clearly more of an occasion to drive.

Frankel also had a choice about the type of road he'd drive & judge both cars on... not to mention the initial Wisdom of making the comparison tween two cars so obviously aimed at different driving "needs".
Notwithstanding whether he needed to actually pick a "Winner" or a'judge a 1st & 2nd place.

Roll on the autocar comparison M8 Vs the M135, I say. Followed by "rain is wet".

Furthermore, it's on trend for legend-in-their-own-mind motor journos to pick the under powered, but "sweet handling" car, as superior. Because it makes their opinion appear deeply nuanced & especially informed.


Autocar made a better comparison in their video of an M8 comp Vs a CS800 Mustang.

 

[wenklaw]

How well did you all read the full article ? Frankel loved both cars. He also clearly said that the two cars are built for different people. The ST will clearly be better than a Mustang across country and the Mustang is clearly more of an occasion to drive.

I have driven both and for ultimate cross country pace it would be the ST every time, way more composed and easily the best ST Focus made to date, knocking on RS territory (just as well) But I own a Mustang because it ticks my boxes more than the Focus - although it would be nice to have both. Be thankful one maker provides such a choice !

It’s a fruitless comparison. Comparing a practical FWD 5 door hatchback ( that I add is far from a class leader and completely lacks any sense of event that the outgoing RS had) to a fairly impractical 5 litre V8 RWD 2 door coupe.
What will he proclaim next the focus is far better because it has 4 doors?

 

[Gregs24]

No chance. I commented on an article I haven't read, in a magazine I didn't buy...



Frankel also had a choice about the type of road he'd drive & judge both cars on... not to mention the initial Wisdom of making the comparison tween two cars so obviously aimed at different driving "needs".
Notwithstanding whether he needed to actually pick a "Winner" or a'judge a 1st & 2nd place.

Roll on the autocar comparison M8 Vs the M135, I say. Followed by "rain is wet".

Furthermore, it's on trend for legend-in-their-own-mind motor journos to pick the under powered, but "sweet handling" car, as superior. Because it makes their opinion appear deeply nuanced & especially informed.


Autocar made a better comparison in their video of an M8 comp Vs a CS800 Mustang.

You may have read the online version ?? It seemed you had missed some of the article content where they were praising both cars ?

The whole point of the article was that Ford makes two very different performance cars and why not compare them ? They were both deemed winners in their own way but the Focus tipped it (but not a knockout blow according to the article)

Underpowered ? Even thought torque is probably more important the weight advantage of the Focus means it is almost on a par with the Mustang, and considering the availability in the Focus is better there really is nothing in it. I have plenty of experience of 'underpowered cars' as you describe them as a serial Lotus owner and I can assure you the Mustang pays a big penalty for the weight it has to lug about. Don't get me wrong I love my Mustang ( a great GT car) but it wouldn't see which way an Elise or Evora went despite their considerably less powerful engines.

I'm not really sure what the problem is. Two great cars with different briefs and values. Take your pick and you will not be disappointed.

 

[Gregs24]

It’s a fruitless comparison. Comparing a practical FWD 5 door hatchback ( that I add is far from a class leader and completely lacks any sense of event that the outgoing RS had) to a fairly impractical 5 litre V8 RWD 2 door coupe.
What will he proclaim next the focus is far better because it has 4 doors?

Ironic that I bought my Mustang because of the practicality compared to my Lotus Evora.

 

[Gregs24]

The best ST was the the Mach 2, with the 2.5 litre volvo engine, sounded good and looked cool. This ST looks and sounds drab.
The Mustang for the price is the best at what it does - sounding and looking cool.
The ST for the price is definitely not the best at what it does.

Agree about the Mark 2 ST 5 pot engine - but it was a properly drab looking car compared to the Mk1 Focus. But then the Mk1 Focus ranks as one of the best car designs of all time for me (in the context of what was available or possible at the time)

 

[hinch]

i have both, i can't ride in the focus for long periods of time as the recaro side bolster digs in where i broke my ribs and they never healed right, and the suspension is that hard it makes my brain rattle.

 

[Supersolo]

I'm not really sure what the problem is.

Contrived & Lazy "journalism".

I pay Tisshaw's & Frankel's salary & invoice when I buy that rag & that article is what I get?
It tells the world, nothing the world didn't already know.
I realize times are somewhat tough at the moment, but "hot hatch beats heavier, coupe, in hot hatch's ideal environment" really?
No S#*t Sherlock!
Autocar use to be soooo much better.

Sponsored