MarkCup's 2017 Ford Focus RS

[Mr Plums]

They are quite heavy. Pace wise, whilst I've not played with one yet, my mate has and it wasn't as quick as his 290ish hp impreza wagon. I've seen video evidence of that, too.

Snaps your arms off?

Lol, well it doesnt literally snap them off, but it just feels very lively and you have to give 100% concentration camp or you will be in next door neighbours garden pond, its just really madness, where as your rs, even tho it looks much more fun than the 440, still looks really composed.

But i guess thats new technology, and the fact that my clio was only meant to be 182hp.

 

[BoatNonce]

I love your car mate, its proper nice.

I might have to quote this forever more. Should probably check who you're replying to

I meant does it torque steer bad then?

 

[Mr Plums]

I might have to quote this forever more. Should probably check who you're replying to :wink:

I meant does it torque steer bad then?

I shouldnt reply to markcup?

 

[BoatNonce]

Nice try noodle arms.

 

[Mr Plums]

Nice try noodle arms.

Lol just noticed i quoted you haha wtf happened there...

 

[BoatNonce]

Lol just noticed i quoted you haha wtf happened there...

You said my car was more fun than a 440, and also more composed. Then you said you liked my car.

I believe that's called a Freudian Slip.

 

[Mr Plums]

You said my car was more fun than a 440, and also more composed. Then you said you liked my car.

I believe that's called a Freudian Slip.

I do actually really like your car btw

 

[Silent_Scone]

I get what you mean Plums. I think you're right in that the RS is pretty composed but that's what makes it such a car of two shades. You can drive it to work in considerable luxury, and also leave the road with just a blip of the throttle

 

[Mr Plums]

I get what you mean Plums. I think you're right in that the RS is pretty composed but that's what makes it such a car of two shades. You can drive it to work in considerable luxury, and also leave the road with just a blip of the throttle :tongueout:

Im only jealous mate, and my comparison is pretty retarded as usual, because you could add mods to the rs and it would be a brutal animal.

 

[Mr R.]

brutal animal.

Lets not get carried away, this isn't an Impreza. :tongueclosed:

 

[MarkCup]

Good numbers those. Did you run in 2wd dyno mode or was it a 4wd dyno?

He just stuck it on the rollers in normal 4WD mode, gave it a couple of pulls through and then that was it done. He said they generally sh*t themselves on the third pull and throw an array of lights up so he never bothers.

Its no doubt a lovely car, but when you floor it, it doesnt seem to go like a 337hp car?

My clio is 285hp, although a lot less weight, mine literally snaps your arms off like your smashing an R1 up the straights.

I like the tin can feel of mine, it adds to the fun and character, i really do like the rs tho, that blue colour is proper stunning.

I really enjoy your videos, its like watching a professor, or a rocket scientist eat a banana.

It doesn't feel like it goes like a 338 bhp car but it really does go like a 338 bhp car. I know what you're saying though, the sense of speed and acceleration in my 172 Cup after I'd stripped it made it feel properly f*****g quick...the RS just doesn't.

But it is...it's just very very undramatic in its power delivery as evidenced by the rectangular torque 'curve'. They've given it a little zing at the top though...it always felt to me like there was actually a point wringing it out for the last thousand RPM (unlike my Fiesta ST) and you can see that from the climb to the 6k peak.

 

[c4pob]

He just stuck it on the rollers in normal 4WD mode, gave it a couple of pulls through and then that was it done. He said they generally sh*t themselves on the third pull and throw an array of lights up so he never bothers.



It doesn't feel like it goes like a 338 bhp car but it really does go like a 338 bhp car. I know what you're saying though, the sense of speed and acceleration in my 172 Cup after I'd stripped it made it feel properly f*****g quick...the RS just doesn't.

But it is...it's just very very undramatic in its power delivery as evidenced by the rectangular torque 'curve'. They've given it a little zing at the top though...it always felt to me like there was actually a point wringing it out for the last thousand RPM (unlike my Fiesta ST) and you can see that from the climb to the 6k peak.

Fair enough, this mirrors what I've heard elsewhere but purely out of interest, I didn't know if you bothered with all the button pressing (reminds me of streetfighter button combos) to enable the dyno mode. Did the person doing the dyno comment if the driving mode makes any difference as to how it behaves? Also, did the dyno give an indication where the torque was being sent, front to rear etc?

Throwing my 2 pence on the power output, the point of the RS though isn't actually about power (I do appreciate I'm preaching to the converted)! It's about the interactivity and the playfulness of the whole package. The car is huge fun and monstrously quick down a B road, primarily because it is able to mask (read that as deal with) the speed so well.

On another note, do you have any general observations from the skid pan day? Appreciate you are soon to issue your video review but I'm interested as to your thoughts having done the same with my RS last year.

 

[MarkCup]

Fair enough, this mirrors what I've heard elsewhere but purely out of interest, I didn't know if you bothered with all the button pressing (reminds me of streetfighter button combos) to enable the dyno mode. Did the person doing the dyno comment if the driving mode makes any difference as to how it behaves? Also, did the dyno give an indication where the torque was being sent, front to rear etc?

Throwing my 2 pence on the power output, the point of the RS though isn't actually about power (I do appreciate I'm preaching to the converted)! It's about the interactivity and the playfulness of the whole package. The car is huge fun and monstrously quick down a B road, primarily because it is able to mask (read that as deal with) the speed so well.

On another note, do you have any general observations from the skid pan day? Appreciate you are soon to issue your video review but I'm interested as to your thoughts having done the same with my RS last year.

No comments on using the so called dyno mode. I asked him how he would do it and he told me. He's been doing it long enough and I (and many others) trust him enough to know that he's doing whatever he's doing the best way he can.

No exploration of drive modes either. I plan to datalog a bit further on that myself but I suspect the engine performance is completely the same across all modes.

Rockingham? Fantastic day. I didn't end up swapping cars with Gordon and his 440 as it ended up being a great learning experience and I just wanted to keep learning and feeling what the car did and how it did it. I found it very easy to get sideways, sort of easy to hold it there, but quite hard to be accurate with it.

 

[c4pob]

Glad it isn't just me then! I had the same in that I could get it sideways (though to get decent angles I had to use the handbrake to initiate) and could keep it there but struggled to get forward drive to control where the car went, it almost kept going straight but sideways (this was with all drivers aids off)...due to it being a full session I did not have the opportunity to repeat again and again to try different variables (entry speed, length of handbrake deployment, engine revs etc) to work on the control...was having too much fun as well! I never felt though that it wanted to swap ends and without the handbrake it had a tendency to understeer initially before the power was sent rearwards.
I found that with standard mode and traction on, it would still drift and be a lot more controllable from a drift accuracy point of view but the maximum angle achievable was very shallow.
Having said all that I did find it to be hugely capable and you could sense the clever trickery going on underneath you but also quite difficult to master.

 

[Silent_Scone]

He just stuck it on the rollers in normal 4WD mode, gave it a couple of pulls through and then that was it done. He said they generally sh*t themselves on the third pull and throw an array of lights up so he never bothers.



It doesn't feel like it goes like a 338 bhp car but it really does go like a 338 bhp car. I know what you're saying though, the sense of speed and acceleration in my 172 Cup after I'd stripped it made it feel properly f*****g quick...the RS just doesn't.

But it is...it's just very very undramatic in its power delivery as evidenced by the rectangular torque 'curve'. They've given it a little zing at the top though...it always felt to me like there was actually a point wringing it out for the last thousand RPM (unlike my Fiesta ST) and you can see that from the climb to the 6k peak.

Does seem odd considering the power-band. But turbo cars are simply not what they used to be, that explosive power delivery from that initial spool is lost to more efficient engine and turbo design. And then lost some more by being heavier lol. There's upshots and downsides to both, though. Surge can be a bit jarring at times on my 80 series for instance

 

[MarkCup]

Does seem odd considering the power-band. But turbo cars are simply not what they used to be, that explosive power delivery from that initial spool is lost to more efficient engine and turbo design. And then lost some more by being heavier lol. There's upshots and downsides to both, though. Surge can be a bit jarring at times on my 80 series for instance

I get what you're saying...but the boost is always there, lag is minimal, and it just quickly builds boost and goes whenever I need it to...as you say though it does lack that dramatic build up and lunge for the horizon!

 

[Silent_Scone]

I get what you're saying...but the boost is always there, lag is minimal, and it just quickly builds boost and goes whenever I need it to...as you say though it does lack that dramatic build up and lunge for the horizon!

That's what I was getting at. There's nothing fundamentally wrong with both, you're getting that power but it loses some of the drama. That said, I still wouldn't fancy your chances against my old hack

 

[Mr R.]

That's what I was getting at. There's nothing fundamentally wrong with both, you're getting that power but it loses some of the drama. That said, I still wouldn't fancy your chances against my old hack

Yes but the newer turob cars are designed for old people to drive to the shops without landing in a ditch when hitting a bend on boost.
My wife couldn't drive mine every day but I bet she could drive a FRS with no issues.

Mark, id love for you to drive my car one day and see what you think. [emoji5]

 

[Silent_Scone]

Yes but the newer turob cars are designed for old people to drive to the shops without landing in a ditch when hitting a bend on boost.
[emoji5]

Tell that to the pleb on GasKings instagram lol :smiley:

Irony being I wasn't even on boost when I love tapped mine

 

[Mr R.]

Tell that to the pleb on GasKings instagram lol

Ok, well I guess there is always an exception.

 

[MarkCup]

I'm planning to film a video tomorrow and wanted the usual "the coolant level is fine" shot of the resevoir...so I popped the bonnet this afternoon with camera in hand to film the level and found that it's lost a good 200-300 ml or thereabouts :fearscream:

It looks like mine might be about to go pop LOL

 

[Russ]

I popped the bonnet this afternoon with camera in hand to film the level and found that it's lost a good 200-300 ml or thereabouts :fearscream:

It looks like mine might be about to go pop LOL

:fearscream: Fingers crossed for you Mark, I hope it isn't!!

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

s**t..

Still, there don't seem to be any perfect (reliability wise) fast cars these days. You've got warranty so if it goes pop it goes pop!

 

[Pep]

s**t..

Still, there don't seem to be any perfect (reliability wise) fast cars these days. You've got warranty so if it goes pop it goes pop!

I wouldn't say that's true at all mate!
Can't think of any major problems with any of the common performance cars from BMW / Audi / Merc / Porsche etc. Yes in the past but most stuff seems fairly bullet proof nowadays.

 

[Mr Plums]

f**king fords!

I hope its ok mate and nothing serious.

 

[leeds_182]

I'm planning to film a video tomorrow and wanted the usual "the coolant level is fine" shot of the resevoir...so I popped the bonnet this afternoon with camera in hand to film the level and found that it's lost a good 200-300 ml or thereabouts :fearscream:

It looks like mine might be about to go pop LOL

Be good content for the subs.

 

[Mr R.]

f**king fords!

I hope its ok mate and nothing serious.

Nothing a new engine won't sort.

 

[BoatNonce]

That really is grim news if it is dying as you're probably one of the most mechanically sympathetic RS owners out there.

That said if they do fit the uprated gasket etc (and it solves the problem long term), then it's going to be more valuable than a potential ticking time bomb.

s**t..

Still, there don't seem to be any perfect (reliability wise) fast cars these days. You've got warranty so if it goes pop it goes pop!

 

[Mr Plums]

That really is grim news if it is dying as you're probably one of the most mechanically sympathetic RS owners out there.

That said if they do fit the uprated gasket etc (and it solves the problem long term), then it's going to be more valuable than a potential ticking time bomb.

 

[Stefan.]

Should of bought a mk2 frs.....

Just kidding, hope its not fucked

 

[MarkCup]

s**t..

Still, there don't seem to be any perfect (reliability wise) fast cars these days. You've got warranty so if it goes pop it goes pop!

Exactly. Ford have at least now acknowledged there's a problem with these engines and are supposedly working on a fix 'for all owners'.

Be good content for the subs.

This is the one slight positive to be taken.

That really is grim news if it is dying as you're probably one of the most mechanically sympathetic RS owners out there.

I may, err, have been launch it a lot lately...but I've been mechanically sympathetic while doing it 😅

 

[charltjr]

As you say, at least Ford have acknowledged the issue. Aren't they on the verge of a full blown recall? I don't see they've got much choice, it's not something any car can afford to have hanging over it no matter how widespread it is in reality.

Fingers crossed it's something silly like a leaky hose, just because of the ballache factor.

It's not though, is it, you know it, we know it, knackers.....

 

[c4pob]

Sorry to hear this, fingers crossed for you. Let us know how you get on.

 

[MarkCup]

A little update...yesterday morning showed a little splutter on start but nothing like the full blown misfire and plumes of burnt off coolant I've seen others have, and checking the level on a flat surface when fully warmed through showed the coolant level to be approx. 5mm lower than when it was brand new, just off the transporter, and stone cold. Lower by maybe 250-500ml but nothing major.

This morning though, the misfire was definitely there and it was the same again this evening. I'll be keeping a close watch on each startup this week (and filming them all) to see if it gets progressively worse.

Sh*t.

 

[Stay Puft]

Should have thrashed it from day one! Only kidding, you must be gutted.

 

[imprezaworks]

Gutted.

 

[c4pob]

A little update...yesterday morning showed a little splutter on start but nothing like the full blown misfire and plumes of burnt off coolant I've seen others have, and checking the level on a flat surface when fully warmed through showed the coolant level to be approx. 5mm lower than when it was brand new, just off the transporter, and stone cold. Lower by maybe 250-500ml but nothing major.

This morning though, the misfire was definitely there and it was the same again this evening. I'll be keeping a close watch on each startup this week (and filming them all) to see if it gets progressively worse.

Sh*t.

Sorry to hear this. To be honest though, I don't think it's a bad thing. Only downside is a new running in period and another dyno session!

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Too late to send it back and get a GTR? (was thinking over the weekend that it's like a bigger, much more serious FRS)

 

[leeds_182]

When’s the vid up regarding this? Should be a good watch.

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

Boot its c**t in from cold and get that new engine.

I don’t know about anyone else but i expect full video documentary of new engine: day one.