Have you driven one?
Mustang vs Focus RS
- Thread starter t-rex
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Have you driven one?
This!
Too many people think heavy means poor handling and slow.
Yes take the weight out of an RS or a Mustang, will it go faster? YES!
But what a lot of people do not realise is these newer bigger heavier cars are just as quick and just as good handling if not better than their lighter versions due to vast improvements in suspension, gearboxes, engines, trick differentials and computer systems.
The Focus RS might be heavy, but it will go down a b-road every bit as fast if not faster than say a far lighter car such as a Integrale, EVO 3/4/5/6/7/8 or Subaru STI.
Another example EVO X, heaviest EVO of them all, but down a backroad the most accomplished and capable, whilst seating 4 in comfort. Cars get heavier but they also improve, particular on the road which is where we drive these cars.
This is why when a manufacturer does do a lightened version of a modern car they are devastating quick! A great example!
996/997 GT3 RS. Yet a modern 991 C2S or C4S will lap a race track quicker and is far far quicker on a stretch of road. Now when you look at 991 GT3, it is huge and heavier than GT3 RS's which went before but it will totally kick their arse on a track but by some voodoo magic on the road it is comfortable, drives just like a normal Carrera and has lots of toys.
Cars get heavier, they have also got faster due to an array of improvements as a total package. But the biggest success story of all is you can now get race cars that will lap on the track with the very fastest purpose built track cars but then when you drive these new ones on the road they have comfort, safety and you could use them as a daily, 991 GT3 RS being an absolute perfect example of this.
Soldato
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I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure I once read someplace that the Nissan GTR was increased in weight on purpose to make it handle better and be more stable at high speeds.
Weight and distribution of it can significantly improve a car like the GT-R with its all wheel drive type systems - certainly indiscriminately removing weight won't necessarily improve its performance.
Weight is grip to an extent and the cars weight balance is crucial.
Real world experience, I took the M3 down to around 1330kg and it was something like 52-53% front and 47-48% weight balance front to rear. The car accelerated like a monster and handled rather well, but it was rather brutal in the wet, it lacked grip and when it let go it could go fast/snap, which vastly reduced confidence behind the wheel in poorer conditions.
Now it is upto 1372kg, the balance is now 50.5%/49.5% so it is nearly at that perfect 50/50 balance and as much weight has being remove from the extremities whilst keeping as much in the centre.
The car even has a shorter ratio differential in it to make it accelerate harder now but the car since the weight change which majority came from the installation of welding in a cage and putting back in some interior parts such as door cards and carpeting etc.
But out of every car I have owned and driven including a genuine M3 CSL this M3 I have now handles way better than anything I owned previous, it even has more wet grip and traction than my rear engine 911 had which have huge mechanical traction.
Its have the perfect balance of weight, chassis setup, weight balance, tyres and all the other stuff to go with it.
But I can get in the M3 on a cold wet day or even freezing day and drive it flat out, the confidence behind the wheel is huge and of course its not from just putting some weight back in but overall car setup.
My point is lighter does not always mean faster, there is a lot more to cars than just weight, lighter not always being better, particular in a road car.
Yep, the GTR is 1800kg, pretty monstrous compared to some other cars, yet you don't call that slow by any stretch.
If you are going to delay it then it's worth doing it till April.
Before April £1120 first year + £515 every year
After April £2000 first year + £140 every year
I bet post April cars will hold their values marginally better.
Caporegime
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Mustang, if anything, you can tell people you drive a Mustang.
Or you can tell people you drive a Focus, no matter how supped up it is, it is still a Focus.
Or you can tell people you drive a Focus, no matter how supped up it is, it is still a Focus.
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
That sounds great if you buy cars so you can tell other people what you have.
Caporegime
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[TW]Fox;30342436 said:
I never said it was the sole reason, i said if anything.
But thanks for quoting me, yet again.
To be fair your post implies is it the main reason.
Don't think people really compare there cars like that..
Do you think of a BMW M3 as just a supped up 318 ?
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Caporegime
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If that was the case, I would have said "you can tell people you can drive a Mustang" and not added the "if anything"
I would have thought that implies there are other reasons. I didn't think i need to explain it, never mind over 3 posts.
(we can keep going down this rabbit hole btw, I know Fox would love to, or we can take my clarification on the matter and move on)
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LETS KEEP DIGGING BOYS!
Mustang for me, although I have not driven the RS, but a workmate has one. I have driven the Mustang GT (manual), and was very impressed with it inside and out.
The noise it makes trumps the RS all day long, and the interior styling is more elegant. I'm not a fan of modern Ford (ST/RS) steering wheels either as I feel the centre section is too bulbous looking.
The noise it makes trumps the RS all day long, and the interior styling is more elegant. I'm not a fan of modern Ford (ST/RS) steering wheels either as I feel the centre section is too bulbous looking.
That's fine, you've cleared up the confusion created by your original post now, I was merely explaining as a reader how it came across.
I remember a leading engineer in a GT3 team saying the downforce acting on their car effectively takes it to the weight of a GTR, which is around the optimum weight for cornering.
I personally don't like the looks much of either, but the Mustang with a few mods - like what Gibbo has done - can be made to really look the part. And sound it!
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