Anyone else driven the US spec. 2011 Fiesta?

[XS_Rich]

if that had 175-215HP like the old focus svt or the rouche, the old focus svt was sub 5.3s 0-60 with a 2L NA

In stock tune, with no more than 215bhp?

The Focus RS can only just scrape under 6s with 300bhp...

[zanzabar]

In stock tune, with no more than 215bhp?

The Focus RS can only just scrape under 6s with 300bhp...

the rs is fat and has a turbo i5, the svt had a tight 6 speed with a 2L 4 banger that hit 90% of it torque at 2000 rpm and was only 2700lbs. it was a magical car

[onewingedangel]

the rs is fat and has a turbo i5, the svt had a tight 6 speed with a 2L 4 banger that hit 90% of it torque at 2000 rpm and was only 2700lbs. it was a magical car

The SVT/focus ST170 was quite frankly, well, crap - or at least not enough of an improvement over a standard 2l focus to be worth it.

[XS_Rich]

the rs is fat and has a turbo i5, the svt had a tight 6 speed with a 2L 4 banger that hit 90% of it torque at 2000 rpm and was only 2700lbs. it was a magical car

That's as maybe, but sub 5.3s? Really?

[RAW-Raptor22]

and a car that size i cant see having less than 160lbs torque or under 130-140hp or else u would get run over getting on the freeway. my 94 aultima with the 2.4 is perfect but something like my dads fit is to slow and they are vary clsoe in HP to weight but that extra torque makes all of the difference

Even thats decent, my 1989 Thunderbird has the 3.8L V6 that makes 140hp 215lb ft in a 3800lb car, and its decently nimble and buries the 85MPH speedometer with ease.

[Kai Robinson]

Always amazes me that you have big engines in the US, with sod all horsepower. 3.8 V6 with 140hp? I could get more than that out of my 2.8 V6 XR4x4

[don_xvi]

You COULD get more than that out of the 2.8 ?
Likewise, one COULD get more than that out of a Ford 3.8.

[Kai Robinson]

Well the 2.8 came with 150hp from the factory, and could squeeze more out of it. But its the fact that it's factory tune was better than a 3.8 that you had there...and they're all part of the same company!

[RAW-Raptor22]

Always amazes me that you have big engines in the US, with sod all horsepower. 3.8 V6 with 140hp? I could get more than that out of my 2.8 V6 XR4x4

You COULD get more than that out of the 2.8 ?
Likewise, one COULD get more than that out of a Ford 3.8.

Agreed. My dad had that same 2.8L here in the states in a Bronco II that made 120HP...

Did y'all need all the emissions crap back then?

The 3.8L just needs the newer style heads and its up to 200hp, put a blower on it you are above 300 HP....

[Kai Robinson]

Emissions were until 1992, a two speed idle test. 4.5% CO max + 1500ppm to August '86, and 3.5% CO max + 1200ppm to August '92.

Catalytic converters are still not required even after 1992, as long as it can pass emissions. Although that only applies until 1997 iirc.

[ProStreetCamaro]

Econo box = Who really cares? I know I don't and I certainly wont own or drive one.


Somebody made mention of the SVT Focus being crap and they were right. I had a kid flapping his jaws to me one night about how he would walk away from my LT1 T/A I had at the time. Lets just say I embarrassed him so bad in front of everybody that night he never came back. By an 1/8th of a mile I already had 8 cars on him and was pulling away further and further. Heard a few weeks later daddy took it away from him after getting a huge speeding ticket.

[Kai Robinson]

Uhm - if you've not driven in one, or give a crap - why post in this thread? To boast about your car being 'teh winz0r'?

[zanzabar]

Econo box = Who really cares? I know I don't and I certainly wont own or drive one.


Somebody made mention of the SVT Focus being crap and they were right. I had a kid flapping his jaws to me one night about how he would walk away from my LT1 T/A I had at the time. Lets just say I embarrassed him so bad in front of everybody that night he never came back. By an 1/8th of a mile I already had 8 cars on him and was pulling away further and further. Heard a few weeks later daddy took it away from him after getting a huge speeding ticket.

of course a tuned RWD car will take a sub compact, but for a commuter car they need handling and just enough performance to get to 60-70mph in the distance of an on ramp.

[jaguarking11]

Always amazes me that you have big engines in the US, with sod all horsepower. 3.8 V6 with 140hp? I could get more than that out of my 2.8 V6 XR4x4

Its an 89 tbird, it was the vanilla version, you had the 2.3L turbo version in the 80's that made 215hp or the 5L v8 that made about the same hp. However the difference in torque is quite different, and power delivery is also quite different.

[Kai Robinson]

Yeah, the V8 will bring in torque far lower down the rev range, but the 2.3 I4 will be the more efficient of the two, fuel economy wise.

[breakfromyou]

of course a tuned RWD car will take a sub compact, but for a commuter car they need handling and just enough performance to get to 60-70mph in the distance of an on ramp.

I have a 2009 Focus SES, and it doesn't have enough power to merge onto route 81 at the place I get on it. I'm doing about 60mph by the end of the ramp, traffic is doing ~75 usually. The thing is so slow, but you can throw it around corners quite well for being a POS FWD car.

[onewingedangel]

I have a 2009 Focus SES, and it doesn't have enough power to merge onto route 81 at the place I get on it. I'm doing about 60mph by the end of the ramp, traffic is doing ~75 usually.

Considering even my 90bhp peugeot 306 HDI could easily merge onto motorways at 70mph, even when there's little run up, I'm finding that hard to believe.

Is that a manual or automatic transmission?

[zanzabar]

Considering even my 90bhp peugeot 306 HDI could easily merge onto motorways at 70mph, even when there's little run up, I'm finding that hard to believe.

Is that a manual or automatic transmission?

the focus is really weak since they dropped the svt and the mazda engine in 05, but its also the same platform and the ses is the same price as the mazda 3 so if u dont get a low end i dont get why u would get a focus anymore. the fiesta though should be good since ford will have learned for redesighning the focus and removing the only good things about it in the power to weight, using a high torque engine, and it being a hatch. i think that its hallarius since the jap companies started in 06/07 with the fit, yaris and versa buy making a car worse that the old focus but ford left that segment wide open right affter convincing people in the US that that was a good buy for a light small hatch.

[breakfromyou]

It's a surprisingly short onramp. My old Contour with the Duratec V6 was able to do about 75, chirping it into second. Accidents all the time right at that area.

It's an Auto. I really have no idea why I bought the car, aside from me desperately needing a new car....

[Judaeus Apella]

I checked it out at the ford site, but didn't like any of the trim levels. I'm just one of those people who won't drive anything less than 200hp or so. I mean, I'm all for the environment. I conserve water, electricity, recycle, etc. But there's one thing I will never do, and that's drive an economy car. I'd rather die. There's no soul in those things, no passion. Unfortunately, that's most cars sold currently in the US, which makes me sick to my stomach. We have such fewer choices over here.

I HATE Ford for doing that, and sent Corporate a really nasty letter a few weeks ago. They're supposed to be an AMERICAN car company, but their build quality is BETTER over seas and offer awesome sport trim lines that still have great mpg in Europe... I freakin hate them!!! We're they're own country men, and we just get the left overs.

They sent me this generic letter back to me, then asked me to take a survey. I told them what they could do with their damn survey.

F#$* YOU Ford!

[Petra]

I checked it out at the ford site, but didn't like any of the trim levels. I'm just one of those people who won't drive anything less than 200hp or so. I mean, I'm all for the environment. I conserve water, electricity, recycle, etc. But there's one thing I will never do, and that's drive an economy car. I'd rather die. There's no soul in those things, no passion.

Would you consider a first gen. Miata an economy car with no soul/passion because its 1.8L engine produces a mere 128hp? What about the old CRX? Be careful with your answer here. Methinks you've been watching too much Clarkson and not driving enough cars.

I'm not a fan of the whole "option packages" thing that car manufacturers do and that's where all of my complaints about the Fiesta trim levels originate from. Like I said, I was pleasantly surprised by how good the little car felt and am also glad that they should be bringing a turbocharged version to market within the next couple years--all of this is good for Ford and US auto buyers. The global platform Focus will, hopefully, also be a good thing for everybody. The "good Ford EU" products that you're complaining about are slowly making their way over here... it'll just take some more time.

Does this mean that I'd buy any of the newer Ford stuff showing up in the US? Eh... probably not. I'd be much more likely to pick up an old Miata, E30, or spend time tracking down a pristine E36/8 M to compliment my E36/7 M.

[Shaz]

Dude I drive less than 200BHP in my daily and it's perfectly quick enough. I can be doing just short of a ton by the end of the on ramp of my nearest motorway with something in the 100BHP region. Don't be so ignorant. It's an economy car and it's GREAT. Go on a VW forum and ask to try a Mk2 GTi and tell me economy cars suck and have no soul, someone there will scare the crap out of you with theirs.

Also, I don't give a piss about the environment, global warming is a lie so I don't care. My other car is miles over 200BHP and once I finish building it I'm going to be knocking on the door of 400BHP. And I fancy a nice grip on this monster to help global warming a bit more:



Big power has it's place. It's not in daily driving.

[libertysyclone]

First off so I am still on topic I want one but I want the diesel.

second, big horsepower in a Daily is not insane. my 240sx make 463RWHP/397lb-ft (weighs 3015lbs with me and a full tank) its really a streetable car.

The only issues are the clutch is a race clutch so its basically an on off switch but I could get away with a lesser clutch if I didnt bang on it all the time and the idle still needs some tuning at warm temps. Other than that HP is still determined by my right foot.

[[XC]thewildblue]

Dude I drive less than 200BHP in my daily and it's perfectly quick enough. I can be doing just short of a ton by the end of the on ramp of my nearest motorway with something in the 100BHP region. Don't be so ignorant. It's an economy car and it's GREAT. Go on a VW forum and ask to try a Mk2 GTi and tell me economy cars suck and have no soul, someone there will scare the crap out of you with theirs.

Also, I don't give a piss about the environment, global warming is a lie so I don't care. My other car is miles over 200BHP and once I finish building it I'm going to be knocking on the door of 400BHP. And I fancy a nice grip on this monster to help global warming a bit more:



Big power has it's place. It's not in daily driving.

IIRC your near the north circular or will at least know it, I know one on ramp I bet you would struggle to crack a ton on...its getting on the M1 northbound....also coming onto the M3 from Sunbury roundabout you will also struggle to crack close to a ton there with only 100bhp. Oh and the a4/m4 on ramp near Chiswick roundabout. I think thats covered a few.... Im sure I can come up with some more...

[Kai Robinson]

That A4/M4 onramp is a piece of p*ss in a Golf GTi 16v, done it numerous times. Certainly doesn't struggle. The onramp is short as hell, plus, as it's a 40 limit on the flyover and the traffic is moving at close to that speed - why would you WANT to be doing a ton?