Ditch 
Member 
 
Registered: 29th Nov 02
 Location: St Albans  Drives: JDM Celica GT4 WRC 
User status: Offline 
 
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was pootling along my private test track last night, with my friend behind who had just picked up his 02 plate Astra Coupe Turbo... 
 
out of no where a new shape focus with ST decals down the side appears to be travelling close to the speed of light... 
 
 
 
to cut a long story short I left it for dust, round one roundabout and up to a healthy speed on some dual carriageway, and the coupe turbo gave it a match for its money.... 
 
 
So all the reviews which say the new focus ST would test a cossie out on track... pah... I think not!! 
 
 
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Ojc 
Member 
 
Registered: 14th Nov 00
 Location: Reading: Drives : Clio 197 
User status: Offline 
 
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The motoring press suck Fords anus, in their eyes Ford can do no wrong. 
 
In all honestly the Astra VXR is probably better than the Ford Focus ST but as its Vauxhall its fallen at the first hurdle where the motoring press is concerened.
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Ditch 
Member 
 
Registered: 29th Nov 02
 Location: St Albans  Drives: JDM Celica GT4 WRC 
User status: Offline 
 
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VXR is faster and looks 1000000000x better than that thing... 
 
the motoring press all need to be lined up and shot in the eye by OJC
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mwg 
Member 
 
Registered: 19th Feb 04
 Location: South Lakes 
User status: Offline 
 
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They are ugly cars. Would rather spend the extra dosh and get a VXR  
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Teddy 
Member 
 
Registered: 19th Jul 04
 Location: Northampton Drives: VW Bora 1.9TDi pd130 
User status: Offline 
 
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Fizzy ST has an excellent chassis but the engine is not worth writing home about. 
 
Why even bother - the Clio 182 would blow it out the water. 
 
OJC - i agree with you entirely on your comments.
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Ditch 
Member 
 
Registered: 29th Nov 02
 Location: St Albans  Drives: JDM Celica GT4 WRC 
User status: Offline 
 
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quote: Originally posted by Matty G 
They are ugly cars. Would rather spend the extra dosh and get a VXR   
   
 
Fully loaded ST comes in at £19,500... Astra VXR comes fully loaded for 19k
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steve101 
Member 
 
Registered: 25th Oct 04
 Location: Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland 
User status: Offline 
 
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Anybody ever driven a Clio V6? what are they like for speed? One of my mates is thinking of buying one..
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mwg 
Member 
 
Registered: 19th Feb 04
 Location: South Lakes 
User status: Offline 
 
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I priced a VXR on the Vaux website and it came to over 21k and hadn't even ticked all the options  
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TNM 
Member 
 
Registered: 5th Apr 04
 Location: Nottingham  Drives: VW Tiguan  
User status: Offline 
 
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quote: Originally posted by Teddy 
Fizzy ST has an excellent chassis but the engine is not worth writing home about. 
 
Why even bother - the Clio 182 would blow it out the water. 
 
OJC - i agree with you entirely on your comments. 
   
 
its a 2.0 16v isnt it pushing out 152bhp.  This day is age a 1.6 16v is meant to push out that    2.0 is a hot hatch should be 180bhp plus. 
 
[Edited on 24-11-2005 by TNM]
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bradfincham 
Member 
 
Registered: 20th Sep 02
 Location: East Of England  Drives: Clio 172 
User status: Offline 
 
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me not likey,  
The Astra vxr is the king on hatches 
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steve101 
Member 
 
Registered: 25th Oct 04
 Location: Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland 
User status: Offline 
 
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Focus ST is 2.5 Turbo (5 cyl?) 221bhp? Says it gets to 60 in 6.6 secs? Thats still slower than a VXR.. 
 
Yep i'd choose a VXR over a focus anyday.. looks much meaner. 
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Ditch 
Member 
 
Registered: 29th Nov 02
 Location: St Albans  Drives: JDM Celica GT4 WRC 
User status: Offline 
 
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^ why should it TNM? 
 
 
the way I see it manufacturers are trying their hardest to squeeze bhp out of their hot hatches just to have a figure to shout about.... they seem to have forgotten what a good power band means out on the open road... 
 
9,0000000rpm is all well and good on a race track... but its instant power which is useful on the road
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mwg 
Member 
 
Registered: 19th Feb 04
 Location: South Lakes 
User status: Offline 
 
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Focus engine is a Volvo LPT one is it not? 
Will be a nice smooth engine if it is  
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Ditch 
Member 
 
Registered: 29th Nov 02
 Location: St Albans  Drives: JDM Celica GT4 WRC 
User status: Offline 
 
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yea the foci uses a vulvo lump
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Jambo 
Member 
 
Registered: 8th Sep 01
 Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic 
User status: Offline 
 
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quote: Originally posted by Teddy 
Fizzy ST has an excellent chassis but the engine is not worth writing home about. 
 
Why even bother - the Clio 182 would blow it out the water. 
 
OJC - i agree with you entirely on your comments. 
   
 
I agreee with you both please take one ball each in your hand
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Tom 
Member 
 
Registered: 3rd Apr 02
 Location: Wirral, Merseyside 
User status: Offline 
 
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Isn't that new st meant to be a 2.3 5cyl turbo? 
 
Ugliest cars ever imo   much rather the fiesta st
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TNM 
Member 
 
Registered: 5th Apr 04
 Location: Nottingham  Drives: VW Tiguan  
User status: Offline 
 
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quote: Originally posted by Ditch 
^ why should it TNM? 
 
 
the way I see it manufacturers are trying their hardest to squeeze bhp out of their hot hatches just to have a figure to shout about.... they seem to have forgotten what a good power band means out on the open road... 
 
9,0000000rpm is all well and good on a race track... but its instant power which is useful on the road 
   
 
useable power yes.  But hot hatches need more than 150 bhp these days because they are getting heavier and need more power to shift their lardy asses.
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R349XWP 
Member 
 
Registered: 18th May 05
 
User status: Offline 
 
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Sorry but the ST will piss on the coupe.and a clio 182! 
 
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Bullet Proof SRi 
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Registered: 11th Jul 05
 Location: UK - Clacton on sea - Essex 
User status: Offline 
 
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not keen on the focus, i prefer the fiesta st/rs they are lovely cars.  i want one. 
 
however all cars seem to be getting bigger, fiesta-focus-astra-corsa
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Ditch 
Member 
 
Registered: 29th Nov 02
 Location: St Albans  Drives: JDM Celica GT4 WRC 
User status: Offline 
 
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quote: Originally posted by TNM 
quote: Originally posted by Ditch 
^ why should it TNM? 
 
 
the way I see it manufacturers are trying their hardest to squeeze bhp out of their hot hatches just to have a figure to shout about.... they seem to have forgotten what a good power band means out on the open road... 
 
9,0000000rpm is all well and good on a race track... but its instant power which is useful on the road 
   
 
useable power yes.  But hot hatches need more than 150 bhp these days because they are getting heavier and need more power to shift their lardy asses. 
   
 
fair comment on the weight..... !
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Ditch 
Member 
 
Registered: 29th Nov 02
 Location: St Albans  Drives: JDM Celica GT4 WRC 
User status: Offline 
 
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quote: Originally posted by R349XWP 
Sorry but the ST will piss on the coupe.and a clio 182! 
 
 
   
 
on paper its slightly quicker than a 182 
and quicker again than an Astra coupe t... 
 
but it failed to impress!
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Nath 
Member 
 
Registered: 3rd Apr 02
 Location: MK 
User status: Offline 
 
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That is one horrid car. The old Focus looked far better. And yes yes yes i'd have a VXR over that piece of shit.
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Teddy 
Member 
 
Registered: 19th Jul 04
 Location: Northampton Drives: VW Bora 1.9TDi pd130 
User status: Offline 
 
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quote: Originally posted by R349XWP 
Sorry but the ST will piss on the coupe.and a clio 182! 
 
 
   
 
Forget what the "paper" times say. 
I have driven an ST and a clio, the clio was quicker, torquier and handled about the same if not a little better. 
 
Renault have been buliding this type of car for years now and they are pretty dam good at it. 
 
Vauxhall and Ford are the same - luke warm hot hatches (i know i drive one myself) Lets just hope the Corsa VXR is better than the ST (well i know it will be  ) 
 
The ST will suffer with torque problems with the Coupe Turbo as with the Vauxhall being turbocharged gives significant gains.
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R349XWP 
Member 
 
Registered: 18th May 05
 
User status: Offline 
 
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Not seen one in action yet..... 
 
I like the 3 door version. 
 
But the paint finish on the blue ones is dodgy. the bumpers dont match the rest of car! LOL
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Teddy 
Member 
 
Registered: 19th Jul 04
 Location: Northampton Drives: VW Bora 1.9TDi pd130 
User status: Offline 
 
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quote: Originally posted by TNM 
quote: Originally posted by Ditch 
^ why should it TNM? 
 
 
the way I see it manufacturers are trying their hardest to squeeze bhp out of their hot hatches just to have a figure to shout about.... they seem to have forgotten what a good power band means out on the open road... 
 
9,0000000rpm is all well and good on a race track... but its instant power which is useful on the road 
   
 
useable power yes.  But hot hatches need more than 150 bhp these days because they are getting heavier and need more power to shift their lardy asses. 
   
 
Hence why Vauxhall in particular are using turbochargers more and more - to help create the torque to combat the weight problem that the current new issue of lard arses all seem to have.
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