Ford Focus Rally Test Drive, Feb 4-5, 9am-5pm

**carlocaraddict** · February 5th, 2006 01:18 AM

hindi mahaba.

**ghosthunter** · February 5th, 2006 01:23 AM

I went on Saturday morning... around 10am. No lines at all.

**GlennSter** · February 5th, 2006 01:25 AM

sunday kasi family day...hmmm...kanina pako dinidemonyo ni carlo..heehrehr

**number001** · February 5th, 2006 08:48 AM

Puro, hatch lang ba ang gamit, ala ba mga sedan?

**ghosthunter** · February 5th, 2006 09:34 AM

The Ford Focus 2.0 & 1.8 are fun to drive... 1.6 is kinda bland simply because it lacks the power.

**niky** · February 5th, 2006 12:14 PM

I'm going at lunch. Reporting later!

**carlocaraddict** · February 5th, 2006 03:00 PM

For the Autocross, 1.6 Trend m/t and 2.0 hatch ang available.

**gearspeed** · February 5th, 2006 03:19 PM

Sana pala pumunta ako..hehe..

**niky** · February 5th, 2006 03:51 PM

Just finished. Sayang di kami nagkaabutan ni glen.

They had the Orange showroom Focus, the modified Tuason Focus and the Rally bodykit showcar on display. Ang ganda ng interior ng TRS Focus, will post pics when I get to the office (no USB here).

The TRS Focus features a cat-back exhaust system, but they haven't finished intake mods as of yet. They're going to complete the intake box and do chip tuning over the next week or two, but it's confirmed that they've gotten 12 hp on the dyno from the stainless cat-back exhaust alone (2.5"). That's at least 15 hp at the crank. Imagine what it would be like with headers and an intake!

Dress up kit includes carbon fiber on the steering wheel, shifter (auto only, sorry guys!), door panels and center panel. The trim around the center panel is kind of rough, and it makes the dash look too dark, but the door panels and steering look just about perfect. There's also a billet brushed steel TRS limited edition badge inside. They're still negotiating with Ford about production, but I think Ford should really go for it. As it's a cat-back exhaust, it shouldn't affect reliability or emissions. The final target is 20% more power for the 2.0 (174 at the crank), and from what they say about the road tests, they're well on their way there.

Test Drive: The test drive portion was okay (relaxing) and the slalom test was fun. I used the 2.0 for these. Impressions? Much more to my taste than the 1.8, I love the seats and the darker trim. The steering wheel leather isn't as nice as on the RS, but that's not a fair comparison, as the RS steering wheel is original Italian Nardi leather. Airconditioning was a sweet relief, as it was very warm outside.

The A-pillar still blocks too much of my view when I'm merging with traffic, but I'm getting used to it. The steering is well weighted and communicative. Still not as quick as the Lynx RS's 2.6 turn steering rack, but very confidence inspiring and precise, nonetheless.

The power is still not enough for me. It's smooth and strong, but the AT doesn't kick down when you floor it suddenly on the road, and the manumatic is still willful. On the slalom, however, the transmission computer senses your need for speed and kicks it up a notch. It's a bit sluggish from a standstill (I was too nice to try torque braking it from a standing start :lol: ), but once you get going, it's quick enough. The brakes, as ever, are one of the Focus's strongest points. They stop you very quickly, the ABS logic machine gun rapid compared to the ABS on most other cars I've driven.

The car feels heavier and rolls more than the Lynx through the slalom, just like the 1.8 did the last time I tried this, but now that I'm used to the steering, I could place it with confidence. I ran over the bases of a lot of cones, but I didn't knock them over. It's that precise.

On the dirt track, I tried the 1.6. Clutch and gearshift are much smoother than the old Lynx, but only a longer test will tell if it's better than a Civic's. But the feel of the stubby shifter tells me it might be. I picked the 1.6 because I felt the better weight balance (lighter engine, longer butt) would be better on the dirt and it didn't disappoint. Nice and light steering for such a heavy car, good balance and ride over rough surfaces, even if large bumps thump through the suspension. Much better than an old Lynx in the dirt, I'd think.

It's a very nice 1.6 sedan, and I wouldn't hesitate to get one, especially considering it doesn't cost much more than the competition (thanks to EVAT).

Still no word on a manual 2.0. I do hope Ford's considering it, as the manual transmission is both mechanically and cosmetically appealing in the 1.6 model.

On the whole, enjoyable, and we had a nice chat with JP afterwards (this is the third or fourth time I've met him). Nice guy!

**ghosthunter** · February 5th, 2006 05:02 PM

A note of caution with the Ford Focus 2.0 ... it has enough power to "screech" the front tires in dry conditions. Can you imagine doing the same maneuvers in the wet? Given it is not equipted with a LSD or traction control system.