06-11-2016, 07:58 AM | #1 |
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M2 vs Focus RS vs Audi RS3 vs AMG A45: Auto Bild Sports Cars July 2016
Finally it's there! The most comprehensive comparo of these cars (Germans are very good at these).
Bear with the google translate below, I am too lazy to do a proper translation
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06-11-2016, 07:59 AM | #2 |
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Google translation:
In principle, this is what we on the following pages extend a pretty serious matter. It comes to the final ranking in the compact segment; about who really the most hott Hatch builds; or whether this Hotteste now not rather a coupe is. It's about lap times, Sprint values, braking distances to driving impressions and also about who the jump most performance for your money leaves. Now runs here but also the new Ford Focus RS with. And who is even vaguely still working recalls what impressive Confetti firework his predecessor once honed, can actually count them on one finger, that it without Gaudi this time will not expire. nevertheless we try, the number objectively tackle. As the Ford himself, who in the third generation now final, Frontantriebs- Comedian for four-wheel-rival blossomed. His spoiler and Schwellerornat is no longer only the presentation, but the first time well balanced aerodynamics. The powertrain works with external coolers Brembo stoppers are 30 racetrack Minutes at a time through; Front and rear suspension were significantly stiffer executed the Adaptivfahrwerk neatly spiced up while the forged 19-inch model again expensive with 1000 Euro Sport rubber let recap. Really important, however, are Two other factors that character the Focus of shape. On the one hand the new 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder, of the old five-cylinder in terms of responsiveness, power delivery and consumption over worthy heir, emotional but then but not quite in his footsteps flairt. Not misunderstand: The Way as he growls a (sound amplified) from the front as he through double pipe snarls and Load change drauflosknattert than if someone had a battery Silvester firecrackers ignited, the already turnt at. Only echoes unshaven Joe- Cocker timbre of once simple still peppy after, as that on the other hand he angrölen seriously could. Point two hits the nail for fully upside down. This refers to the Four-wheel drive, the 350 hp and 440 - in overboost 470 - Newton meters now equal purposeful recycled, without, however, to to hit the driving pleasure. On the contrary. The system is rather Lynchpin equal more Handling aspects, which along the individual drive modes defoliate. Because unlike conventional hang-on solutions which always with a four-wheel coupling work on the rear axle, has the Focus the two, and this he can still completely to separately adjustable. Active, continuously and fully variable up towards the extreme case where only one Wheel on the rear axle drives. What happens then can be beautiful on Ford's Youtube Channel empathize, on so few Copies wild räuchernd around pylons gyrate. And yes: The quote its developers, according to which the "Drift Mode "many bad drivers surprisingly look good, can We only confirm at this point. Well of course you can be divided on what such a Mode is that one good conscience only to be unlock protected route can ignite if the domestic Tire Delivery times again take livingroom threatened; on the other hand fits all the Acting but quite perfect to Focus, the yes never be has sheared to conventions, as long as the Gaudi true. And this is also true in the more civil Modes. Yes, even the civilians of all, the "Normal Mode". Okay, you still sitting a little excessive, more on top than in the middle. But for a suction cups The standard sports seats so the action that you look 1600 Euro for shell stalls can give confidently. And so brezelt one then on the home track. The jagged steering in Left, the crystal clear guided Circuit on the right, the Four quick-tempered final at the Sole, banquets in the visor, while the wheel subtly from the Background controls, very classic as traction insurance. As Ideal highway crystallizes However, only the "Sport Mode "out of the Steering again nachzurrt, response and sound and goads with the wheel now noticeable in the Curve drallt once you the 1.6 bar Boost pressure fire on the dance floor. The Whole thing feels a bit by Evo and significantly more agile than all the other Hang-ons. Were to remain final nor the "Track Mode" Ford, however, only on closed Routes recommended. And honestly? Even there we had our concerns. Not because of the Allrads who in "Track" actually even more sensational levers from behind, but because of putting Attenuation that the Focus such brutal tightly clamped onto the base, that the crew at every even so small bump herumhopst like a Wackeldackel on Epo. Not pushing his hard pimple need here in order to feel well and on the other hand shows the Audi, dynamics on significantly more subtle way scatters. It may be that he sometimes a bit of support in Suspension is missing, but compensated for the the Ingolstadt then right elegant by movement. A slight prance already for Braking, the never nervous, but more agile feel. By the bold impulse to him the Wheel are to relent. Or by the slight Lastwechselschlenzer, which almost maddeningly Relaxed from its backbone let pluck. And then all the rest: the incredible precision direct steering, the flaky pedal feel, the exact double couplers the haptic delight landscape; all highly beguiling. Frivolous's on the other hand only the five-cylinder; especially then, when the same on its optional Sports exhaust airs that such shamelessly drauflosorchestert, that you actually a FSKKennzeichnung paperboard the stern takes. Herb Dark tubes to train, bronchial coughing in Load change, ballerndes declutching when downshifting and this dirty upshift belch reloading - terrific. And is here the Audi even just in the middle of the facelift; so is it did not even play, that he has them again a little more curve sharpness brings. Straight has Neckarsulm contrast little to optimize. 465 Newton meters as wildfire 1625-5550 Tours, 367 hp permanent foothills above. To seven aptly splayed courses and a Launch Control that their 3800 tours courageously right on the Wheel coupling. 3.9 Seconds to hundred, 14.8 to two hundred. Volunteers before! can counter some extent the only the BMW M2, the fulminant the aufspielenden Audi again more rotatory power encounters. And, although he not only rear driven, but this time even hand connected to Bet Sprint competes. Already clear that may sound a bit dowdy, costing him two hundred but just one tenth. Especially because the hand control with BMW still used as a dyed in the wool may be sports transmission. Even the Reihensechser motorized the manner of his duties. Or to put it better: the manner of his Origin. Indeed, contrary to M3 / M4-engine, which as Biturbo is used completely new, is the M2 motor of a modified M235i unit produced. Quite so feverish smacks of Single- ie Turbo not up, but it runs cultured, it sounds creamy, and he speaks in comparison to its stronger siblings minimally worse at. Ever pumping the BMW in terms Passage here so fast nobody something before. And who knows this better than the A 45? He who with 381 hp and 475 Nm nominally highest is the price, but in fact also most toil for have to be. Up to 1.8 bar paddles his Twinscroll handlers in the two-liter. And until he beisammenhat which passes sometimes a small moment. In the lower gears you realize of which very little is because the Speed jumps plugged extremely short are and the hole in accordance with good disguise. In the higher Transitions exists between full throttle and full load but then a quite noticeable lag. To start violence rips the AMG all the more courageous together. He couples a hardest, plucks obsessed by the first Courses and adheres so at least 160 km / h before the speed increased BMW. Still dubbed this he the little beauty mark in its power delivery with a also brilliant acoustics Show! Tubes, bangs, Sprotzeln, Gargling, sometimes solo, sometimes together, and more. And the Focus? The asking once to search the central display. Submenu driver assistance. There, where otherwise only track holder and cavort distance warning, dormant in his case, namely also Launch Control, which by itself their baller ends staging ago easy WRC-fit would be. coupling let fly, and the Focus shoots with a relatively large front wheel slip in 4.8 seconds on a hundred. find the promised 4.7 on the other hand. only on private roads Then, when the four-cylinder even rammed against the wheel, what the 1.55 tons of little frictional bursts forward. Ultimately, however, it does not matter whether 4.8 or 4.7 seconds. Because the Race after losing the Ford abundantly clear. Although he subjectively properly zünftig get you going, and decided revs up, he does mercilessly end either with the fiery Audi yet with the highly elastic BMW nor with the continued vehement AMG compete. Yes, even the Focus RS 500 by once was between 100 and 200 km / h 0.2 tenths faster. On the route saw the for more older. And that is not only the wheel alone, but also with all the components which it to work. Why of course, the Semi Slicks count that the front axle a really sharp turn-in bestow, while the rear axle at the same time sufficiently give guidance to the Shear force pulse to shoulder. Of the Focus scurries corresponding neutral in curves into it, always remains directionally stable, reliably and in spite of its rear-emphasized agility free from malice. All the best, then, would there not again the problem with the modes. The "Track" set-up is even at Sachsenring too stiff, bucks on curbs and under braking so around that between even the ABS gets out. Significantly smoother it runs contrary in "Sport Mode", the more Movement permits, but the stern not quite as adept behind bends. And the "Drift Mode"? Okay, we give it to: have also with him we ventured a fast lap, which The name, however, too much Program was when that valorizable would come of it. formulated exaggeration, feels "Drift" at as if you a strutting cart behind. Even in coasting phases are the Wheel as much drag torque on the rear axle, that the same practical slips on every steering impulse towards. The Audi plaguing however quite different To care. And the concern before especially its front axle, which it Soaps too early to understeer, as he profitably his Punch could exploit. Nice clear, with a quattro brings you time does not curve at the outset, but more from apex. But that applies unfortunately, only as long as the curves of foreseeable duration. By "stubby" Corners comes the RS 3 right along well. Just what good is it if one of the Sachsenring mostly elongated radii set before, in which then understeer and oversteer alternate part repeatedly? Let's hope so times on Facelift - And that it is also the Condition of the original brakes improved. With its stoppers has the AMG no problem. But on the contrary: His steel belongs more to the top, whereupon anchor in this class can. The Dynamic Plus package Adaptivfahrwerk and Vorderachssperre has also been proven, just like the Aero Package and the bucket seats. New, however, are the semi slicks, he today first transmits to it the BMW not so easy to do. Purely calculation should thus actually also a low 1: 38er Round be possible, considering, that he on road tires ever 1: has gezeitet 38.97 minutes. However, there would already one slightly higher mathematics have needed herauszurechnen this Delta. Compared to then, as he always delicate mitlenkend the Radii pfeilte, the AMG missing time just a little looseness. His stern sits too quiet, what vorderachsbetonte Handling further strengthened and Sport tire advantage thus virtually equalized. Too bad, with a more aggressive Axle geometry would certainly been gloss Fuller possible. Small consolation: The BMW comes this time not quite to his last mythical time zoom. In his case, is not there but on the daily form, but rather on his hand circuit, the one for some corners is translated little unhappy. space the technology Fritzen, who now happily hineinjubilieren in itself, is but said: The round "of Hand "yet the greater pleasure! Simply because they driver to closer ties to the action. And that's what it's all in one Coupé, which with its driving dynamics Paces lives. The width Track, the stiff kinematics, the tight LG, the balanced Axle loads, the balanced finely Steering, active suspension. All this adds up to a driving dynamics extremely cohesive whole. Just should go to this whole thing also can. Because, as almost every M also tends the M2 at the limit to oversteer. And that is due the tight wheelbase long not as predictable as with an M3 or M4. In contrast to those the usually gentle in duration Slide can hold, can the Corrections in M2 therefore somewhat fail extensive. On the road turns on the other hand the sheet: compact, articulated, footed, to awake motorized and smoky voiced. In short: driving pleasure at its best, the M2 offers there. All otherwise the Ford, which in principle nothing makes after textbook on End but at the same Fun factor comes out. Because he seriously now, can be so but still not to seriously. Therein lies the Dichotomy of the AMG a little plagues. The hardly affords performance Schnitzer, but also acts as if he would never be a want to make. The Audi sees the hand thing relaxed: Go one because it all the material Gourmets anyway terrific about its crafted knob handles. To the other but also because BMW, Ford and Mercedes-AMG perhaps a higher lateral dynamics, so but far no five-cylinder (More) offer. FUN MUST REIN! If it were just about the Gaudi, we would have the first place probably actually allocated twice. Go to a BMW, the perhaps the best with the M2 create fun-athletes of modern times have; on the other hand to Ford, their Focus RS entirely new and yet somehow all the old things. This krawallbüchsige All-wheel-tuning, this lowbrow Spoiler outfit, this cheeky Ballermann-acoustics - that has something special! Or you may know another Car that can Frührentner again can become teenagers? Just! If one sees a thing the little rational, must However, to say that the second only thus stirred Place of Ford that, besides all performance up and the Price is right. Straight and to the Route bagged him the eindimensionalere something couragiert for right curving AMG. The ultimate acceleration lobe on the other hand also vibrates continue the Audi RS 3, the five-cylinder almost even the BMW engine outshines. Only true when M2 evenly also all the rest.
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06-13-2016, 08:47 AM | #3 |
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Thanks for posting! Nicely written, but still, not on the level of an evo comparison, for example.
I kinda miss the "introduction" of the M2 in the text. The author writes a lot about the Focus, a lot about the RS3...and little to nothing about the M2. He is just comparing it to the others but there is no dedicated M2 section. Other than that, the laptime of the M2 with 6MT is amazing, especially when compared against the AMG (equipped with Cup 2s!). The Audi...well, that reflects my impressions of a test drive I had last year in a RS3. It's just another Audi - fast in a straight line, but not willing to oversteer or stay even neutral when pushed hard. At least the engine is glorious.
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06-13-2016, 10:58 AM | #4 |
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Funny the new and thoroughly developed Focus RS is 18000 euros cheaper then the manual M2... I guess that says it all about the "premium" of owning a BMW M nowadays, especially when using a platform probably already amortized with the M3/M4 sales, a motor based on the N55 and a normal 2 series interior...
Concerning the RS, as far as I'm concerned, pity for the reduced trunk space (only 260 l for a 4 doors hatchback due the AWD system) and the slightly high position of the otherwise excellent Recaro seats... For the rest, "fierce" competition by the two remaining FWD based AWD, automatic 4 pots, what a victory for the M2... |
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06-14-2016, 04:06 AM | #5 |
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Quite a respectable result from the Focus considering the straight line performance is far from the other cars.
Must be a good testament to how it behaves in the corners. It seems the test concludes the M2 and Focus are the most fun to drive of the group. I am also quite pleased with my Focus RS, I picked it up last week, in that respect(narrow back road blasts) but miss a bit of the straight line punch in the straights. The M2 however is even more fun to drive and for me a more desirable car IMO. Can´t wait to take delivery of my ordered M2... whenever that will be. BR Edit: Both the Focus and the Merc had the Cup tires. This makes the M2 even more impressive IMO. Last edited by F1zbo; 06-14-2016 at 04:14 AM.. |
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06-14-2016, 05:18 AM | #7 | |
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06-14-2016, 05:34 AM | #8 | |
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Assuming the same tires where used on the track test the Focus definately performs really well from a track performance PoV. Br |
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06-14-2016, 08:45 AM | #9 | |
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The Focus RS is a hotted up Focus, and very good for the money, however I think it's important to keep in mind that your extra 18000 euros gets you: 1) a BMW 2) a better interior with virtually every option available as standard 3) what is effectively a new chassis compared to standard 4) the exclusivity of a lower production run Just look at the air vents in the Focus. 'Sir, can we get some new vents? It'll re-' 'No! you will use whatever $%^&ing vents we have lying around! Turn them around or something and make them fit!' If I couldn't afford an M2, and I totally acknowledge my good fortune in being able to, I would most likely be opting for a heavily modified M-sport 228i over a Focus RS. I've owned lots of FWD and driven front biased AWD cars and they leave me feeling a little cold. |
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06-15-2016, 04:22 AM | #10 | |
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There are so many statements in your text that are just incorrect. I actually have a Focus RS since last week as an interim car until I take delivery of my M2 that is on order. The Focus RS has a specifically developed AWD system that is superior to the FWD biased AWD-systems you seem to think is used on the Focus. It actually has torque vectoring and the AWD function is adjustable with different driving modes. The engine is modified, as is the suspension compared to other Ford cars it is being used in. It has adjustable Teneco suspension and a heavily modified rear axle to accommodate the new rear drive unit. I would not be surprised if Ford has spent more time on development of the new RS than BMW has on the M2, seeing as most of the drive train is carry over from the M3/M4. Nothing wrong in that of course. Also, please take a look at the lap times above. It is faster on the track than the german AWD rivals despite being low on power and being a manual car. That in my book is very impressive. My response the below points you made: 1) a BMW - Yes, so what? Are we comparing cars and their respective performance or brands/image? 2) a better interior with virtually every option available as standard - Sure, interior is better than the Focus. However, only some markets the M2 is fully loaded. Germany is not one of them. I believe this goes for probably all EU countries. 3) what is effectively a new chassis compared to standard - Same for the RS 4) the exclusivity of a lower production run - Same for the RS |
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06-15-2016, 06:13 AM | #11 | |
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It comes with leather, CF trim inside, navigation professional, auto air con, xenon lights, and so on. You don't need to add anything else, if you just want to drive it and dont need the luxury of connected drive or some other stuff like electric seats (I hate them in my M346 btw and would always choose manually adjustable seats).
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06-15-2016, 08:12 AM | #12 | ||
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Don't take my word for it, I did plenty of reading about the Focus RS, because I wanted to buy one. Unfortunately for my wallet, it is obvious to anyone with even a rudimentary reading ability that the M2 is superior in terms of engineering. That car is comprehensively engineered. Anyone who thinks that you can just shove M3/4 bits into a 2 series and make an M2 has no idea what they're talking about. Please see below: Focus RS - tech overview M2 - tech overview Quote:
Last edited by ilovewagons; 06-15-2016 at 08:18 AM.. |
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06-15-2016, 08:22 AM | #13 | |
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If anyone would need to add equipment or not on top of the base spec is a personal choice but it does not mean there aren´t any additional options to tick. Br |
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06-15-2016, 08:42 AM | #14 | |
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Ok, if you have read about the Focus RS then I do not understand how you compare the Focus AWD system to Haldex-based competitors and conclude it must be boring like other AWD fron biased cars? That is the main differentiation from the competition. Is is actually very rear biased when pushing the car through corners. Have you driven the RS? It feels nothing like a haldex-based AWD-system. It is so much fun and freakishly fast on tight back roads. If you read once again what I wrote: "It is faster on the track than the german AWD rivals". The key word here is AWD. That means compared to the A45 and the RS3. Literacy is hopefully not abandoned quite yet I can also conclude with my basic level of literacy(English and German not being my first languages) that the M2 is quicker round the track. A fact I have neither disputed nor brought up Nor have I claimed the Focus is faster in a straight line... Actually the exact opposite a bit further up in the thread. Neither have I claimed the Focus is superior in terms of engineering compared to the M2. I simply believe that Ford has spent some serious money on developing this car, especially the AWD drive train, whereas BMW already have a lot of the basic development done in the M2s case. That does not say anything about the end result. The M2 is superior in most(all) performance oriented areas. But that was not the point. I personally think the M2 is a better car for me than the Focus in almost every respect but does not make me less impressed of Fords achievement. Being quicker around this track then A45 and RS3 despite being so low on power and straight line speed is a testament to a great drive train and suspension. Br |
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06-18-2016, 10:33 PM | #15 | ||
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My point to you is that it is far more difficult to take parts from one chassis, modify them to fit another and then engineer the resulting car to be so damn good it can handily deal with more powerful AWD cars, and even its more powerful big brothers on at least one technically demanding track. That took a lot of engineering. I just disagree with what you implied about the 18k difference between the cars not being spent on engineering. Test results clearly show where that money has gone.[/QUOTE] |
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