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what would it be compared against?

 

Mazdaspeed 3 is what Edmunds identified as the closest competitor. Volkswagen GTI and Civic Si are a couple other contenders. In EU markets, GM's Astra J GTC and OPC models are in the same market category as the Focus ST.

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Mazdaspeed 3 is what Edmunds identified as the closest competitor. Volkswagen GTI and Civic Si are a couple other contenders. In EU markets, GM's Astra J GTC and OPC models are in the same market category as the Focus ST.

 

I would imagine a Dodge Dart SRT will be out by end of year or soon after. Chrysler has stated that the new Dart is shipping and it already comes with turbo motor.

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Mazdaspeed 3 is what Edmunds identified as the closest competitor. Volkswagen GTI and Civic Si are a couple other contenders. In EU markets, GM's Astra J GTC and OPC models are in the same market category as the Focus ST.

 

GTI and Civic Si would get dogwalked by the Focus. I think the Golf R should make for an interesting comparo. Also the Impreza WRX.

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I would imagine a Dodge Dart SRT will be out by end of year or soon after. Chrysler has stated that the new Dart is shipping and it already comes with turbo motor.

 

Buick has the Turbo Verano as well, though I doubt it will be much of a direct competitor.

Edited by jasonj80
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The Golf R would make a very interesting comparo. If I recall correctly, its got a little more horsepower but less torque and weighs a couple hundred pounds more. However, with the AWD, maybe it clips the ST 0-60 with the added off-the-line traction? The last Car & Driver test said the GTI was a benchmark, so the R model might still be in the ST's crosshairs.

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The Golf R would make a very interesting comparo. If I recall correctly, its got a little more horsepower but less torque and weighs a couple hundred pounds more. However, with the AWD, maybe it clips the ST 0-60 with the added off-the-line traction? The last Car & Driver test said the GTI was a benchmark, so the R model might still be in the ST's crosshairs.

The Golf R also starts North of $32,000 and gets 19/37 mpg...0-100 kph in 5.7 seconds.

So looks like the AWD chops off about half a second which is probably half a car length at that speed.

Edited by jpd80
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GTI and Civic Si would get dogwalked by the Focus. I think the Golf R should make for an interesting comparo. Also the Impreza WRX.

 

I doubt is the Focus ST would be any match for Impreza AWD turbo. At last Waterford Hills DE I attended timing the top red group drivers, the AWD Impreza equalled the best time of the Mustang Laguna Seca at 1:24, and just a couple ticks behind best time of Z06 Corvette. The WRX was a beast. I would peg the Focus ST best time at about 1:29 maybe, about two seconds faster than Mustang V6 at 1:31. The WRX driver claimed engine was putting 260hp to wheels, but I don't know what the SAE hp rating is. Anyway, that vehicle is scaldingly quick and not much on course that it couldn't pass save for a few supercars like Z06 and Porsche GT3RS that was running consistent 1;17's with ease.

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In this class, up here there's a real hard-on for the GTI and the WRX. If the ST is going into last-gen RS performance numbers, the comparison tests will be awesome. I see GTI, MZ3, WRX, SI here in NA. The beefs with lack of LSD sounds like a anti-technology. GTI has had electric steering as well and a DCT. There's some grumbling but that's typical. I don't think the Focus ST will come out number one in comparison tests but it'll get a 'GOOD EFFORT!' certainly.

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The Golf R also starts North of $32,000 and gets 19/37 mpg

 

I am sure that was a mistype - the VW website states that the Golf R gets 19/27.

 

At least on paper, it appears to me that the Focus ST will have comparable performance to the other power C-class cars, but will really clobber them in mpg. The Impreza AWD turbo may be faster than the ST, but I think the Focus will get at least 25% better fuel economy when the car is released. IMO, that's a good tradeoff.

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What's the pricing on that Subaru? The other things we need to consider are the experience Subaru has building that car and refining it and the AWD factor which is totally an advantage on any surface. I imagine a fully optioned ST will come in for less $ than the base Subaru.

 

I talked with the driver of the Impreza AWD Turbo at Waterford Hills, and he claimed the advanatage of the AWD really showed in the corners going in and coming out. It didn't appear too shabby on straights either. Sounded great also. To see a four door car like that take on the fastest of the fastest like Mustang Boss Laguna Seca was something to see. On longer course with longer straights than Waterford, I'm sure the Stang would take out the Impreza, but on short , twisty course like Waterford with short straights, it will stay with most anything except for super sports cars like a ZR1 Vette, GT3 RS, or 458 Italia.

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I doubt is the Focus ST would be any match for Impreza AWD turbo. At last Waterford Hills DE I attended timing the top red group drivers, the AWD Impreza equalled the best time of the Mustang Laguna Seca at 1:24, and just a couple ticks behind best time of Z06 Corvette. The WRX was a beast. I would peg the Focus ST best time at about 1:29 maybe, about two seconds faster than Mustang V6 at 1:31. The WRX driver claimed engine was putting 260hp to wheels, but I don't know what the SAE hp rating is. Anyway, that vehicle is scaldingly quick and not much on course that it couldn't pass save for a few supercars like Z06 and Porsche GT3RS that was running consistent 1;17's with ease.

 

Got Tires..? A WRX shod wtih competition tires can make a big diiference. Otherwise factory equiped '11 Mustang GT eats oem WRX's on road coarses.

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Depends on if you're talking about the WRX or the WRX STi, last I looked (it has been a while) the one was 220ish hp and the other around 300, respectively.

 

Yeah, it was the more powerful WRX as driver said 260hp was going to the wheels. The less powerful WRX was there also and he was in 1:30 range at Waterford, about same as Mustang V6. I'm really not up on the WRX models as I'm not a Subaru fan or buyer. Just reporting what I saw and timed. The more powerful WRX was also a newer model year vehicle while the less powerful was older model year. I seem to remember also that back in late 80's or so Auto Quattro race cars were cleaning up in their classes, so much so that they banned the AWD Audi's as in having unfair advantage. 2WD going against AWD everythng else being equal is like Alonso yesterday going against Hamilton with worn tires to Hamilton's brand new ones last 10 laps or so. Hamilton was turning laps 3 seconds quicker which was huge. Big blunder by Alonso as he could have finished second instead of fifth if he had come in and changed to new tires with 10 laps to go.

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