Has anyone seen this week's Autocar yet?

[Johnnytheboy]

My father is claiming there is a "weren't they great" comparative article about the Focus RS and the Trophy in there. He's getting on a bit, bless him, so he may be imagining it.

:?:

I shall find out on Saturday when I pop in.

 

[Cue]

lol, will check it out also...

 

[FunkyMunky]

copy and pasted from someone on CS :

these are featured in latest autocar mag as the the ultimate pinnacles of hot hatches, autocar has done performance runs on these used duo
focus 0-60 6.3 secs 0-100 16.3 secs
clio 0-60 6.3 secs 0-100 17.0 secs

i'll pop down WHSmiths in my lunch hour i think :lol:

 

[Steve]

I knew that the identical power/weight of the Trophy and Focus RS should have brought more similar acceleration figures. So with my re-map I'm actually quicker than an RS from the lights, good to know!

 

[Matt X2C]

might have to buy it on my lunch break!


...or at least browse for free :lol:

 

[Steve]

Well, I've read it, on page 80-83, they've done a little Clio Trophy vs. Focus RS article to compare (what is in their opinion) the two best hot hatches of all time. Focus wins, because the journo owns one, obviously. Lots of nice things said about the Trophy though, but he did say that "Renault had Spax add some trick dampers", er...I think you'll find they did the springs numpty, Sachs did the dampers.

Most interesting is the mention of varaible valve phasing which BenR disagrees with me about, he says, after much hands-on familarity with the F4R that it has none, whereas I agree with the Renualt marketing men that it does. Although this Autocar guy probably knows nothing more than what he reads in the press releases.

Some nice pics of the Trophy and RS together though, the colours look good together for a vs. match, "and in the red corner weighing in at 2400 pounds..."

 

[FunkyMunky]

Just been to WHSmiths and read it in my lunch hour..... my comments echo yours Steve :wink:

Spax dampers ?

And yes he owned a Focus RS previously so has lived with that for longer than A Trophy.

 

[quik5i1ver]

Hmmmm, disappointing.. He took around 2 paragraphs to go on about the focus and had the Trophy summed up in less than 1.. Biased.. 'Nah', not at all! :wink:

I know why I'm an EVO subscriber... :lol:

 

[Matt X2C]

Hmmmm, disappointing.. He took around 2 paragraphs to go on about the focus and had the Trophy summed up in less than 1.. Biased.. 'Nah', not at all! :wink:

I know why I'm an EVO subscriber... :lol:

you simply cannot beat evo magazine for automotive reading...the photographs, the group tests, the roads they drive on, the write-ups...such an interesting magazine to read and the only magazine opinion i really listen to.

 

[Steve]

Hmmmm, disappointing.. He took around 2 paragraphs to go on about the focus and had the Trophy summed up in less than 1.. Biased.. 'Nah', not at all! :wink:

I know why I'm an EVO subscriber... :lol:

you simply cannot beat evo magazine for automotive reading...the photographs, the group tests, the roads they drive on, the write-ups...such an interesting magazine to read and the only magazine opinion i really listen to.

Performance Car was the only good driver's magazine really, and that became evo, all the other mags are more about the products themselves rather than driving stories, that's why they are always on about steering feel and connectivity and things that only proper driving enthusiasts care about, and why they rate the Trophy highly of course. But then has any publication given it a bad report? Not, if they wanted to retain their credibility. This month's issue with the Alfa 8C and Audi R8 was class, and Andy Morgan is one of the best motoring photographers out there.

 

[quik5i1ver]

Too true! I love the way that you are right there, in the drivers seat, you can almost imagine every corner intimately. They bring the supercar (or for that matter, any car!) experience to your very own home.. And no, I'm not on commission!!! :roll: also agree that without doubt, some of the photography is sublime!

 

[richyboy123]

The focus rs can't be that good, didn't evo say the special edition megane thing made the focus rs chassis seem silly or something?

 

[Steve]

The focus rs can't be that good, didn't evo say the special edition megane thing made the focus rs chassis seem silly or something?

A lot of people (mostly RS owners) think the Trophy shouldn't be compared with the Ford. It's down to personal preference really, but I've heard from reliable sources that the tryes make all the difference with the RS in terms of it's torque steer, if you've got bad or worn tyres, it's shocking. Either way I'd be quite happy with an RS, just doesn't have anything on the Trophy really, isn't as exclusive, tends to be owned by complete penis's and is more expensive to run. And that fucking steering wheel...

 

[quik5i1ver]

And that **** steering wheel...

In fact, the entire colour coding of the interior.. a little too much I think.. Understated looks better.. Personal preference though.

 

[Johnny415]

I thought the springs on the Trophy are made by Eibach not spax.

 

[Steve]

I thought the springs on the Trophy are made by Eibach not spax.

I think you may be right, either way - the dampers aren't!

 

[Johnny415]

You'd expect a car journilist and enthusiast to know that would'nt you? Weather he's biased to the focus or not.

 

[artdealer]

What about the sub editor and editor too? Not much attention to detail considering the press the car has had and access to press releases you would expect to be referred to in writing the article. But then I'm a compulsive obsessive and he probably has a life haha

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

I'd be pretty embarassed if i was the journalist in question

 

[Steve]

What about the sub editor and editor too? Not much attention to detail considering the press the car has had and access to press releases you would expect to be referred to in writing the article. But then I'm a compulsive obsessive and he probably has a life haha

I'm on the OCD spectrum too but I'll let him off this one, purely because Spax is pretty close to Sachs and an easy mistake. On second thoughts, it's not acceptable, shoot him in the face. Especially for digging up the old 'driving position' thing, when you're 6'7" no driving postion is 'right', so shut up already.