11 August 2009 - 12:00
Focus RS ’Rings out
Apologies for continuing to fuel the great Nurburgring Lap Time Fire, but we thought you'd want to hear about this one: the Ford Focus RS has failed in its bid to break the Renaultsport Megane R26.R's class record.
In conjunction with German magazine Sport-Auto, Ford took its double-hot hatch to the 'Ring with the intention of beating the Megane's time of 8m17s, a record for front-wheel-drive production cars set last summer.
But, in the hands of the excellently named Horst von Saurma Jeltsch, the Focus recorded a time of 8m26s, a full nine seconds off the Renault's record.
Maybe this isn't surprising. The Megane is virtually a race car for the road - slick tyres, stripped-out interior, roll cage - while the Focus, despite packing 300bhp, is a proper hatchback with proper rear seats and proper glass windows.
And, furthermore, without seriously detailed information on the conditions of the track, it's notoriously difficult to read much into 'Ring lap times. Over 14 miles, even the slightest dampness can affect a lap by dozens of seconds, and - though we're sure Herr Jeltsch is a fine driver - detailed local knowledge is invaluable.
Perhaps more importantly, does it matter? Does the fact your car can slide round the ‘Ring a couple of seconds quicker than another make any difference in the real world, on real roads? Has this Nurburgring obsession got out of hand?
That said, Ford, if you're going to play the game, you've got to be prepared to lose. Time for a Superleggera Focus RS, maybe?
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Lets face it, the Focus RS will be more likely to be filled with chavs doing rings around the local town centre than it is any racing track, so yes, this is a pointless test..
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No suprise it didnt beat the Renault. The RS is a proper car, the Ren isn't. I am a Ford man myself, but i do love the standard R26, but think the R26-R is just stupid. Who is going to buy a Megane just for track use? And just think how badly the RS would trounce the Megane, if Ford were to strip it as light as the R26R.
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this has got out of hand now. its a waste of time, its just something for manufactures to brag about now. but, a light-weight focus rs would be amazing!
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Megane works fine in real life, just doesn't have rear seats, like many fast cars that also have a use. Then Ren isn't a proper car, lol, if by proper you mean a fat turd then yes. What if what if. What if Renault increase the bhp on the R26.R, same argument, also pointless. Wouldn't be surprised if a stripped RS comes out tho just to beat that time and devalues all the ones already sold.
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Does it matter? If racing cars around racetracks to see which is fastest is now pointless, then surely there would not be any racing to watch at all, and not any Top Gear to watch either. As for the cars, the Renault may not be the most practical, the most powerful, and have lightest weight but Ford knew what they were going up against and lost.
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What?? Who gives a toss about NBring times anyhow? if that's the only proof of a cars worthiness then these manufactures need a swift slap with a wet fish and a reality check. How about how long it takes to drive around the north and south circulars in rush hour and get your missus to pilates whilst getting dinner from Tescos?? These tests have absolutely no purpose and prove absolutely nothing.
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No the Megane doesn't work fine in real life, because it is utterly flawed at what it is meant to *be*...a hot-hatchback. They by their very definition are meant to be comfortable and practical, whilst having that raw side that means you can have some real fun. The Megane is caught between trying to be Caterfield track car, and a practical RS-esque hot-hatch, and is not as good as either at their core fundamental abilities. That's why Renault have sold about 10 of them, and the RS is selling by the 1000s. What a surprise that it beat the RS around a track. The RS would certainly beat it in taking 3 of your mates...anywhere. Maybe that's who the Renault's for, people with no friends?
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I am a shallow person. I'm all about looks. The Renault is ugly. The Ford is not at all as ugly and it has stuff in it including an interior. I don't think I will ever drive around the Ring, so I should be fine without the Renault.
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the focus is also loaded with kit so if they made a 'focus rs superlagerra' it would probably be faster than the renault. the focus is still better looking and as i have owned a renault at least the ford wont fall to peices like my old megane which was nothing but trouble
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There is no one even commenting that owns the R26.R, so I presume you's are just slagging it off to make yourselves feel better about the fact you's have (or want to) blow a minimum 25k on a car just because is says RS on the back, then got its ass handed to it by the car they were trying to beat. How embarassing.
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its a proper all rounder its a dragster so it cant go round corners go to a relly long streach of road and blast it
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The Renault should be viewed as a cupracer, not as a roadgoing family hatch. And that answers Nakke: this Renault is a good car for beginning amateur racers, not for anyone else. With kids in the back on a rainy day, I wouldn't want semislicks anyway. But I think the original bright idea of doing the 'Ring was that it compared well with daily driving in an extreme way. If they did it at Donington or Magny Cours, it wouldn't be a lot of use. Nor would it have caught on.
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@nHeroGo: introspection is a fine thing : P There's something in what you say though, even if you didn't mean it to. Who of us ever puts his car to the extremes of what it can do? I know I don't, I just amble along in everyday traffic. Do I care what my car does on the 'Ring? No, I know what it'd do. It'd be slow or go off, especially with me driving. So I care a lot more that it's comfy and handy, and that, to me at least, it looks good.
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Now, now, children, put the handbags away, no need for the insults towards others-- Theyre just cars after all ;) Me personally i think theyre both overweight porkers--the R26R is still over 1200Kg isnt it--thats still far too heavy!!! Not like the good old days when you could have real fun pushing a lighter car to its limits, without needing superpower and torque to reach those limits.
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Astra GTE 16v = 1008kg Golf GTi 16v = 1009kg Peugeot 309 GTi = 930kg Ford Escort RS Turbo = 1017kg (Even RS Cossie = 1230kg) Toyota Corolla GT-i = 945kg MG Maestro Turbo = 1040kg Renault 19 16v = 1050kg Honda CRX VTi = 1025kg Citroen ZX 16v = 945kg All old hot hatches used to be much less overweight...those were the days!!!
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The old cars where simply lighter, because they were/are as safe as a matchbox. Sure, light is good, but even at those weights the modern counterparts handle better, so im not complaining. I have driven an old RS Turbo, and sure, its more kind of "raw" to drive, and that might be apealing to some, but i do prefer modern cars. But not the Dacia Sandero. Obviously.
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lol@ JB_VXR, you dont happen to own a vauxhall vxr of some sort do you? it would certainly explain your negative biased comments towards the ford, no one should take this vauxhal fanboys comments on board. the focus rs is a hot hatch, the r26r is a track car ala lotus elise in a hatchback shell, they are not in competing car sections.
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@dorme errrr, no, I own....... a FocusRS and its turd actually =P My negative comments are biased in the opposite direction to the clearly negative biased comments from the Ford crowd on the R26.R. Someone needs to be the ying to your yang.
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The RS will sell to the Ill educated because of the badge, even though it's just been proved to be quite slow and it's got a turd interior. A fool and his money.........
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^ i wouldnt say that, quicker than an audi rs6 on a track, also lexus is-f, scooby wrx sti, nissan 350z,lotus exige? i wouldnt say that was a slow car, would you skippering?
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Oh dear oh dear, Ford tried to beat the R26R and lost! now all the sheep are posting negative comments on the Renault instead of being humble and accepting the fact that the RS is overated and needs to lose a few lbs from its belly, didn't a Clio Cup give the fat Ford a run for its money too ?
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uh-oh the vxr boys are here! http://www.vxronline.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=59834&page=2 nice one, you lot bored? didnt your hot hatch astra with 240bhp take the same time as a focus st with 225bhp round the ring? dear oh dear, power is nothing without control eh lads?
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Ok, it's not THAT slow. But it has been way overhyped and when that happens it always ends in disapointment. For the price of it I would much rather have an s3 or evo or vxr8. Heck, my astra would beat it and that's cost me a full 10k less!!! But as I said before, it will still be a huge success, I can even see it having it's own section at halfords.
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Hehehehe...busted!!'
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AlKim commented on this article
11 August 2009
I think the Renault is pretty ridiculous. If you really want a light sports car with little in the way of comfort, why not buy a Caterham instead? At least the Ford has a use in real life.
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