audiojunkie wrote: Average americans can't handle that stuff without killing themselves.
I don't agree. There are a lot of american cars out there that run some serious power.
I would be happy with the body stlye and a 2.3 motor. LOL I love the euro look. That thing is sweet!
audiojunkie wrote: Average americans can't handle that stuff without killing themselves.
Your correct about that but I see a Focus with specs like that selling for no less than $25K and with the V8 cars close to that price and SUV's close as well you will see mostly car enthuists picking them up. Ya there will be the dee-dee-dee kid that is the exception to the rule that gets daddy to buy him one but..... A 25K focus although cheap in the grand scheem of cars is proportionaly priced to the Cobra R($50K) vs the Cobra.($35K??)
If its done in limited run (under a couple thousand) than the bad drivers would be weaded out easily and not evey Tom, Dick and Harry will be able to get one like they can the ST. And most likely Ford would limit the number of these cars in the states to somtihng like 500 like they did with the 2000 Cobra R and than never offer it again.
Actually I would guess the price tag to be closer to $30K. Consider the class cars that it would be compairable to. STi's, and EVOs. Look what there price tags are set at. I don't know off hand but I think it's closer to 30, if not more for the loaded ones. Not to mention the full RS version would be pushing getting close to 70-80 more HP then either of the other cars. And we wouldn't have anymore of a problem with the stupid kids then we do now, with the SRT 4s being around 19K.
I agree that the cost would be up there, but if this country would take a majority look at these gas hogs on the road and compare these smaller cars - in general we could see these cars move here more and more.
power in a small package - it's very attractive to me because the way the roads are getting and as congested as the streets and citys are getting we need smaller vehicles - ever noticed how these Excursions and Duel axel trucks can't fit an a normal parking space anymore? heck, I see women (sorry ladies, I'm a chick too and I see women do this more than men) can't park their damned minivans! ugh.
sorry - venting yet again.
Smokin - you never noticed Pokes' sig? I love it - it's been the same throughout several system changes here.
____________________ Get in, Sit down, Shut up and HANG ON!
I think that would be a very nice ride indeed, even for a Pontiac guy. However, allow me to point out something that really annoyed me about my Focus and it seems to be continuing.
The turbocharged units deliver 285bhp and 295lb ft in light-pressure guise, with the high-pressure unit pumping out a BMW M3-beating 350bhp and 332lb ft.........
...The gearbox in the Mondeo ST TDCi is rated to 295lb ft, although insiders say measures are being taken to upgrade it for use in performance-oriented Volvos.
What are they freakin' thinking of? The Zetec Focus put out some 130hp and some 135 ft/lbs torque in a automatic tranny rated for no more than 140 ft/lbs, at least based on the information I could dig up. Why in hades would you EVER design a tranny that close to the output levels of the motor knowing DANG well that its going to be modified and power levels increased? I hope they change that before that thing comes to market. I dont know what the duratec motors are rated at, 160hp? and the trannys (automatic ones) I dont know what their limit is either but Id venture to say that they too are close to design limits.
I aint bashing anything or out to start a flame war, but it just seems a major blow to long term reliability designing a tranny that close to the limits. I LOVED my Focus, dont get me wrong, but I loathed not being able to do major mod's for fear of the tranny puking parts on the highway.
A stock Grand Prix GTP tranny (you can only get them in automatic up to 2003 or 2004 model year) is rated according to GM for close to 400hp IIRC. Stock GTP is putting out 240hp at the crank around 215 or so at the wheels (driveline losses are slightly less with the GTP tranny as it adds the heavy duty option). So basically I have a ton of room to play with. The guys that are bustin' GTP heavy duty trannies are doing so mainly from snapping drive shafts from putting down too much power. The ones that maintain their trannys, that is to say, perform regular maintenance are not running into heat issue or anything like that, they are breaking hard parts from excessive power.
I took my Focus to the track one time and made about 3 or 4 passes and could already notice the effects of overheating and the shifts were never that crisp until I put in my shift controller. The GTP had very good shifts stock and I just ultimately made them better with some re-programming and a shift kit. I have yet to take it to the track but I have done a TON of testing on the back roads with a lot of runs from dead stops to over 100mph and have never developed the issues I experienced in the Focus while it was heated up.
Again, Im not BASHING, Im just making an observation on reliability here. Now I know you guys with the MTX are adding some decent power without any serious reliability issues, some, but not a great number. I would LOVE to see and maybe even have a turbocharged I6 Focus but if it had an automatic tranny, Id be a little concerned unless they designed that thing with a little cushion.
Just my observation.
____________________ My car is a synner! It uses Amsoil Synthetic Lubricants.
2001 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP
It whines a lot, but I like it
