BRZ vs. Focust ST Track Comparison - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

DarkSunrise · 12-19-2012, 07:31 PM

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oapP8qzehI&feature=player_embedded"]Ford Focus ST vs Volkswagen Golf R (or Subaru BRZ)! - Head 2 Head Episode 23 - YouTube[/ame]

Fast-foward to the 8:00 min mark.

Interesting to hear Randy Pobst's feedback driving the BRZ vs. Focus ST. Both fun to drive cars, seems like he enjoyed driving them.

that_one_guy · 12-19-2012, 08:32 PM

That was a horrible comparison. It was an awd hatch for 38K vs. a fwd hatch for 28K vs. a rwd coupe for 26-27K... non of those are in the same segment. Still it was a good review of each car individually.

I just don't understand why they allow the twins in any comparison. Every single comparison the twins come last in every category (power, speed, options, technology) and yet every single one its the twins that win.

#87 · 12-19-2012, 09:00 PM

Am I the only one who really appreciated the humor of that 2 (3) car comparison?

gmookher · 12-19-2012, 10:08 PM

Lets see the new 240 Nissan...next

DarkSunrise · 12-20-2012, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by that_one_guy

That was a horrible comparison. It was an awd hatch for 38K vs. a fwd hatch for 28K vs. a rwd coupe for 26-27K... non of those are in the same segment. Still it was a good review of each car individually.

I just don't understand why they allow the twins in any comparison. Every single comparison the twins come last in every category (power, speed, options, technology) and yet every single one its the twins that win.

It was an odd decision throwing a RWD sports car into a hot hatch test. But the twins are the cars to beat right now in track comparisons under $30k. They probably felt the Golf R wouldn't match up well against the Focus ST on the track (probably true with the nondefeatable ESC in the R). So why not see how the Focus ST would fare against the BRZ.

Edmunds did something similar with its autocross comparison of the Focus ST vs. FR-S. Different categories or not, I have a feeling it won't be the last time these two cars are compared.

UncleFester · 12-20-2012, 12:46 AM

The twins got beat. By the ST.

Yes the twins are balanced and handle well in the corners, but they fail on straights. Something I pray will be fixed in a later version.

fatoni · 12-20-2012, 01:05 AM

a pair of summer tires?

Sigma6 · 12-20-2012, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UncleFester

The twins got beat. By the ST.

Yes the twins are balanced and handle well in the corners, but they fail on straights. Something I pray will be fixed in a later version.

It got beat by 1 second by a car that has 50 more horsepower and probably better tires AND that costs a couple of grand more.

Not bad at all if you ask me. That couple of grand can be put into a nice wheel/tire package and maybe a bolt-on or two.

DarkSunrise · 12-20-2012, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigma6

It got beat by 1 second by a car that has 50 more horsepower and probably better tires AND that costs a couple of grand more.

Not bad at all if you ask me. That couple of grand can be put into a nice wheel/tire package and maybe a bolt-on or two.

Yep exactly. That 1 second gap is just the difference between the tires on the cars. If you want to set the fastest times, just throw on a set of sticky tires on the BRZ.

The greater point is that Pobst seemed to love the BRZ on the track. And isn't fun the ultimate goal?

WolfpackS2k · 12-20-2012, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigma6

It got beat by 1 second by a car that has 50 more horsepower and probably better tires AND that costs a couple of grand more.

Not bad at all if you ask me. That couple of grand can be put into a nice wheel/tire package and maybe a bolt-on or two.

To be fair I believe the base price of the Focus ST is under $26k. And it weighs a good 450lbs more than the BRZ, which more than offsets the extra 50 hp. But give the BRZ better tires though and it's no contest.

Sigma6 · 12-20-2012, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WolfpackS2k

To be fair I believe the base price of the Focus ST is under $26k. And it weighs a good 450lbs more than the BRZ, which more than offsets the extra 50 hp. But give the BRZ better tires though and it's no contest.

Good call. I was going off the prices posted by someone above.

I won't deny that the ST is a good car and I'm glad to see Ford step up their game in North America.

catharsis · 12-20-2012, 03:50 PM

given that the focus is a more usable car, in that it seats 4 comfortable and is a hatch back design for did a great job. Best hot hatch on the market imo. The brz/frs is a totally different animal made for a different task. Pure driving pleasure.

jdzumwalt · 12-20-2012, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmookher

Lets see the new 240 Nissan...next

If this happened I would buy one.

b.e · 12-21-2012, 12:41 AM

I think it's cool the way Randy is talking casually about the cars, then an exterior shot shows him ripping around a corner at the same time. I don't possess that skill.

12-19-2012, 07:31 PM	#1
DarkSunrise Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Drives: 22 BRZ (Previously 13 FR-S) Location: USA Posts: 5,798 Thanks: 2,187 Thanked 4,243 Times in 2,221 Posts Mentioned: 48 Post(s) Tagged: 2 Thread(s)	BRZ vs. Focust ST Track Comparison [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oapP8qzehI&feature=player_embedded"]Ford Focus ST vs Volkswagen Golf R (or Subaru BRZ)! - Head 2 Head Episode 23 - YouTube[/ame] Fast-foward to the 8:00 min mark. Interesting to hear Randy Pobst's feedback driving the BRZ vs. Focus ST. Both fun to drive cars, seems like he enjoyed driving them.

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12-19-2012, 08:32 PM	#2
that_one_guy Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Drives: none Location: CA Posts: 437 Thanks: 46 Thanked 368 Times in 145 Posts Mentioned: 18 Post(s) Tagged: 2 Thread(s)	That was a horrible comparison. It was an awd hatch for 38K vs. a fwd hatch for 28K vs. a rwd coupe for 26-27K... non of those are in the same segment. Still it was a good review of each car individually. I just don't understand why they allow the twins in any comparison. Every single comparison the twins come last in every category (power, speed, options, technology) and yet every single one its the twins that win.

12-19-2012, 09:00 PM	#3
#87 I usually post drunk Join Date: Oct 2009 Drives: BRZ Location: NY Posts: 1,487 Thanks: 15 Thanked 490 Times in 231 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Am I the only one who really appreciated the humor of that 2 (3) car comparison?

12-19-2012, 10:08 PM	#4
gmookher Banned Join Date: Aug 2012 Drives: VortechSC,BorlaEL,Perrin,GCRace Location: HighHeatHighAltitudeAZ,USA Posts: 2,254 Thanks: 458 Thanked 669 Times in 394 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 2 Thread(s)	Lets see the new 240 Nissan...next

12-20-2012, 12:46 AM	#6
UncleFester Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: BRZ Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 597 Thanks: 157 Thanked 178 Times in 120 Posts Mentioned: 15 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	The twins got beat. By the ST. Yes the twins are balanced and handle well in the corners, but they fail on straights. Something I pray will be fixed in a later version.

12-20-2012, 01:05 AM	#7
fatoni Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Drives: miata, mazdaspeed protege, ls430 Location: socal Posts: 4,416 Thanks: 599 Thanked 1,443 Times in 787 Posts Mentioned: 28 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	a pair of summer tires?

12-20-2012, 03:50 PM	#12
catharsis Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Drives: honda civic si 08 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 176 Thanks: 1 Thanked 28 Times in 18 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	given that the focus is a more usable car, in that it seats 4 comfortable and is a hatch back design for did a great job. Best hot hatch on the market imo. The brz/frs is a totally different animal made for a different task. Pure driving pleasure.

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