Stuff HSV i want one of these. [Archive] - Australian Land Rover Owners

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Ace

28th April 2006, 07:59 PM

Was at the Bathurst ford dealership today having a look around and they had one of the new Ford Focus XR5 2.5L 5cyl Turbo hatchs on the showroom floor. What a hot looing piece of kit. The one they had was black, the interior was to die for, when you sat in the leather sports seats it felt like they wrapped arms around you and hugged you. I couldnt test drive it but i can imaging that a car weighing not much more than a ton with 166kw would go like a scalded cat.

I was standing around admiring it when Stacey says to me you know when in a couple of years when we need two cars again (when we move next year we wont need two cars as i will be able to walk to work living in small town so we are selling the laser and just keeping the disco) we could buy one of these. (and believe me i will remember that).

Mind you i will need to give it a thourough test to ensure the 36k price tag is worth it, if its not i will buy a 20k base model and trick that out instead.

http://au.wrs.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9FJqh2a9FFEH0MBFaQW5gt./SIG=12e5v2r2a/EXP=1146308122/**http://www.ford.com.au/newfocus/xr5/img/ford_focus34fv.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2006/04/11.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2006/04/12.jpg

Matt

George130

28th April 2006, 10:36 PM

Heard some very positive feedback on them. Prefer the Defender though 8)

noddy

28th April 2006, 10:54 PM

Ace...what are you doing???

Ford has not made a decent handling hot-hatch for about 20 years. Lets be honest, they are like Nissan and Toyota when it comes to FWD engineering... :wink: https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

Go to the boyz who really know how to build hot hatches....the French! (Don't get me wrong, I ain't a French fan on anything else except FWD cars).

Peugeot have lost the plot recently, but the Renault boys still know a thing or two about how to make proper hot hatches.

Renault Clio Sport V6 -- 190Kw V6 (weighing in at a tad over 1,000kgs)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2006/04/6.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2006/04/7.jpg

Not only will it blow that blue oval into the weeds in a straight line...it will also go around corners at warp speed! 8O https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

one_iota

28th April 2006, 11:00 PM

Being an ex Renault Fuego owner I support the view that this manufacturer is the only one doing anything interesting these days

Captain_Rightfoot

29th April 2006, 12:28 AM

Originally posted by Noddy
Ace...what are you doing???

Ford has not made a decent handling hot-hatch for about 20 years. Lets be honest, they are like Nissan and Toyota when it comes to FWD engineering... :wink: :lol:

Go to the boyz who really know how to build hot hatches....the French! (Don't get me wrong, I ain't a French fan on anything else except FWD cars).

Peugeot have lost the plot recently, but the Renault boys still know a thing or two about how to make proper hot hatches.

Renault Clio Sport V6 -- 190Kw V6 (weighing in at a tad over 1,000kgs)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2006/04/6.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2006/04/7.jpg

Not only will it blow that blue oval into the weeds in a straight line...it will also go around corners at warp speed! 8O :lol:
Cough Cough.. Sierra (RWD) https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ There have been a number of nice handling FWD cars done by ford in recent years. I think what you may have meant is that none have been sold here. :cry: :cry: A friend has the previous model Focus ST170 and even that is quite an exellent car. https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

The current mondeo caused quite a stir when it was released because it is apparently really quite a special car. It was so good that ford elected not to bring it to Aus as it would have canibalised Falcon sales.

Having said that I know that Renault have been coming up with some great handling cars lately. https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

noddy

29th April 2006, 01:30 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>Cough Cough.. Sierra (RWD) Smile There have been a number of nice handling FWD cars done by ford in recent years. I think what you may have meant is that none have been sold here. Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad A friend has the previous model Focus ST170 and even that is quite an exellent car. Smile [/b][/quote]

Captain -- gotta agree, the Sierra ('86-'87) was a great touring car but it was not really a 'hot hatch', (RWD not FWD) and not the best handling car either. Awesome power, but a real brute which had even the pros struggling with the on-boost performance.

I suppose what I was getting at is when you look at the great hot hatches, there is not a Ford in sight. IMHO, you have the Mini Cooper S, VW Golf Mk1, Peugeot 205GTi, Renault Williams Clio, RenaultSport Clio V6, and probably the latest Golf.

Ford is a follower, not a leader when it comes to the dark art of making FWD cars handle.

Captain_Rightfoot

29th April 2006, 01:54 PM

Statement "ford is a follower not a leader in hot hatches".... ok I'll agree to that. https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ I still think some of the ford FWD offerings that are in Aus or coming our way that are pretty good like the Fiesta (very underrated IMHO), and no doubt the xr5.

I'm not aware that Renault are looking to sell the V6 in Aus are they? I must admit I think the Clio sport is very good value in Aus. Having said that they are really struggling at the moment. I believe since their re-launch they have never achieved more than half their targets.

BTW, we own a MINI Cooper S so I am definately partial to a good hot hatch https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

noddy

29th April 2006, 02:16 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>Having said that they are really struggling at the moment. I believe since their re-launch they have never achieved more than half their targets.
[/b][/quote]

Hmmmm....very similar to LRA unfortunately.

"The best cars are never the best selling cars, and the best selling cars are never the best cars...." -- old man Honda

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>BTW, we own a MINI Cooper S so I am definately partial to a good hot hatch[/b][/quote]

An original BMC Mini or a BMW Mini? :wink: https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

tombraider

29th April 2006, 04:01 PM

$36k for a POS Focus... :roll: good grief....

Hot hatches blow!

Give me big boofy grunt anyday for a road car....

305 "Z" Clubsport 6 speeder would be fine thanks.

Lazy engine, economical, powerful, and handle bloody well. All with the convenience of a family sedan!!!!

And if you dont think a Big car can perform against a balance small vehicle ask the poor buggers from the Sydney hot 4 club I 'played' with one week-end... Never seen a group of people so ****ed off they couldnt outrun an EL XR6 (tweaked) in a Tweaked STi and a Tweaked EVO7 8)

However, I'd more than happily have a new Mini S (Supercharged) of course! Now they're a brilliant bit of kit :wink:

loanrangie

29th April 2006, 07:06 PM

What about the Escort Xr3i and the Fiesta Xr2i, also the 1985 ford Sierra XR8 built in South Africa using a ford 5ltr mustang windsor V8 with T5 5spd ?- it was one hot hatch . Fuego's were brilliant cars, my mum had a new 86 (85build) 2ltr 5spd Fuego and it flew and was so economical we drove from Mel to Byron Bay on about $45 of fuel back in Sept. 86 when it was new and i had my licence for 2 weeks.

tombraider

29th April 2006, 10:49 PM

305kw Clubsport does Whyalla to Adelaide (412km) on 44litres...

Cant complain....

Quick shift back to 3rd to overtake a road train, punch pedal and your pulling 160+ in seconds :twisted:

Blip - Past - Short shift 6th... RPM to 1800 at 110km/h toooooo easy!!!

Cheers
Mike

LRHybrid100

30th April 2006, 06:44 AM

Ford Escort Cosworth???

Rex / Quattro eater - damn nice liiking car.

LRH

Maggot4x4

30th April 2006, 08:01 AM

Ace

30th April 2006, 08:18 AM

Sorry Noddy but i have to disagree with you, when the original focus was released in australia (however ugly and underpowered it was) it was one of the best handling hatches on the market. When it was released they tested it against the Impreza and said the handling was pretty damn close for a vehicle with front wheel drive as opposed to AWD, this new focus is even better again and has more grunt.

The original focus was rated to have one of the best chassis' around, which was developed alongside the WRC program. The biggest downfall for the focus in Australia was that the car was ugly and didnt have the grunt to push it along our big open roads. This new focus (the base model not the XR5 has a 2L motor with lots more grunt, it looks a **** load better and handles even better than the last one.

I was watching 5th Gear yesterday and they tested the Uk equivalent, the Focus ST and Jason Plato loved it, at the end he commented that the Golf GTI was still 5th Gears Favourite hatch still but not by much over the focus.

Wheels tested 12 or 13 sprorts hatches last year and the Focus and the Golf GTI were on the top of the pile, closely followed by the Mazda SP23. The likes of Astra, Puegot, Citreon and Corolla had nothing on them.

I have no doubt the Puegot and Renault hatches are very good, they are European, but i will stick with the Focus thanks, it looks better for a start. Matt

Bigbjorn

7th August 2006, 07:36 PM

Being an ex Renault Fuego owner I support the view that this manufacturer is the only one doing anything interesting these days
I had over thirty years in motor manufacturing and marketing, and can say with absolute certainty that the one thing in favour of Fiat cars was that they were marginally better than Renaults.

Bytemrk

7th August 2006, 07:39 PM

Nice looking bit of kit Ace...

...... but I'm a bit concerned about the ramp over angle:angel:

Mark:wasntme:

dobbo

7th August 2006, 08:42 PM

Frenchies, Frenchies

What about Honda?

Now theres a FWD rocket building company

jonesy63

8th August 2006, 08:03 AM

FWD... it is still "WRONG wheel drive" in my opinion... :p

Ace

8th August 2006, 08:16 AM

Nice looking bit of kit Ace...

...... but I'm a bit concerned about the ramp over angle:angel:

Mark:wasntme:

Yeah but i wouldnt be taking it off road. Matt

CraigE

8th August 2006, 08:19 AM

boggo

8th August 2006, 09:09 AM

Dont forget that all the focus' technology is from the volvo stable.A damn fine engine,and plenty of race winning front wheel drive experience.Anyone who's given an 850R a bit of a wallop will know what i'm talking about,transfer that into a lightweight vehicle,and can I have a go Ace??

Ace

8th August 2006, 09:14 AM

Sorry Ace but that is retarded.
:twisted: :twisted:
Not a fan of the motor bike engined, doof, doof cars.

Now a Mini Cooper would not be bad, even though they do detract from the original concept a little too much.

HSV's are nice but over rated and overpriced as are FPO's.

I wouldnt be buying it as a Doof doof car. I agree HSV is over rated, and SS Commodore with some flash suspension and a body kit is all they are. Do you mean FPV? If so i would have a new GT anyday, love them. the F6 Typhoon is awsome aswell, just couldnt justify the fuel with the price it is at the moment thats why i liked the look of the new Focus, small powerful and better on fuel, best of both worlds. Matt

Ace

8th August 2006, 09:15 AM

maggsie

8th August 2006, 11:59 AM

I had a drive of an X5 ( coz the 'Ball and Chain' read a writeup somewhere and organised a drive through the local dealer) a couple of months ago and they go quite well, the Volvo engine sounds and feels very smooth.
Talking about Fords, I was in the local auto-trans shop and they had one of the new 6 speed autos on the bench. Seems that Ford in their wisdom put a plastic sump on the box with an integrated filter, so a filter change is also a sump change. This box was cooked, apparently the sump was cracked and lost the oil (over $400.00 to refill thankyou), the torque convertor colour had changed to a blue from the heat. The dealer sent the box to them for them to assess, I would have thought the dealership would have assessed the problem?

CraigE

8th August 2006, 11:59 AM

I wouldnt be buying it as a Doof doof car. I agree HSV is over rated, and SS Commodore with some flash suspension and a body kit is all they are. Do you mean FPV? If so i would have a new GT anyday, love them. the F6 Typhoon is awsome aswell, just couldnt justify the fuel with the price it is at the moment thats why i liked the look of the new Focus, small powerful and better on fuel, best of both worlds. Matt
Yeah, meant FPV. My brother has a Ambrose special, same spec as GT. Still a piece of crappolla, but I am anti Furd at the best of times except for the F trucks. Now a modded Stato or Commodore is a niece piece of kit. I do like HSV's but they are over rated and over priced for what you get and so are FPV's. The thing most people do not understand is that Holden do not do much appart from cosmetics to entry level cars such as the Clubsport. My wifes wagon used to kick **** over a Clubsport with the same motor.
Each to their own though. Now if they actually released the Effyjay. I would be in line. May even lease a new VE SS next year.
Bring back the Brock Commodores at least they were exclusive and a genuine upgrade.

boggo

8th August 2006, 12:41 PM

Mate if i ever have the money to buy one you can yes. :D

Good man,I look forward to it!!!!:p

tombraider

8th August 2006, 11:36 PM

I wouldnt be buying it as a Doof doof car. I agree HSV is over rated, and SS Commodore with some flash suspension and a body kit is all they are. Do you mean FPV? If so i would have a new GT anyday, love them. the F6 Typhoon is awsome aswell, just couldnt justify the fuel with the price it is at the moment thats why i liked the look of the new Focus, small powerful and better on fuel, best of both worlds. Matt

LMAO.... I'm neither a Blue oval or Lion man....

But the GT has about as much 'trouser excitement' as a Zimmer frame.

The Clubby is all animal grunt...

Having driven both for a week I can tell ya the GT has nothing going for it over the Z Clubsport.

And for info....

Not a SS with a Body kit. Clubsports are "Executive Spec" from Salisbury, then shipped to Mexico (VIC) where they have the full custom build.

Doors etc are hand fitted in Victoria. And all paint and engine/driveline is fitted in Vic.

Take a look at a HSV. Its gaps are better, the doors shut with a solid thump, not a tinny rattle and the fit and finish is higher than a Holden std product.

And re-sale, ha, SS = $50k to buy, lucky to get $18k trade in
Clubsport CAN be had for $57k on road.... Latest Trade in offer on the Z was $36k

Me thinks thats good return on a "SS with a body kit", 6 speeder, Top Spec brakes etc.....

Dont get me wrong I love the XR6 T and the Turbo Derivatives but if I wanted thumping grunt, its the 6.0L HSV anyday.

Tombraider

Captain_Rightfoot

9th August 2006, 11:17 AM

I drove a Mazda 3 MPS around Willowbank yesterday afternoon. I can assure you that in Top Gears words... it's a cracking car!

Talk about MUMBO :)

It is built on the same floor pan and has the same suspension as the focus. It was a little insular and not as much fun as the MINI, but still a very impressive car.

I have enquired about the focus and they are taking orders now for next April. It seems as though they underestimated demand.

CraigE

9th August 2006, 11:59 AM

LMAO.... I'm neither a Blue oval or Lion man....

But the GT has about as much 'trouser excitement' as a Zimmer frame.

The Clubby is all animal grunt...

Having driven both for a week I can tell ya the GT has nothing going for it over the Z Clubsport.

And for info....

Not a SS with a Body kit. Clubsports are "Executive Spec" from Salisbury, then shipped to Mexico (VIC) where they have the full custom build.

Doors etc are hand fitted in Victoria. And all paint and engine/driveline is fitted in Vic.

Take a look at a HSV. Its gaps are better, the doors shut with a solid thump, not a tinny rattle and the fit and finish is higher than a Holden std product.

And re-sale, ha, SS = $50k to buy, lucky to get $18k trade in
Clubsport CAN be had for $57k on road.... Latest Trade in offer on the Z was $36k

Me thinks thats good return on a "SS with a body kit", 6 speeder, Top Spec brakes etc.....

Dont get me wrong I love the XR6 T and the Turbo Derivatives but if I wanted thumping grunt, its the 6.0L HSV anyday.

Tombraider
Tombraider,
I am a Holden mand and I do like the Clubsports, but they are not a full rebuild at all. They do have some cosmetic changes and alligning of panels but that is about it, no motor enhancements worth speaking of and from resale I have seen at the moment not real good (although better than an SS). $50k for an SS?? I got quoted $44 about 3 months ago and about $46 when the VE is available. I was also quoted $60-66 for a Clubby!!! Do not get me wrong they are a nice car and I would have one but it is at a premium with price and insurance is a joke.
Believe me we have pulled an Executive up side by side to a Clubby and it was hard to find any real significant difference apart from the prestige. It is only above the Clubby range that HSV start to do some decent mods.
A friend used to sell HSV's and advised on the issue.
When we bought my wifes VT wagon (no longer own), we had a choice of several inc the exective wagon V8 VT, a VT executive sedan V6, a VT SS, a VT Clubby, and a VS Senator. The only one that was significantly higher spec was the Senator. The wagon actually pulled harder than the clubby and was less than half the price for insurance. The guy that bought it new however knew how to buy a car and save a heap over the SS, but end up with a higher spec vehicle. The thing used to eat Clubbys and Mantas.
But if you like them who's to argue.

tombraider

9th August 2006, 12:12 PM

Must have been one hell of a worked over VT....

Clubby - LS2 - 6.0L - 305kw from factory, dynoed local 240kw at rear wheels, untouched from HSV...

With TC disabled black tracks thru 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and chirps into 4th....

Your VT must have had some awesome mods... do tell.....

And considering LS2 only available in HSV you have my attention.

Tombraider

BigJon

9th August 2006, 12:20 PM

Talking about Fords, I was in the local auto-trans shop and they had one of the new 6 speed autos on the bench. Seems that Ford in their wisdom put a plastic sump on the box with an integrated filter, so a filter change is also a sump change. This box was cooked, apparently the sump was cracked and lost the oil (over $400.00 to refill thankyou), the torque convertor colour had changed to a blue from the heat.

This is essentially the same transmission as used in Discovery 3 and Range Rover Sport.

CraigE

9th August 2006, 03:58 PM

No, no, no it was not an LS motor. Was still the 5litre model and compared with same in HSV's. Only relatively minor changes decent cold air intake, 2 3/4" custom exhaust with mandrel bent headers and chip upgrade. Last dyno showed it at 226kw (guy reckons if pushed hard would get to 230kw) compared with standard HSV Clubby same year 185kw. Yes it was a weapon and we regret selling it. Senator alloy's, HSV body kit. Absolutely fantastic car, a real drivers vehicle as all the Commodores from the VT on are. And for a wagon used to surprise most. Especially the Clubby owners when you would leave them.
Obviously nothing compared to the 6.0litre jobbies. Guys over here reckon 300kw figure on these is an easily obtainable figure as the Clubby engineis basically stock anyway, just some fooling with engine management and better air/fuel flow. I just think it is a shame that the Clubbies are really not exclusive like the Brock's were. Every second Holden owner over here seems to have one. Hopefully when things settle down after my transfer I can convince the missus to let me lease her one (have they dropped the 6.0litre in the new SS yet, I know HSV had exclusive right to it for a while before it become sstandard in the rest of the Holden range). Nearly bought a 98 Clubby in Adelaide a few months ago for 17k.
MMM now you have got me yearning again. Could be bad.
Anyone interested in a 2005 BA XR8 Devil R Ambrose Special in SA, $55k ono?
:D
Just got a quote on new Commodore SS $46k 270kw and SSV $51k. May be able to do a few k off for previous model.
MMMMM. I can hear one crying lease me, lease me and its all you fault Tomraider.:o
I think you should lend me your Clubby for a 6 month test drive. While your at it you may as well leave Lara over here for a while.

Ace

9th August 2006, 08:54 PM

Tombraider i dont care really, i dont see a Clubsport or a GT for that matter as more than a SS or XR8 with fance body kits and nice seats, and as mentioned above the insurance is a joke just because HSV or FPV is mentioned insurance premiums double, or tripple.

I reckon Holden ruined the SS when the got rid of the genuine 5L and brought in that chev piece of crap, grunty motor yes, holden no. Matt