Tester’s notes - All Comments

re: Fast Ford Special: the underdog wins for me

Casanova — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:13:43 GMT

I drove 205s for years - I had 5, from a boggo NA diesel up to a quick and mildly tweaked sporty one. Never had a problem with lift-off oversteer, even at moderate pace on the public road. The car always gave the impression that you would have to be driving pretty crazily to induce the lift-off snap oversteer that urban myths of the time bemoaned.

Also, LA - most of them, particularly 1.9s, had that big glass sunroof. The rarer ones are the solid roof versions - preferred by some for their greater stiffness, lighter weight, and suitability for rallying (which has exacerbated the rareness!).

re: Stunned by the new three-cylinder Ford Focus

Ravon — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:59:40 GMT

eseaton, may be pitiful to you, but I'm genuinely interested in the units installed weight for potential Caterham usage, and reasonably assume it's relatively heavy, or otherwise it's weight would be quoted as one of it's additionally noteworthy plus points . As far as Mr.Cropley is concerned, he doesn't generally ever say anything controversial , he needs to keep his popularity with the manufacturers high.

re: Stunned by the new three-cylinder Ford Focus

eseaton — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:34:44 GMT

Alot of the above commentary is pitiful.

If you have so little respect for Steve Cropley as to disregard his astonishment at this engine, what in the name of God are you doing fiddling around on this forum?

Is he saying "Blimey, this engine is utterly incredible! Why, it is so amazing, it is nearly as good as a diesel!"?

Unless you can look yourself in the mirror as you stroke your beard tomorrow morning and say to yourself "A 1.6 TDi is the answer to all my dreams", be quiet and open your minds.

re: Stunned by the new three-cylinder Ford Focus

petrolheadinrussia — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:23:43 GMT

By the way Mr. Cropley if you can get out of your wheelchair and answer a serious question when folk have the courtesy to get involved with your blogs - it would be kind of nice???

I think all the autocar staff should be re-photographed because the images they have up have been arounf for over 2 decades!

re: Stunned by the new three-cylinder Ford Focus

petrolheadinrussia — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:21:47 GMT

@ Ischiaragazzo - I was in the shipping business for 28 years and Greek shipoweners always would buy a ship which had Daihatsu Auxilliary engines = because the never ever broke down !!! same with the fabulous little Charade

re: New 911 – too good for its own good?

Los Angeles — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 01:55:39 GMT

"An R8 now feels 'old'." Tom Mallett

I am unable to understand the interest in the Audi R8 stable other than it looks different from other sports cars and draws attention for that reason. It is lifeless to drive in comparison.

That cavil aside, I agree with all you have had to say for my experience of the latest 911 matches yours, a two-hour familiarity accepted.

re: Stunned by the new three-cylinder Ford Focus

ischiaragazzo — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:46:03 GMT

@LP in Brighton Daihatsu showed the way decades before with the 1-litre Charade GTti, or whatever it was called. That truly was a car ahead of its time! One of those facts that one stores away - I remember reading an article many years ago byt a Daihatsu engineer stating that the optimum combustion chamber size was 331cc. So the Charade motor was 993 cc. I remember the Charades fondly too - drive the nuts off them and they came back for more.

re: Stunned by the new three-cylinder Ford Focus

catnip — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 13:16:37 GMT

From the comments on here, looks like Ford are wasting their time with this one.

re: Stunned by the new three-cylinder Ford Focus

Buzz Cagney — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:38:19 GMT

Sorry, but all too often I read testers 'bigging up' Fords only to wonder what they are talking about once i've tried it myself.

I sincerely hope this engine is as good as it says here, but i somehow doubt it is.

re: New 911 – too good for its own good?

tommallett — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:18:20 GMT

I had a blast in a 991 the other day and I wondered whether it was 'too good' as well. It now feels mid-engined in terms of handling balance and the power understeer is dialled out, allowing the car to be steered on the throttle much more easily. There is also little problem with the steering, which is nicer in town but has slightly less feel at speed and around 'centre'. I ended up thinking a GTS might be more fun cross country, but only just, and that the 991 was so much more complete that it now renders its competitors obsolete. An R8 now feels 'old', while a GT-R feels way too harsh for everyday in comparison.

re: New 911 – too good for its own good?

Lesia44 — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:29:16 GMT

"It is obvious someone like 'Pits' never driven any fast car on a normal road ..."

Would that be the guy who would never ever buy a rear engined car but would happily spend £65,000 on a car with a Toyota engine in it? A car that couldn't even hold it's own agains a creaking old jag in Autocar's recent test.

re: New 911 – too good for its own good?

Ravon — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:49:01 GMT

At fifty-four years of age, and with little racing experience I found myself at the wheel of a 997 Cup on the Nurburgring with a grid of over two hundred cars around me. I did four and a bit seasons and to my knowledge in conditions ranging from snow covered track edges to near tropics, I spun the car once only,and that was the first time I ever drove it, I crashed it heavily once, a novice mistake, overtaking a slower car around the outside, and getting driven off the road. In all that time, at least eight races a year, I found no problem what ever with the rear engined layout, in fact under braking and under acceleration it filled even a driver of my limited abilities with nothing but confidence. Often it would be possible to simply rocket past an M3 for example under braking, the rear engined arrangement keeping the car beautifully level at all times. Exiting turns, again the rear engined layout providing supreme traction in all conditions. Despite the age of the 997 they were still good enough to come 1,2,3,4 at the recent Daytona 24hr race. Just imagine how good the 991Cup will be, with I believe, a favorable weight distribution to even Mr Pits beloved Evora ? It's plainly ridicules to constantly denigrate the Porsche arrangement and people who choose to drive them. At this time there is no realistic English built competition, sadly it's unlikely there will be in my life time, but we do still make some great vehicles, look at the wonderful machines that Jaguar Land Rover produce, it gives me huge pleasure to tow my track Porsche behind Land Rover's fabulous Discovery ! Finally unless I'm much mistaken "The Pits" chose to purchase an Aston Martin over an Evora, so for all the vitriol, he didn't put his money where his mouth is !

re: New 911 – too good for its own good?

si73 — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:06:37 GMT

re: New 911 – too good for its own good?

herbie911 — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:10:59 GMT

I agreed with Peter C!

When my wife 1st test drove a 911 a few years back, she can't even tell it was rear engine. So I tried and at normal speed, you can't even tell (At that time, I regularly drove a M3 to work and use a Cayman S for trackdays!) You need to drive illegally on the road or on a trackday before you can tell where the engine is!

It is obvious someone like 'Pits' never driven any fast car on a normal road cause it is easier to spin a Cayman or M3 than a 911 on normal road! Why? The 997 got 295/30 tyres in the rear and both the Beemer and Cayman got 255 which got less ultimate grip. It is just when a 997 rear lose grip, it comes at a much higher speed or it understeer first!

re: Stunned by the new three-cylinder Ford Focus

Evo_ermine — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:31:34 GMT

True Artill. I guess they had their reasons and I suppose they developed a longer lasting belt too but It's hard to know how long it would actually last for.

The mag article goes into alsorts of tech details that I can't be bothered to type on here but it makes a change to hear of interesting technology by someone other than BMW.