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Can the RS compete in the Luxury Sphere?

9K views 38 replies 9 participants last post by  S.Elliot 
#1 ·
I'm thinking of cars like the A45 AMG, Audi RS3 and BMW M235i. Can the Focus RS knock boots with the teutonic trio? I personally don't see why not especially in terms of pure dynamics and emotion. But it becomes a question of what dynamic and emotion do 'luxury' shoppers buy. Does a guy who buys a CLA45 really care about his out and out experience behind the wheel or is he more interested in the 'Mercedes' experience???

 
#4 ·
True, but it will be nice to have some luxury options such as heated seats & steering wheel, rain sending wipers etc.
Especially for the sake of weather conditions of where I am from they are almost needed.
 
#11 ·
I'm thinking of cars like the A45 AMG, Audi RS3 and BMW M235i. Can the Focus RS knock boots with the teutonic trio? I personally don't see why not especially in terms of pure dynamics and emotion. But it becomes a question of what dynamic and emotion do 'luxury' shoppers buy. Does a guy who buys a CLA45 really care about his out and out experience behind the wheel or is he more interested in the 'Mercedes' experience???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlEbJCAxa64
No and it wouldn't have to either. The RS isn't marketed as a luxury car in any market. It's a halo car for the Focus, a mid tier hatchback. As much as we love the RS it can't/doesn't compete with the Germans for luxury. I'm glad, a lot of the "luxury" in those three is pretentious and not based in reality. Will it compare in power and driving pleasure yep and in a cheaper less luxurious (read cheaper) package.

Auto wipers and heated seats are not luxury features of car. Ford has done well bringing "luxury" tech and features to lower tier products. It was pretty advanced to have self parking systems, adaptive cruise control in a hatch in 2012.
 
#15 ·
The Ford Focus RS is about performance, and also a great base to start customizing from. It's just not about luxury in the same way that a Mercedes Benz is. Besides, luxury is just a lot of bells and whistles and pretty packaging now. Quality, performance and great features can be had without paying for a badge.
 
#17 ·
This might be a long post, so apologies in advance, and I'll be typing as I think, so it might be a bit foggy.

Ford has long positioned themselves as more of a people's car brand. They have worked hard for this, in terms of advertising strategy, so it would be unrealistic and contradictory to expect a couple of new models to change the perception that people have of Ford, and of the Focus in particular which is sold as a reasonably priced family hatch, 99% of which are basic diesel and petrol models. The RS will not transform the Focus as a model into a luxury purchase. To badge connoisseurs, the RS will always inspire respect, but to badge followers, the RS badge will never be enough to make them forget it is a Focus, a cheap family hatch. Many people of the kind that wouldn't be seen dead in last week's fashion, go out to be seen to be in the latest trendy spots, and make all their purchases based on how they will be judged by others would rather die than be seen in a Focus. To people who always go for "the best", which usually means the most expensive, whatever it is, whatever the price, the GT would be the target. So even in the Ford catalog, the Focus will be eclipsed. The Mustang will have an easier time seeing as it was a born a sports coupe and not evolved in a lab from a family car. The RS will have 5 doors, a generous boot and a fixed roof. To some, even RS owners, that's already a problem, so imagine how reluctant the badge following crowd could be.

What the RS can do is shine a new light on the model, by showing just how how far the car can go when given an injection of goodness. I actually think the Mk3 could have a lasting impact on many people's perception of the Focus, and I'm almost certain it will attract a lot of new customers that come from outside the typical RS and car enthusiast circles. Would someone who considers going for Merc or BMW also consider the RS? I think this is where deeply engrained cliches come into play. "German cars are more reliable", "Mercs cost a lot but last forever", "Fords depreciate badly",etc. Badge followers would probably not even consider the RS. But I believe the mk3 could be a turning point in terms of raising the profile of the RS brand. It will take time, and a lot will depend on reliability and other factors, but the potential is there.
 
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