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Ford Focus RS Stalls at Ford Nationals

5547 Views 16 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Professor G, Jun 22, 2015

Cosmonaut

Discussion Starter · Jun 16, 2015

It appears that Ford was having some issues with the clutch on the Ford Focus RS at the Carlisle Ford Nationals. This video shows the driver stalling the Focus RS while indoors trying to take off. The big moment is at 3:40.

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/s...ls-still-cool-as-****-video-96729.html#agal_0

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S.Elliot

· #2 · Jun 16, 2015

Worse time to have that happen, right at a big Ford-Focused event like this and on camera with all eyes watching.
At least it acts as a heads up to owners.

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Creedence

· #3 · Jun 16, 2015

S.Elliot said:
Worse time to have that happen, right at a big Ford-Focused event like this and on camera with all eyes watching.
At least it acts as a heads up to owners.

an earlu snafu with a handbuilt pre production model does not act as a heads up to owners. If this scares someone away they were never really that interested in the first place...

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Professor G

· #4 · Jun 16, 2015

Creedence said:
an earlu snafu with a handbuilt pre production model does not act as a heads up to owners. If this scares someone away they were never really that interested in the first place...

x2. That said, this topic does bring up the discussion of the Focus RS clutch setup -- does anyone know if it's going to have a heavy clutch with lots of feel, or something lighter?

I drove a base manual Focus the other day, and was truly disappointed by the clutch feel. Super light, with no progression when the clutch grabbed. Easy to stall because you can't feel when the clutch is about to engage. My current Audi's clutch has much more feel -- it's an excellent manual transmission. If the Focus RS gearbox feels anything like that base Focus, then I'm out.

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SickRS

· #5 · Jun 17, 2015 (Edited)

Professor G said:
x2. That said, this topic does bring up the discussion of the Focus RS clutch setup -- does anyone know if it's going to have a heavy clutch with lots of feel, or something lighter?

I drove a base manual Focus the other day, and was truly disappointed by the clutch feel. Super light, with no progression when the clutch grabbed. Easy to stall because you can't feel when the clutch is about to engage. My current Audi's clutch has much more feel -- it's an excellent manual transmission. If the Focus RS gearbox feels anything like that base Focus, then I'm out.

Now that we're on this topic, I hope the feel of the shifter is nothing like the MT-82 transmission like the one on the Ford Mustang GT. I hate it. The roughest, clunkiest, feel ever.

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Cosmonaut

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jun 17, 2015

I don't think that a stall at one event is very representative of anything. If there is an issue they will fix it for the production model, and cars do stall sometimes so I think this was just poor timing. I'm not worried. I just think its funny.

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S.Elliot

· #7 · Jun 17, 2015

Cosmonaut said:
I don't think that a stall at one event is very representative of anything. If there is an issue they will fix it for the production model, and cars do stall sometimes so I think this was just poor timing. I'm not worried. I just think its funny.

Well it raises some concern and questions, probably to be addressed before production (hopefully) but being someone with money ready to buy one, you have to see it from that.

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Creedence

· #8 · Jun 17, 2015

If this was a DCT car, yes absolutely WTFFFF. Its not, it has a clutch with a release point, it jumped when he was letting it out and it stalled. oh well. Those of you who row yourselves know it happens from time to time to even the most experienced.

Now that said on the matter of clutches... You won't gain a thing from the base Focus because it has super light clutch plates because they're gutless, torqueless little things. The Mustang GT has always had a rougher, heavier clutch because of its higher torque, I found the clutch in the Ecoboost Mustang to be quite regular if you will, which I take as a good sign being mated to the same 2.3. Granted the gearbox will be different for the transverse layout of the RS but I think you follow my reasoning?

There are things they can play with to give it a lighter feel, like longer spring fingers, but I'm not sure what tradeoffs that creates (if any)???

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centurion

· #9 · Jun 18, 2015

True.

Could very well be driver error and not anything specific with the car itself. Plus i'd imagine that Ford would go through a process to ensure what they take to a show that's driveable is going to be presentable, without flaws.

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Cosmonaut

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jun 18, 2015

centurion said:
True.

Could very well be driver error and not anything specific with the car itself. Plus i'd imagine that Ford would go through a process to ensure what they take to a show that's driveable is going to be presentable, without flaws.

Quite true. Ford would double check to make sure everything is good before sending a promo car to an event like this.

I imagine that it was just the driver making a mistake. Of course the internet provides plenty of speculation. This is what happens when people everywhere have cameras in their phones. Little incidents can turn into these huge conversations.

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Professor G

· #11 · Jun 19, 2015

Creedence said:
If this was a DCT car, yes absolutely WTFFFF. Its not, it has a clutch with a release point, it jumped when he was letting it out and it stalled. oh well. Those of you who row yourselves know it happens from time to time to even the most experienced.

Now that said on the matter of clutches... You won't gain a thing from the base Focus because it has super light clutch plates because they're gutless, torqueless little things. The Mustang GT has always had a rougher, heavier clutch because of its higher torque, I found the clutch in the Ecoboost Mustang to be quite regular if you will, which I take as a good sign being mated to the same 2.3. Granted the gearbox will be different for the transverse layout of the RS but I think you follow my reasoning?

There are things they can play with to give it a lighter feel, like longer spring fingers, but I'm not sure what tradeoffs that creates (if any)???

Good points.

My take on the Ecoboost Mustang clutch was that it was just OK. Very abrupt engagement though. I'm OK, but not thrilled, if the Focus RS feels like the Mustang EcoBoost.

What Ford really needs to do is tear apart a Honda S2000 and put that shifter in the Focus RS...one can dream 0

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Jobber

· #12 · Jun 19, 2015

Professor G said:
Good points.

My take on the Ecoboost Mustang clutch was that it was just OK. Very abrupt engagement though. I'm OK, but not thrilled, if the Focus RS feels like the Mustang EcoBoost.

What Ford really needs to do is tear apart a Honda S2000 and put that shifter in the Focus RS...one can dream 0

The abruptness was likely because you didn't know where it was, making its appearance abrupt. I much prefer a sharp and well defined point then a vague and soft one...

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Professor G

· #13 · Jun 19, 2015

Jobber said:
The abruptness was likely because you didn't know where it was, making its appearance abrupt. I much prefer a sharp and well defined point then a vague and soft one...

I'd say that's fair, I only drove it for a few minutes. And I've learned there's always a learning curve to just about any manual car. I'm sure I'll adjust to the Focus RS feel in short order.

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S.Elliot

· #14 · Jun 19, 2015

Especially with the clutch as it varies from vehicle to vehicle.

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Jobber

· #15 · Jun 20, 2015

Professor G said:
I'd say that's fair, I only drove it for a few minutes. And I've learned there's always a learning curve to just about any manual car. I'm sure I'll adjust to the Focus RS feel in short order.

indeed, thats what makes finding it all the more delicious >

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S.Elliot

· #16 · Jun 22, 2015

Cosmonaut said:
Quite true. Ford would double check to make sure everything is good before sending a promo car to an event like this.

I imagine that it was just the driver making a mistake. Of course the internet provides plenty of speculation. This is what happens when people everywhere have cameras in their phones. Little incidents can turn into these huge conversations.

In defense of our speculation, as future and potential buyers, it's better to be concerned and asking these questions than not.

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Professor G

· #17 · Jun 22, 2015

Jobber said:
indeed, thats what makes finding it all the more delicious >

Absolutely! Definitely part of the fun of driving a new manual car!

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