Mook Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 Someone at work (bit of a petrolhead) who's had a Focus ST for ages has chopped it in and is about to get a brand new Focus. It's called a Zetec S, apparently and it has (yes, you'll read this right) a 1 litre twin turbo engine. WTF?!?!? Sorry, I don't understand the Ford web site - it's one of the most unusable things I've ever come across so I can't post a link to it because I can't find the car on there. 80+ mpg apparently, but feck me, what's the world coming to? It's got to have all the appeal of having your gonads removed with used baler twine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinspark Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 I believe it's a single turbo - and it's a triple. So it'll sound quite nice, unless it's over silenced. 125bhp, which isn't too shabby - but isn't really good enough for something as heavy as a new shape Focus. We have lots of 115bhp diesels which are a tad sluggish - and they only deliver around 48mpg - so 80mpg from the Ecoboost isn't happening. Just to add insult to injury, Zetec S makes it look like it should be quick - but it isn't! - guy over the road has an old Zetec S, complete with the rear diffuser, spoiler and big alloys. It's a 115bhp TDCI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser647 Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 The new Ecoboost engine. 1 litre, 3 cylinder jobbie. It's got a turbo (just the one I think). The engine bay will look a bit bare. You'll be able to see the road beneath all around it! Of the 2 chances of it getting 80 mpg, 1 of them is fat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinspark Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 Here's a link for a review: Ford Focus 1 0t 125 Ecoboost Zetec S 5dr Review | What Car? £19.2k list price. They're having a laugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon magnifique Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 Of the 2 chances of it getting 80 mpg, 1 of them is fat. Bob Hope and no hope, and Bob's dead. I can't remember where I read a review of it, but the review said they just ended up thrashing the jumper bumpers off it and getting woeful mpg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted March 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 The whole "looks fast" was one of his comments, i.e. looks fast but it's not. I just don't get this obsession with buying brand new eco cars. He's not in a lease or anything - he thinks spending £000s on a new car is a sensible thing to do, rather than buying a one or two year old TDCI which will probably do as many mpg and be quick as well. Talking of brand new eco cars - on the way to a mountain bike race yesterday following a mate in his Mk5 GTI, we both overtook a 13 plat Lexus IS hybrid thing doing about 50 on a fast A road and got flashed by him until we disappeared out of sight. Did make me chuckle - "none of this enthusiastic driving for you thugs in your black go faster cars"... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon magnifique Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 Talking of brand new eco cars - on the way to a mountain bike race yesterday following a mate in his Mk5 GTI, we both overtook a 13 plat Lexus IS hybrid thing doing about 50 on a fast A road and got flashed by him until we disappeared out of sight. Did make me chuckle - "none of this enthusiastic driving for you thugs in your black go faster cars"... You've probably got your very own letter to the editor in the Daily Mail, signed Outraged of Tunbridge Wells. I can't believe how many Lexus CT200s there are out there. At this rate, the problem of safely disposing of all these batteries will be something akin to closing Sellafield... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m4ttm4son Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost turbo petrol engine debuts in All-New Focus The block can fit on a sheet of A4 paper. That's a lot of road to be seen in the engine bay then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 I love people who don't like being overtaken, only this morning I overtook a silver (what other colour would it be!) Audi A4, sorry no idea what spec/engine/trim, doing about 40 in a 60 limit, I was so impressed with how much flashing of headlights and gesticulating he did that I pulled into a lay by further up the road, hiding behind a lorry so he couldn't see me, then pulled out and overtook him again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 I can't believe how many Lexus CT200s there are out there. I can, all the benefits of driving a Prius, without actually having to drive a Prius, so no one thinks your a [email protected]! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinspark Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 I can, all the benefits of driving a Prius, without actually having to drive a Prius, so no one thinks your a [email protected]! I'd choose a CT200 company car, if it were available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon magnifique Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 I can, all the benefits of driving a Prius, without actually having to drive a Prius, so no one thinks your a [email protected]! But most of them are tw4ts! I'd choose a CT200 company car, if it were available. Q.E.D. Seriously, I'd try one first if you think a 1.6 petrol Feckus/Zafira is underpowered. (Not driven one, but the figures don't look good at all). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinspark Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 I had a Mk2 Prius for 2 years. I loved it... I think they're around 110bhp, but it feels like more due to the electric motor torque and CVT box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_C Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 Be interesting to see if the Ford 1.0 is a ticking time bomb like the VAG 1.4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinspark Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 What do you mean, time bomb? Mine made it to a massive 18k miles before it went pop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdiesel Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 You've probably got your very own letter to the editor in the Daily Mail, signed Outraged of Tunbridge Wells. I can't believe how many Lexus CT200s there are out there. At this rate, the problem of safely disposing of all these batteries will be something akin to closing Sellafield... I am involved in a project to reuse these batteries and its fiendishly clever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 Seriously, I'd try one first if you think a 1.6 petrol Feckus/Zafira is underpowered. (Not driven one, but the figures don't look good at all). The CT200H has the 1.8 engine, plus the electric motor, yes it's got a weight penalty, but even the older 1.5 Prius while not being fast, is perfectly adequate, I can even get the Mrs one to squeal it's tyres occasionally, no mean feat with a CVT gearbox, which is IMO, and contrary to Twinsparks, it's biggest failing. If anyone who hasn't driven one, watched 5th Gear last week when they reviewed the GS450H, then that is what it's like driving with a CVT gearbox, try and press on and you just get 6000rpm and then wait while the car catches up with the engine! It's fine around town of course, and very smooth, but on the motorway, with cruise control on, it quickly get tiresome as the car does 6000rpm every time you go up hill, it just doesn't feel like it has a mechanical connection between the engine and the wheels, so the engine speed is irrelevant to your actual speed, I didn't like the CVT in a Fiesta many years ago, and I still don't like CVT's today, and it is in my opinion, the only negative against most hybrids. Strange really as theoretically a CVT is the perfect gearbox, being infinitely variable, but I think it helps decrease the MPG as it just revs the tits of the engine anytime you want to go anywhere, instead of just staying in gear and using a bit of torque. I am involved in a project to reuse these batteries and its fiendishly clever. Blow the dust off and re-fit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarMad Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 CVT makes things more efficient not less which is why it's used. I go in a Lexus RX regularly and it's a lovely place to sit in and it's pretty darn fast. It is funny when people get up his chuff and he floors it and it surges away and it not a little thing. Lexus are going to go a hybrid IS for the first time soon it's a 2.5 4 cylinder and its meant to be no slouch. The other petrols in the range are embarrassingly thirsty compared to rivals though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinspark Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 CVT can be deceptive - because the engine is droning at constant revs, you don't feel like you're doing anything - but if you watch the speedometer, you're 'gathering pace' much quicker than you think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 CVT makes things more efficient if your pootling about around town, absolutely, but not on the motorway, or if you like pushing on a bit, the engine speed gets set to maximum revs and off you go, yes it's (slightly) deceptive, but you'd get better fuel economy if your rpm matched the road speed in each gear, meaning you would be hitting maximum rpm only once in every gear until you reach your chosen speed, whereas a CVT will be doing maximum revs all the way there. We took the Prius to Disney a couple of weeks ago, and at a constant 138kph indicated for 3 hours without stopping, we averaged 48 mpg, if it hadn't done 6k rpm every time we went uphill, it would have been better, it wouldn't have needed to do 6k rpm if the engine was allowed to use some of it's torque to maintain speed as it would have done with any other type of gearbox. In comparison btw, we took the Galaxy last time, and it did 60 mpg on the same journey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterS Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 I'm sure I read somewhere that Ford are going to offer that engine in a Mondeo as well Having said that, the non turbocharged 3 cylinder 999cc engine our Up! is a willing little thing. Mind you, it goes even better now since I did around 140 miles in it today (10% of all the miles it's done since September ) thrashing it along the A/M27 and back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 125hp is all you ever need. If you have a car that weights 550kg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 Actually, one of these new force induction tiny engines might be quite good fun in a Caterham, wonder if the 3 cylinder is actually any lighter once the turbo etc is added? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinspark Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 I'm sure I've had a discussion about that somewhere in recent months. The conclusion was that it doesn't fit - apparently, it's a very tall lump, so sticks out the top of a Caterham bonnet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 Hmmm. Removing weight from the front might not be a great idea, the Academy car was so keen to understeer sometimes, it was untrue. You might need silly levels of rake to get the balance back again. Mind you, it would be a lot of fun trying. R600 is forced-induction, of course - but supercharged not turbo, perhaps to stop the rears just spinning when the turbo kicks in & overwhelms the lack of weight on the tyres? Anyway, back on topic... the Ford thing will sell like hot cakes. Most people don't care about throttle response or torque curves, just mpg and how many cupholders. We are the weird ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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