Power LR vs LS

[kenny21]

I have been drivin around in a LR sedan focus for a while and today i drove ma dads LS sedan focus (both auto) and i dunno but to me it doesnt seem to be as much as it says it is maybe cause of the weight or somethin i dunno but i know i could at least get some wheel spin if i flattened it with the LR. Has anyone put the LR and LS side by side? Is it just me or does the LS not seem as powerful as it says it is.

[Stugots]

could be the moon buggy suspension height, different gearing..

Sometimes i think my focus feels sluggish compared to my previous car (1.6L) but it's deceptively, alot more powerful.

Not sure how it compares to a LR though. different chassis altogether so it's naturally gonna feel different.

I know the LS manuals chirp very easily ;) All-alloy engines in FWD's isn't always the smartest thing.

[Piotr]

Me and simon had a race before. At low speed the cars are very much identical but at higher speeds the extra KW's on the LS start to take over. There is a thread aroud here with projected times for each model.

[melbzetec]

Take a look here:

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...ighlight=Power.

Whilst the LS is more powerful, take a little weight from the LR and you are all over it.

ps. Having just taken out the stock cat, and replaced it with a RT sports cat, I must have lost at least 10 -15kg from the front!That LR stock cat weighs a bomb

[Lonesta]

Holy hell didnt know the stock cat was that big...definitely on my list of things to do.

[zetec]

The LS has a honey of an engine and should be quicker in a straight line every time, it has 107kw vs 85kw (or 96kw on the old Zetecs) and my manual LR Zetec has been beaten by an auto LS more than once.

Where the old models come into their own is handling, the new models just can't match the old models for outright handling and accuracy, so on a twisty road, the slightly lighter weight, better handling and less understeery nature help it punch well above its weight.

[kenny21]

standard the new focus feels better but thats just all to do with setup of the car ie wat tyres u have on it how wide they are and the sidewalls, how much toe in or out u have, how much neg camber u have etc i could go on lol but yea its just the setup to how ur car handles.

[zetec]

Simply put, the new Focus weighs more, has a higher centre of gravity and has NCT5 Eco's standard across the range, even on the sportier Zetec. That's offset by a more refined drivetrain, more powerful, smooth engine and longer service life on major components. It's a better car in most ways, and definitely a strong step forward for the product, but you'll always get old tossers like me rabbiting on that the old model is better in this way or that! The only real areas it wins hands down is design and handling.

[orsest170]

Originally Posted by zetec

The only real areas it wins hands down is design and handling.

Styling is a very subjective thing Matt. My old ST170 looked fantastic sitting on Eibach springs, but I reckon my XR5 still looks better from almost every angle, especially the front, and front quarter, side on – it’s got heaps more muscle. The only disappointing angles on the LS focus are the ones we discussed at Rally Australia, where you stand directly behind it (looks ok on XR5 with twin exhausts), or to the back and slightly to the side of it (which, strangely enough was probably my favourite angle on the ST170).

I also think the LS appeals to fans of larger cars more so than the LR, because in a visual sense, it doesn’t immediately give the impression that it is a small car like the LR does. I’ve had a number of comments from people who normally have little or no time for small cars (yeah I know, bloody Neanderthals!), saying how awesome the XR5 looks. With the ST170, it was generally only small car fans that got excited about it.

Anyway to keep this on topic, I’ve driven lesser LR and LS models and owned both the respective ‘hero cars’ and they are quite different beasts. The LR is remarkably ‘chuckable’ and can ultimately provide more handling thrills, but the LS is much more refined, and wins hands down on engine smoothness and ride quality. I also noticed more urge when driving the 2.0 LS over the 2.0 LR, and despite being the heavier car, I think if you lined them up side by side, the LS would take the honours.

WE got both sitting in the driveway, LR is definatly got the handling, although the LS can still show a LOT of cars how its done. I feel the LR is how the designers and engineers wanted a car, whereas the LS is more of a "make the company money" car. Mass produced cross-company shared chassis, engine etc is an example of this, the LS's "refinement" could also mean "dulling".