Wheels 2003 - SRi vs Focus

[willhouse]

Found this in an old magazine today.

http://i853.photobucket.com/albums/ab91/wilhouse/Image11.jpg

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http://i853.photobucket.com/albums/ab91/wilhouse/Image16.jpg

http://i853.photobucket.com/albums/ab91/wilhouse/Image17.jpg

http://i853.photobucket.com/albums/ab91/wilhouse/Image18.jpg

[benzino]

awesome, thanks for scanning these :D

(also, they got 14.5L/100km for the astra!? they must've been thrashing the shit out of it!!)

[Wraith]

I remember this one not long before I bought my TS turbo convertible, but for starters it's hardly a fair competition LOL because the turbo XR5T Focus wasn't released yet, so the TS turbo would have it all over the normal Focus...BTW over optimistic they were with the prediction of the turbo vert as AFAIK no more than 240 were sold in Aust. they were just predicting by the remarkable sales of the N/A variant, all the better for me, the lesser there are the more unique they are :)

Also the TS turbo hatch took out Motors Bang For Your Bucks competition around the same time...

[metry]

shouldnt the st170 be compared to the 2.2 sri? to me that would have been a more fair comparison

[DJM83]

Love to see this comparo 3 years later. Comparing the 170 to the SRi T isnt a proper comparo

They are in the same price bracket though.

[JohnBu]

shouldnt the st170 be compared to the 2.2 sri? to me that would have been a more fair comparison

Not really, that was the hottest Focus at the time (baring the RS not available in Oz).

Plus the fact the ST was $10 more.


Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk

[metry]

Not really, that was the hottest Focus at the time (baring the RS not available in Oz).

Plus the fact the ST was $10 more.


Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk

on a price comparison maybe. but the astra turbo was a great car for the money. still seems a little unfair

[lonewolf1983]

having driven both, the astra far faster, the focus better handling and more fun to drive (as standard)

[balker]

Was disappointed when I lost that magazine years ago. Thanks!

[Silver Surfer]

Will post motor & racq mag articles I have over the wkend

[JohnBu]

on a price comparison maybe. but the astra turbo was a great car for the money. still seems a little unfair

I can't see why it's unfair... both are in the same weight division (price).

[kabel]

I have that article and the BFYB article from MOTOR and a couple of other hot hatch comparo`s.
At the time the Focus ST170 was the top dog in the Ford Hot Hatch product range.

[metry]

I can't see why it's unfair... both are in the same weight division (price).

its fair in that price and both were the quickest astras and focuses available here. but its a no brainer that the astra was gonna win.

[benzino]

I have that article and the BFYB article from MOTOR and a couple of other hot hatch comparo`s.
At the time the Focus ST170 was the top dog in the Ford Hot Hatch product range.
You should upload the bfyb article. Pretty please? :D

[lonewolf1983]

+1
would love to see some more coverage from when it was released

[Silver Surfer]

http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l518/SS_SRIT/Press/h401.jpg
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[Silver Surfer]

http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l518/SS_SRIT/Press/m01.jpg
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[Silver Surfer]

http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l518/SS_SRIT/Press/m11.jpg

[Silver Surfer]

http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l518/SS_SRIT/Press/r01.jpg
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http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l518/SS_SRIT/Press/r03.jpg

[willhouse]

Thanks for them!!

[benzino]

awesome awesome awesome!!! :thumbs:

[Wraith]

Love to see this comparo 3 years later. Comparing the 170 to the SRi T isnt a proper comparo

They are in the same price bracket though.

I agree, despite being at similar price points at the time, they are not exactly the same class of vehicle, to me it's a bit of wank comparison...

If it were 3 years later, I'd say the XR5T would've pasted the TS SRiT without a doubt, as they would be in the same class, ie. comparing apples with apples and also priced similar, whereas car mags always throw together whatever they have on hand at the time just for the sake of making an article and selling magazines...

I've extensively driven the LV XR5T even wanted to buy one at one stage, they are a much better drive than both the TS and AH SRiT Astras IMHO and I'm not being biased as I totally love my TS turbo vert :)

[faneca]

Just remember tho there are 5cylinders in the xr5t do again could you really say that's fair, even if it's only 1 extra cylinder lol

[DJM83]

I agree, despite being at similar price points at the time, they are not exactly the same class of vehicle, to me it's a bit of wank comparison...

If it were 3 years later, I'd say the XR5T would've pasted the TS SRiT without a doubt, as they would be in the same class, ie. comparing apples with apples and also priced similar, whereas car mags always throw together whatever they have on hand at the time just for the sake of making an article and selling magazines...

I've extensively driven the LV XR5T even wanted to buy one at one stage, they are a much better drive than both the TS and AH SRiT Astras IMHO and I'm not being biased as I totally love my TS turbo vert :)

Agreed, i wasnt trying to start an argument. If the LS XR5T was around then it would be an interesting read and also being in the same price bracket as the ST170 and SRi.
But then if it were 3 years later and the XR5T was around what would it be compared to (Pardon my arrogance to the GM range its not intended). Im not biased i drove a couple of hot hatches before settling on the XR5T i was just lucky it has a Ford badge so it kept me in the Ford Family.

I dont think the extra cylinder would make it unfair, some may see it that way.

[Silver Surfer]

edit

[Silver Surfer]

Please post
You should upload the bfyb article. Pretty please? :D

[lonewolf1983]

I agree, despite being at similar price points at the time, they are not exactly the same class of vehicle, to me it's a bit of wank comparison...

If it were 3 years later, I'd say the XR5T would've pasted the TS SRiT without a doubt, as they would be in the same class, ie. comparing apples with apples and also priced similar, whereas car mags always throw together whatever they have on hand at the time just for the sake of making an article and selling magazines...

I've extensively driven the LV XR5T even wanted to buy one at one stage, they are a much better drive than both the TS and AH SRiT Astras IMHO and I'm not being biased as I totally love my TS turbo vert :)

you cant compare cars that didnt exist at the same time...
ST170 was its competitor on price, and market segment (e.g. top range hot hatch at the time), valid comparo.

[Silver Surfer]

+1 Enjoy the articles people
you cant compare cars that didnt exist at the same time...
ST170 was its competitor on price, and market segment (e.g. top range hot hatch at the time), valid comparo.

[benzino]

I believe the comparos are relative and closer than what people are implying.

High power and moderate handling vs. moderate power and high handling. (Think of the original Mini Cooper...)

Also, reading those reviews I think the gearboxes should have been swapped. The high performance of the astra would have suited the focus' long 6 speed and the short 5 speed in the astra would have been much better in the focus... 3 gear changes to get to 100 in a turbo?! bloody crazy.

I think where the astra really wins is std. equipment and body and the focus needed to be in the price bracket down (and in direct competition with the corolla sportivo which seems more similar...)

[metry]

3 gear changes to get to 100 in a turbo?! bloody crazy.


3 gear changes in any car is crazy. my lancer only just hits 105ish at the top of 3rd gear at 7k rpm ish.

back on topic. i was saying it didn't seam fair before but at the time it was all they had to do the comparison. on a price point it is fair but on performance it isnt so much. still great reads imo.

[benzino]

3 gear changes in any car is crazy. my lancer only just hits 105ish at the top of 3rd gear at 7k rpm ish.


no THAT'S crazy!! lol and I thought my gearbox was close ratio! hahaha
is your lancer a 4 speed? if it is, it must have a super long 4th gear (or low top speed)


but anyway, the point I was trying to make before though was that handling can equal performance and is therefore a fair test that wan't outweighed by the astra's performance :thumbs:

[poita]

Calibra does 105 is second gear /OT

[lonewolf1983]

astra isnt short geared IMHO, it actually benefits from only 5 speeds as it has such a torquey midrange

[metry]

is your lancer a 4 speed? if it is, it must have a super long 4th gear (or low top speed)

5spd. tops out about 170ish. well arpund there all i remember was trying to hold the car in a straight line and it stopped pulling. had a quick glance at the speedo and it was around there. hit the breaks and the car didn't want to stop or slow down. needless to say i havent done it ever again

[adam_92]

but anyway, the point I was trying to make before though was that handling can equal performance and is therefore a fair test that wan't outweighed by the astra's performance :thumbs:

Perfect example.. guys 2.2 Sri... N/A and faster around a track than a Sri turbo because it handles so well. In a straight line then a turbo would probably destroy it but you have to weigh everything up. No roads are perfectly straight without any corners.

[chrissn89]

A stock Astra turbo will do 100km/h in 2nd. After a remap with rev limit raised slightly it'll do 117km/h in 2nd...

[lonewolf1983]

A stock Astra turbo will do 100km/h in 2nd. After a remap with rev limit raised slightly it'll do 117km/h in 2nd...

yeah thats pretty high geared.
my close ratio pulsar was on the 8500rpm limiter in 3rd @160 lol

[benzino]

*cough* my CR box does 120 in 3rd (80 in 2nd) :RollingEyes:

[Silver Surfer]

www.carmag.co.za/road_test/from-the-archives-opel-astra-opc/

+ repost

www.opelaus.com/forums/showthread.php?33011-Redline-Mag-UK-Astra-G-GSI-Turbo-450bhp&p=767116&highlight=#post767116

+ Performance Vauxhall 2015

http://1.droppdf.com/files/827vi/performance-vauxhall-november-2015.pdf