I'm not saying the Escort is a piece of crap. The Focus really picked up where the Escort left off. I'm sure the Focus will eventually go the way of the Escort in another 10-years and be replaced by something else.

Yeah the 3 is a bit portly. The 4-door 3s weighs in just under 2800lbs, which is about 150-200lbs heavier than the US Focus. I'm not sure what the European Focus on the same platform weighs.

The extra power (160hp, 155tq) and more aggressive final drive ratio (4.08 I think) make up for the extra weight. Today in my boredom between sending out resumes I plan on testing out the Mazda 3s with a stick so I can compare it to the 4-door Focus ST I test drove on Monday.

 

The new ST is 151 hp and 154 torque isn't it? With those weights, the Focus would run about a 15.9 or so and the 3 would run about a 16.2 or so.

What's the focii final drive? Mine from the ZX2 is a 4.10 . I like the exterior/interior of the Mazda 3 and would definately take one over my current ride. But my current ride has no payments and the insurance is less than $70 a month for full coverage

Thanks for the write up btw I haven't been able to touch the 2k5's yet, haven't had the time.

 

I think the ST has a 3.83 final ratio...something like that. The "hot mod" for the new 2.0l is to swap in the 4.09 final drive. Marcy Motorsports was telling me this alone should make up for the lower torque of the 2.0l and feel about on par with the 2.3.

The autotragic 2.3l 4-door 3 felt pretty good, definately not a slouch. Granted it did have some sort of aftermarket cat-back exhaust. Allegedly Magnaflow is offering a cat-back for the 3 which gives it about a 9.5% gain at the wheels. From what I gather, the 3 also uses two cats...Vibrant is testing a few different cat-backs, one of which eliminates the rear cat.

Should be interesting to see how much power they get from these cars. It is speculated the 2.3l out of the Focus will hit the 200hp mark with merely free-breathing induction, UDP, full exhaust (header to tailpipe), and cams w/adjusted cam timing...no need to even touch the head. The only thing holding the car back is lack of engine management. No one (SCT or Diablo) makes a tuner for the 2.3l yet.

The Mazda 3 2.3l has VVT on one or both of the cams...so I think cams are out of the question for the Mazda until someone comes up with someway to eliminate VVT without causing some sort of issue with the ECU. Being that Ford plays a large role in Mazda, I'm thinking VVT will be more of a mechanical mechanism like the SVT or ZX2 as opposed to computer controlled variable valve timing like VTEC or VVTi. So perhaps swapping Focus cams into the Mazda won't be such a pain.

 

Hopefully they aren't bad. Too bad my engine is so outdated the only thing I can do to get reasonable power out of it is FI and headwork

I just found out my cam can't be reground, figures..lol Great idea with the lighter pressed on lobes for easier revving, just can't regrind them

 

Try taking one down the blue ridge parkway at high speeds lol. fun times.

 

When I used to live in Brevard, NC I used to take my 1998 Neon ACR down the Blue Ridge parkway, damn good times with those adjustable factory koni's and some decent skins