By: IOL Motoring Staff
Ford and Volkswagen have just turned up the heat in the hatch market with the local release of the new Focus RS and Golf GTI Clubsport.
They're not direct competitors by any stretch of the imagination, the Focus RS being an all-wheel drive hyper-hatch with 257kW on command and the GTI CS sticking to front-wheel drive and developing 195kW, with 213kW during boost mode. Yet their introductions are sure to add some much-needed sparkle to their different rungs of the hot hatch hierarchy.
We drove both on their respective launches late last week and you'll find our detailed impressions in your local Motoring supplement this Thursday, in The Star, Mercury or Cape Times. For now, let's take a quick glance at what each has to offer:
FORD FOCUS RS
Price: R699 900
Power:257kW @ 6000rpm
Torque:440Nm @ 1600-5000rpm
Ford's new hyper-hatch goes up against the 280kW Mercedes-AMG A45 (R737 314) and 270kW Audi RS3 (R775 500) and though it doesn't offer a massive price advantage over the Germans, the RS will have its own cult following and Ford is at least ensuring that not every Tom, Dick and Harry will have one as only 300 units will be made available in SA.
Driving all four wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox is a 257kW version of the 2.3-litre EcoBoost four-cylinder turbopetrol engine that's already found in the Mustang. According to Ford, the hottest Focus ever will screech from 0-100km/h in just 4.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 266km/h.
It'll bend to your mood with one of four drive modes, including a 'Drift Mode' and Ford has thrown plenty of technology at its corner-gobbling ability, a highlight being Dynamic Torque Vectoring. Stopping power is courtesy of Brembo front calipers.
VW GOLF GTI CLUBSPORT
Price: R540 200
Power:195kW @ 5350-6600rpm
Torque:380Nm @ 1700-5300rpm
Created to celebrate the Golf GTI's 40th anniversary, the Clubsport is powered by a 195kW version of Volkswagen's EA888 2-litre turbopetrol, offering 26kW more than the current GTI Performance Pack. But ask it nicely (hint: just flatten the accelerator) and it'll liberate 213kW for 10 seconds at a time - giving you quick boost when you need it.
A six-speed dual-clutch DSG gearbox pushes power to the front wheels and according to VW, the GTI CS will get to 100km/h in 5.9 seconds and reach a top end of 249km/h.
It's set apart by some new aerodynamic features that generate extra downforce, these being a redesigned front bumper, rear spoiler and diffuser while the interior gets a few extra bits and bobs and you can (optionally) equip it with race-style bucket seats.
The GTI Clubsport's closest rivals will be the 184kW Ford Focus ST3 (R462 900) and 201kW Renault Megane RS Trophy , which costs R489 900.