Stone629

Finally got one of my buddies over here to pilot a car for me so I could compare the Mach and Focus. Focus ST has a good tune along with a downpipe and bigger intercooler. Probably making 270ish whp and north of 350wtq. Problem with that car is that all that tq lasts like 2 seconds, but it is instant. The Mach has an off-road X-pipe and thats it. It honestly feels slower since it needs to rev to pull.

So we go out and play catch a few times, couldn't really tell much. I have an empty road nearby that hasn't been developed yet so we head there for some dig runs. Although the ST is wrong wheel drive, its easy to drive and with so much low end torque it actually jumped out on the Mach every time, but by 55-65mph the Mach would literally blow by and pull on it like a freight train. We switched drivers to eliminate that deal and the same thing happened. In fact, my friend had never driven the Mach before, I have experience in the ST..and he stomped my *** with him in the Mach and me in the ST. Like I said, I could jump out and put 1-2 cars on him, but he closed that gap pretty quick. By the time the 1/4 mile came by the Mach was a solid 7 cars ahead or more. Just goes to show you can't judge a car by the way it feels!

No vids. I wanted to make sure we both concentrated on driving vs holding a camera for a good comparison.

darkmach1

seems like the ST is really limited by the stock turbo, no matter now much you add its tough to pass 270whp. Good runs.

Explosive

Nice ! I find the same thing the little focus puts up a fight but it just can't hang on the top end

Stone629

If only it had just a tad bit bigger turbo like a K04 or something from the factory. It's literally the only department they went wrong in.

bluebeastsrt

Im actually pretty suprised the turbo car wouldn't put up a better fight.

darkmach1

Would've been nasty like the cobalt SS/TC

99GTvert

Me too because with those power estimates it should pull away from the Mach.

Stone629

I thought so too, but it got walked. The tq it makes is deceiving since it peaks at 2500 RPM and drops almost as quick as it peaks. The HP numbers are OK, but without a decent TQ curve its all over after 4k RPM.I mean the ST feels like it pulls to 6k and probably is but compared to that Mach's top end it doesn't stand a chance.

I will say that it was 100 degrees and even thought the ST has a bigger intercooler we definitely were not doing it any favors hot lapping like that. In fact when we were leaving i couldn't get it to make more than 5lbs of boost until it cooled down for about 45 minutes. Once it cooled down it resumed 25lbs. I guess the PCM was protecting the car and did that.

Stone629

Here's a dyno from Livernois.

http://www.focusst.org/forum/focus-s...livernois.html

ctgreddy

Our shop ST is fun to drive but that's about it. Far from a race car. I figured the focus would be closer but IMO a 5speed mach doesn't get a lot of the credit it deserves.

Trey when are you putting a blower on that mach??