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| Note the factory suspension height, from top of tire to bottom of wheel well. And that's with 17" tires; it's considerable, but intentional. |
Highs: A great looker outside and in, solid construction, limousine silence within, sitting-on-a-chair driving position, the unmatched flexibility of the cargo hold.
Lows: Not much oomph in the 2.4-liter four, not much hustle in the heart.
Verdict: For once, a pretty face and a sweet personality.
So the main critique was the engine's 150/160 and the suspension, both of which were addressed in the GT. Mine being the slightly updated second generation, it features 230/245 and a sport suspension, effectively negating the Lows. A friend of mine who drove my GT remarked that it felt somewhat like a GTI; not a sports car, but sporty. Also, the comfort level was much higher because of the upright seating, weight and height of the vehicle. That's a pretty accurate comparison, I think.
Nice, and good research. Is that wagon test posted anywhere?
ReplyDeleteRegarding the fender space, I think the wheel size is irrelevant. Usually the manufacturers maintain the tire circumference so as not to change the gearing. In my fleet of Focuseseses (Foci?) I have had 14 inch, 15 inch, 16 inch and 17 inch factory wheels, but the tire circumferences were all the same. So, the bigger wheels do not fill the wheel wells any more than smaller ones. Oh the magic of aspect ratios!
Although never offered by Ford, I know there were more than a few people who fitted their Focus wagons with the drive train, suspension, and four-wheel disk brakes from the Focus ST of that era. Sadly, not many STs up in this neck of the woods, so no GT Wagon for me. New ST parts are now unobtainium. Have fun with your screamer.
Thanks, Bobinott! I've been having a ball with it. What a fun little wagon and SO utilitarian!
DeleteIt's definitely set up for what the name promises; cruising. Not so much of a screamer, it's (relatively) smooth, smooth, smooth, especially on the freeway. In fact, I have yet to feel any turbo lag and it feels more like a V6 than a spunky turbocharged four.
I found the article on C&D's site and linked to it in the copy above, since putting any code into Blogger comments isn't working any longer. #$%^&*()!
There's a specific reason why there's so much wheel well space on the PT GT, but I can't remember where I read about it or why. Something to do with the suspension, of course. But there was more to the story and I've forgotten what it was. That certainly doesn't stop folks from lowering it. I'm not going to because this will be my snow whip and I don't really care all that much.
If I'd found a Focus wagon with an ST swap, I would have been really interested. Unfortunately, it would still need to be attached to a slushbox. In fact, I couldn't find a decent Focus wagon, period. Maybe if I'd had more time...
Thanks for your comments! More PT observations/comments/suffering to come (knock wood).