ST Fords being compared to M3s means a better world for us all

"themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles" (themanwithsauce)
07/31/2014 at 12:22 • Filed to: None

Wow. Just a decade ago this was almost unthinkable. There are Fords on sale, right now, that can be compared in a positive light to M3s new and used. Of course, the hot mustangs being compared to a new M3 is a big deal, but expected. A better indicator of the future is how often the M3 name is brought up when talking about Ford's compact and subcompact offerings. What a time to be alive.

It is an odd feeling when you look at a FWD, much maligned, daily grind designed, EPA pleasing, engine wheezing, turn away and don't look back hatchback and realize that it forms the very skeletal structure of a car heralded with comparisons to an E30 M3 (actually the fiesta isn't terrible at all, but this was very far from the case previously). Likewise, when the bigger brother of mediocrity gets similar treatment, it too becomes worthy of entrance into the hallowed halls adorned with that legendary badge. But this was not by coincidence or accident. Fiesta and Focus ST models were destined by Ford to be there from the very beginning. This is a real indicator that Ford has taken their performance development seriously. If you look back about 15 years, you'll see they've been trying to do this for a long, long time.

Remember this? The Contour SVT? The contour blessed with a 200hp V6 and a 5-speed manual? This was the first step. Take the basic, rental whore chassis and try and condition it into a fighter. Oh sure, it was expensive for what it was, it wasn't the best handling sports sedan out there, and it looked a little funky, but you know what? Compared to the 1/4 mile heroes that GM was producing by sticking the supercharged 3800 into everything and chrysler trying to figure out how to make the first-gen neon get taken seriously, Ford began perfecting the recipe that we know and love today. Combine European B-road handling with a good, hearty dose of 'Murican power. Sadly, the SVT team never got the resources and support needed to hit a home run. Oh sure the Focus SVT and ZX4 ST were very well sorted cars for what they were, it just wasn't until the merging of minds and talents from America and Europe that we got the ST twins. And every minute and every dollar and every inch of testing is on display here.

I want to highlight that part again - The ST twins are Ford leveraging its ability as a global corporation to its full potential. None of this inner-company competition BS that saw GM flounder for decade after decade. Oh, and we can't forget that Ford is a flat out inverse of Chrysler's struggles from owner to owner, only to be stripped of what little flesh and blood it has and kicked on down the line. If we use the Cobalt SS and neon SRT-4 as those company's springboards like the contour SVT, we won't realistically see anything near the ST twins from those two until the end of this decade.....in America anyways.....You lucky Euro punks with your Astra VXR and Corsa Nurburgring.....In any event, it's only a matter of time before the other large companies do the same (if they haven't started already) or pull out entirely from the performance game.

But don't think BMW hasn't noticed how often these cars are being compared to theirs.....and how often they're not "winning". To be fair, it's not entirely equal to compare a car over a decade old with a brand new one. And yet, BMW must also realize how good that means their cars are. Only a handful of automakers can even dream about their 10-25 year old cars STILL being used as performance benchmarks today. What does that say about Ford and BMW that the maker of arguably some of the best performance compacts in all of history has their products compared to arguably some of the best performance luxury sedans in all of history? I'm not quite sure, but I do know this - I'm setting up another savings account and putting my nickels and dimes in it now. Some serious work is being put into the next few generations of cars, so I might as well start saving up for them.

DISCUSSION (17)

Reigntastic > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
07/31/2014 at 12:33

Haha. It's still a FF hatchback, and a Ford at that. Ladies love Bimmers.

I'll take one E46 in LSB, please.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
07/31/2014 at 12:37

The Contour SVT is one of those cars I kinda want but every one I find for sale is either, riced, rusted or what I like to call "Bro'd" to hell. Or all three.

If you're wondering what I mean by "bro'd" look at this. Also I hate cars that have those jack point covers that always fall out.

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/cto/457381…

n54 & s38 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
07/31/2014 at 12:37

The SVT contour is a seriously underrated vehicle. Yeah, it wasn't that fast but I always kinda liked the look of it. Plus, I've read several articles (C&D comes to mind) saying that it pretty much handled like a front wheel drive BMW.

Side note, I recently test drove both a Fiesta and Focus ST. Holy crap, was the FiST ever fun to drive! Even with over 100 HP less than my 335 and FWD, I had a blast in that car. I actually enjoyed it more than the Focus ST, although I felt like it was a little small for daily use. But an extremely fun car to hoon around in and very "tossable".

n54 & s38 > Reigntastic
07/31/2014 at 12:48

A fun car is a fun car. Who cares what the ladies like? Plus, it's affordable and has a new car warranty. We need more cars like that. This is coming from someone who drives a BMW.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Reigntastic
07/31/2014 at 12:52

BMWs don't work, just ask Rodger Elliot.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
07/31/2014 at 12:52

Yeah there are pretty much no stock and clean SVTs left thanks to the F&F crowd.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > n54 & s38
07/31/2014 at 12:53

I drive one daily and it is perfect because I live alone, no kids, no pets. Perfect size for a bachelor.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
07/31/2014 at 12:55

And even for the not so nice ones the priced seem to hover around 2500-3000. I like tone i just posted I would buy that for 1600 and fix the bad mods, and it's be a good car at that price, but 2700? no thanks.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
07/31/2014 at 13:24

Competition is a wonderful thing.

For example: I have absolutely zero desire to own a new Camaro Z28. Sounds great, but I can't get past the design. However, I love the fact that it's this incredible track monster! Makes every other automaker step up their game.

Reigntastic > n54 & s38
07/31/2014 at 13:27

Did you miss the part where I said it was a FF hatchback?

Reigntastic > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
07/31/2014 at 13:27

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
07/31/2014 at 14:13

I look at it as GM's extreme version of the Mustang Boss Laguna Seca. Hopefully ford decides to one up the Z/28. Meanwhile the Hellcat is a raging middle finger to the ZL1 and GT500. Let's see what happens in 5 more years. Should be a good time.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
07/31/2014 at 14:20

It's absolutely insane right now. Last gas (literally) for some of these big gas-guzzling engines, I'm guessing, but we'll see. I'm most excited that lightweight tech is getting cheaper and more pervasive, and thankful that manuals are going to be offered in several cars we didn't think would get it (F-Type, SS). Great time to be a car guy!

mr2gud2u > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
07/31/2014 at 14:51

This comparison makes no sense to me. Totally apple and oranges.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > mr2gud2u
07/31/2014 at 15:35

Thats the point. The FWD econoboxes from Ford are as fun to drive and as fast as BMW's older M3s which are widely hailed as some of the best cars to drive. Ever.

mr2gud2u > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
07/31/2014 at 16:53

So does the Top Gear idiots comparing a Camaro to a Merc make the Camaro a better car because they are silly enough to make that stretch. Don't get me wrong I do think the Camaro has improved leaps and bounds. Comparing an ST to an M3 just seems like the same stretch for a different reason, but truely I'm mot gonna pretend I'm a car connoisseur. I have never driven the recent gen focus so I could be wrong

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > mr2gud2u
07/31/2014 at 17:13

Okay you're either missing the point or you didn't read the article. I guess I'm assuming people on here have read/watched the reviews of the ST hatchbacks. There have been a few videos out now where the E46 M3 is compared to the Fiesta ST or FOcus ST because of their similar price right now. It's a "used super sedan vs. new hot hatch" debate and what it comes down to is yes, the BMW is a more "special" car and certainly has a charm and appeal to it, but the ST hatchbacks are brutally fast and fun to drive while also coming with a warranty and good fuel economy. The Fiesta ST placed third overall in Road & Track's 2013 performance car shootout with the reviewers commenting on how they're reminded of the E30 M3 when driving it. They have similar power to weight ratios, similar weight and power figures, and both like to kick the tail out. Again, the Fiesta ST is not much more than a really well sorted out and engineered subcompact. The fiesta platform is far from an all time great and yet it was compared quite favorably to the old M3s.

Now your comparison of the camaro to the benz is nothing like what I'm talking about. First of all, Top Gear outright said a muscle car is supposed to be simple and then dinged the camaro for being cheap on the inside. That's like saying "Proper performance cars should bite back" and then complaining that the Fiesta ST has no problems spinning out if you decide to act like a fool and then praising something like a GTI for understeering instead of rotating. That's what this is all about. THe M3s are *still* referred to as legends and as benchmarks and BMW should not only be proud of that, but they should fight even harder to keep it that way. Meanwhile, Ford's efforts are paying off if their basic commuter cars can become true performance icons and be spoken about like they're M cars.