How do I justify being a Japanese car nerd who is buing a FoST?

"PanchoVilleneuve ST" (PanchoVilleneuve)
09/26/2014 at 21:45 • Filed to: None

Simple answer: I don't. There's nothing to justify.

This has been something I've wrestled with ever since putting my deposit down. I'm one of the millions of car nerds who discovered their passion through Gran Turismo and all its wonderful JDM motorporn. Simply put, I love Japanese cars, especially the superrad forbidden fruit classics those games first exposed me to. And here I am, buying a car built in the US by an American company that was engineered in Europe. So, aren't I selling out or betraying my true love?

Honestly, no. Over the years, I've owned cars from the US (my first car was a 95 Bonneville, and I'm confident in saying that particular car was the worst thing ever built by General Motors), Germany (I replaced it with a 97 Jetta GT, a car that went wrong in really weird VW-style ways), Japan (first a 2003 Protege5 I sold to buy a 2004 Scion xB, which I reviewed here and have driven for the past decade) and I have extensive experience driving the cheapest cars Korea offers (my girlfriend of 9 years has owned the last two generations of Hyundai Accent. The first one was a joyous example of the fun of basic motoring, the current one is good enough as basic transport it makes you wonder why anybody buys anything else). In my 32 years on the planet, I've come to truly realize there is no such thing as a bad car, and a great car is a great car, no matter who built it.

And the Focus ST is a great car. It really is the current king of hot hatches in the North American market. It's a car I decided to buy because of how much I was giggling during the test drive.

All it does is give me a really solid reason to buy, say, an R31 Skyline GTS-X or a Honda City Turbo II as a never-ending project car while giving me something to enjoy while waiting for parts to arrive from Japan.

DISCUSSION (6)

GhostZ > PanchoVilleneuve ST
09/26/2014 at 21:49

Honestly, the ST is the most japanese non-japanese car for sale right now.

PanchoVilleneuve ST > GhostZ
09/26/2014 at 21:51

You know, you're right. Computerized everything and a turbo putting out more power than it really should.

I've already made a Gran Turismo-themed wallpaper for the My Ford Touch system. I should download a bunch of Japanese lounge music to listen to at stoplights.

Kanaric > PanchoVilleneuve ST
09/26/2014 at 22:02

When the Japanese companies have all pretty much abandoned enthusiats and Ford decided to make every car they used to make it's ok.

You have the mini-hot hatch. Like the CRX - Fiesta ST

Mid size hot hatch. Like the Mazdaspeed 3 and various cars never sold int he US - Focus ST

You have the Turbo 4 RWD equal to the Turbo 6 RWDs of the 90s - Mustang Ecoboost.

Now you have the STI/EVO equivalent coming out - Focus RS

Very easy to be a Ford fan right now converting from imports.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > GhostZ
09/27/2014 at 14:58

Explain?

GhostZ > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
09/27/2014 at 16:00

Lightweight turbocharged FWD sports car with a 2-box hatch body. 20 years ago only Japan was making those, with the exception of a few european haches we didn't get in the US.

It's the Civic Type R of the 2010.

LeonardSkeonard, FiSTer > PanchoVilleneuve ST
09/28/2014 at 17:43

I'm in the same boat as you. Life long Japanese car fan and owner of a fully prepped STX RX-8, and I bought a Fiesta ST in August. Still feels weird.