Join us as we explore the legacy, innovation, and driving experience that define Ford's enduring presence in the automotive world.
Dive into the world of automotive excellence with our latest Best Of video featuring insightful reviews on one of America's most iconic car manufacturers, highlighting their remarkable features, performance capabilities, and timeless designs.
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© Men and Motors - One Media iP 2023
Dive into the world of automotive excellence with our latest Best Of video featuring insightful reviews on one of America's most iconic car manufacturers, highlighting their remarkable features, performance capabilities, and timeless designs.
------------------
Enjoyed this video? Don't forget to LIKE and SHARE the video and get involved with our community by leaving a COMMENT below the video!
Check out what else our channel has to offer and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to Men & Motors for more classic car and motorbike content! Why not? It is free after all!
Our website: http://menandmotors.com/
----- Social Media -----
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/menandmotors/
Instagram: @menandmotorstv
Twitter: @menandmotorstv
If you have any questions, e-mail us at talk@menandmotors.com
© Men and Motors - One Media iP 2023
Category
🚗
MotorTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC]
00:10 No, you're not seeing things, but this is as close as most of us ever get to a real RS200.
00:16 And today on Kitson Cruising, I shall nobly force myself to drive this machine and tell you what it's like.
00:21 I hope you appreciate the sacrifices I make for you.
00:24 But first of all, a potted history of Ford's almost rally star.
00:28 The RS200 was Ford's belated entry into the Group B arena,
00:32 earning its name from the 200 cars Ford needed to build to comply with the rules.
00:37 By the time Ford's baby was getting close to competitive, however,
00:40 Audi, Peugeot and Lancia had already been slugging it out for a couple of years,
00:45 and a couple of fatal accidents spelled the end for Group B rally cars.
00:49 The story didn't end there, though.
00:51 The manufacturer was left with 200 cars, or thereabouts, after rallying had destroyed a few.
00:56 And Ford's answer to that little problem was to stick in a bit of carpet and make a road-going supercar. Hurrah!
01:02 Installing carpets and luxury seats as a gesture towards comfort, the road cars were still pretty raw.
01:08 Performance saw sub-six second nought to 60 times, and most were geared for 150 miles per hour.
01:14 All with full-time four-wheel drive.
01:17 Even today, little touches them, and this excellent replica from RS Automotive will fool many people
01:24 into thinking that you're one of the lucky very few owners.
01:27 There are differences here, though. It's longer, it's wider and it's lower as well,
01:31 and that's all aimed at making more interior room available.
01:34 And look at this. This door started life as a moulding taken from a three-door Sierra, modified to fit.
01:40 And before you tut at such a blatant shortcut, let's remember, shall we,
01:44 that that's exactly what Ford did with the original.
01:49 Open that door, take a look inside, and we're confronted with the dashboard from a Sierra.
01:54 Well, yes, but then so are real RS200 owners.
01:58 You can start to see what I'm getting at, can't you?
02:04 Of course, you're now going to turn around and say, "But surely you can't fit the original running gear, can you?"
02:08 Well, no, that would be slightly costly.
02:11 But if you're going to use the dashboard from a Sierra, you might as well use some of the other bits.
02:15 So underneath me, we have the steering and suspension from the old Stagia.
02:18 Oh, and behind me, we have a Cosworth unit tuned to 360 brake horsepower,
02:23 mated to a Renault transaxle.
02:25 So it should go some, then.
02:27 There's something quite comforting about sitting behind a familiar dashboard taken from an old Sierra,
02:41 and at first, you feel quite relaxed and calm and in control and dawdling around at low revs.
02:46 It's a very easy car to drive.
02:48 But as soon as the turbo comes on at certain revs,
02:53 things become a little bit trickier.
02:56 And all of a sudden, you become aware this is no shopping car.
03:00 It's a very serious piece of kit and a very well-sorted piece of kit.
03:03 It feels solid. The suspension feels just right. The ride is purposeful.
03:07 This is a car you really could learn to drive quite hard.
03:11 [Music]
03:41 [Music]
03:44 Now, we haven't been able to drive an original, authentic RS200 next to this to make comparisons,
03:51 but we are prepared to stick our necks out and say that this is probably a lot more refined than the rally-bred original.
03:57 That's not to say it isn't fast, though. It is, incredibly.
04:01 But for normal, everyday use, it's probably a far more practical proposition.
04:05 It's not just in the details that the Focus stands out from the crowd.
04:09 It's not just in the strikingly styled headlamp or the rather oddly styled rear windows,
04:14 or even the triangular side repeater.
04:16 It's the whole car.
04:18 And it was, undeniably, quite a bold move on the part of Ford
04:21 to introduce something so striking to replace its ubiquitous Escort.
04:25 And all a very far cry, you might think, from the original Escort when it first arrived on the scene decades ago.
04:31 At first, it was good. Very good.
04:34 The Mk1 Escort was light, durable, rugged, and with those Coca-Cola bottle good looks, really very attractive.
04:41 It was also reasonably priced and subsequently very, very popular.
04:45 Then came the Mk2, a little more boxy, perhaps a little more modern,
04:49 but probably not as good-looking, and it didn't meet with an immediately positive response.
04:54 Then came Mk3, another change, and gradually, through the next Marks and Generations,
04:59 the Escort was watered down until the disastrous Mk4.
05:03 Probably the only thing that could keep this car sailing
05:06 was the little blue oval on the radiator grille and the confidence that that instilled in the car buyer.
05:11 And so, they gave us this, the Focus, with its unique form that integrates straight lines and curves
05:17 pretty much unlike anything else on the road before it.
05:20 Now, those looks may be a bit love it or hate it,
05:23 but whether you do love it or hate it, there is no denying that the Ford Focus is a very good car,
05:28 for a lot of reasons.
05:30 For a start, there's the interior where that mix of curves and straight lines has been carried through,
05:35 and we get this dashboard, which is, well, striking again.
05:39 To me, it looks rather as though somebody has taken all the required parts,
05:42 the dials, the vents, the switches, and thrown them violently at the dash,
05:46 and they've exploded out from behind the steering wheel.
05:49 Fortunately, though, they've all landed in pretty much the right places,
05:52 and everything comes to hand as and when you need it.
05:55 And the plastics used seem to be of pretty decent quality.
05:58 It doesn't feel like a budget, low-rent, cheap car by any means.
06:02 My only complaint, well, for a modern car, in an era when we're supposed to be light and bright,
06:06 it does feel rather gloomy in here.
06:09 And then, there's the drive, which is very good,
06:15 and that's thanks largely to the multi-link rear suspension.
06:18 It has the equivalent of giving it independent rear suspension,
06:21 and the reason that's good is it means the suspension itself can get on with doing what it's supposed to do,
06:26 which is keep the tyres in contact with the road for as long as possible,
06:29 simply because each wheel is independent and doesn't interfere with the next if it's bumped or jolted.
06:34 The result is a great drive. It feels extremely predictable, very much planted on the road.
06:40 And that drive is helped again by the driving position, which is, again, very, very good.
06:45 Even the size of the wheel, it feels grippable and malleable and about the right sort of dimension.
06:50 And in the right place, there's enough visibility from here.
06:53 I'm comfortable. I'm in control and on top of the car.
06:56 As a place to be, it's not at all bad. There's the usual amount of hatchback-type space.
07:01 If you need a bit more of a different kind, well, there is a saloon version that's being made,
07:05 though whether or not you can forgive its, shall we say, quirky looks is up for debate.
07:10 If you need more space than that, then there is an estate version, a proper load-lugger,
07:15 which, again, is probably not as interesting to look at as the hatch, maybe a bit more traditionally styled.
07:20 In common with a lot of manufacturers, Ford were hoping to exploit the platform of their medium hatch contender
07:27 by making even another version, this time a small MPV.
07:31 Unfortunately, they got caught up in the debate as to whether to have five or seven seats,
07:36 and we've ended up with, well, none, because they haven't made it at all.
07:39 We won't see that for another few years.
07:41 As for engines, well, if you're after a thumping great V8 job, you're buying the wrong kind of car.
07:48 If you want something that does the job, it's economical and ranges from a good frugal diesel
07:53 to the really quite sporty Zetec, then you're in the right kind of place.
07:57 Of course, as soon as you come to a nice twisty A-road, you can start to enjoy that clever rear suspension.
08:03 If you've got one of the Zetec engines, the whole thing feels real quite surprisingly sporty.
08:08 OK, so it was pretty brave of Ford to replace that most bog standard of cars, the Escort,
08:14 with something as radical as the Focus.
08:17 Whether or not, though, the Focus will go on to see as many generations and incarnations as the Escort
08:22 remains to be seen. Will there be another Focus? Watch this space.
08:26 In the meantime, well, I think I'll stick to my Escort replacements, driven the same way as the original ones,
08:31 by the wheels at the back, if you see what I mean.
08:46 Actually, I don't know about getting on the act, they pretty much started the whole thing
08:50 with legends like their XR2 and XR3.
08:53 And now they're hoping that their Focus ST170 will recapture those glory days of old
09:09 and once again bring sporty motoring to you and I, the masses.
09:15 (Fast-paced electronic music)
09:19 Well, they're not off to the best of starts, because whereas the XR2 and XR3 were in their day to look at,
09:30 Larry, this is a bit sensible, really, but still, let's not judge a book by its cover.
09:38 (Fast-paced electronic music)
09:42 (Fast-paced electronic music)
10:07 It generates 170 brake horsepower. The clue is in the name ST170,
10:13 and it does that from a 2-litre Ford Duratec engine.
10:16 (Fast-paced electronic music)
10:20 Don't go thinking, though, that a 170 brake means it leaps away,
10:26 scrabbling at the tarmac like a mad thing, because it doesn't.
10:30 It's more sort of progressive power. It is rapid, but that's about it.
10:33 Mad quick? No.
10:35 (Fast-paced electronic music)
10:39 What does stand out particularly is the steering,
10:46 and it's not something usually I'd bother praising, but it is so fluid, so quick-reacting,
10:50 so easy to use, so predictable and so communicative when you're pressing on.
10:54 It really is superb.
10:56 (Fast-paced electronic music)
11:04 If the Ford Focus ST170 takes your fancy,
11:07 you'll enjoy the 170 brake horsepower, bringing a top speed of 134 miles an hour within reach.
11:13 0-60 is done in 7.9 seconds.
11:16 It is a 2-litre 16-valve engine, and again, that's six-speed gearbox.
11:19 Insurance group kind of splits the difference at 15.
11:23 (Fast-paced electronic music)
11:32 The way the whole car is set up, if you were to get this car onto a track,
11:35 you start to remember just why the Ford Focus is praised for handling so well.
11:40 If you really press on round the bends, as you apex, if you lift off the accelerator,
11:44 you'll get glorious lift-off oversteer, so the tail will come out and step round nicely,
11:49 impressing your friends.
11:51 Of course, you are then lacking a little bit of power to straighten the whole thing out at the other side,
11:55 so be a little bit careful, and one for the track, definitely.
11:58 (Fast-paced electronic music)
12:02 Now, I don't know if hot hatch drivers are getting more sensible,
12:20 but if this is anything to go by, then they are.
12:23 It's the kind of hot hatch you wouldn't be afraid to take home to your mum,
12:27 and that's not what we want at all.
12:29 There could be a good reason for this, though,
12:31 because Ford probably, at the end of this year, have their viciously fast Focus RS coming out,
12:36 and maybe they didn't want to steal its thunder with this, the ST170.
12:40 Either way, if you haven't seen yet the hot hatch of your dreams,
12:43 here's a rundown of our further five alternatives.
12:46 I know, I know, it is basically a Rover 25 in a gangster suit,
12:52 but somehow it does the business.
12:54 It's a sharp performer, the ride is hard but not harsh,
12:57 there is a fair bit of road noise,
12:59 and the interior ain't fooling anyone.
13:01 Pure Rover 25.
13:03 It comes fifth here simply 'cause we wonder if it'll ever really overcome
13:08 the pork pie hat and box of tissues velcroed to the parcel shelf image of its forebears.
13:13 As the VW Golf GTI has travelled its path through countless incarnations,
13:21 it's transformed from fiery, youthful inventor of the hot hatch phenomenon
13:25 to frankly, rather overweight 30-something.
13:28 It's best now at all the least interesting things like security and practicality.
13:33 The 1.8 GTI does manage at least to feel slightly sprightly,
13:37 and what you can't knock is the VW build quality and reliability.
13:40 It comes fourth.
13:42 The Audi S3 Quattro may be towards the entry level of the Audi range in terms of size,
13:50 but not in performance.
13:52 It oozes quality from every pore and has plenty of power,
13:55 and the added advantage of Audi's legendary Quattro four-wheel drive.
13:59 It may manage 0-60 in 6.6 seconds, but it's really not an out-and-out driver's machine,
14:05 and it is a bit steep at 25 grand.
14:08 In second place, the Peugeot 206 GTI.
14:14 Good looking, spacious and quick too.
14:17 It's grown bigger and fatter with age and lost that rawness
14:20 that made the 205 GTI a defining hot hatch.
14:23 At 13.5 grand though, it's not overpriced,
14:26 and it must be good at something because it makes it to second.
14:29 In first place though, a car to feature in a thousand teenage fantasies,
14:34 the Renault Clio 172 Sport.
14:36 If dad had one of these, you'd have to cosh him to get the keys.
14:39 It's as close as you can get to a modern-day take on the original hot hatches.
14:44 It looks great, the interior is cool, and it goes, well, like a really, really fast car.
14:50 In an age... I know, I am pontificating, but bear with me, it won't take long.
15:01 In an age such as this, where cars are forever crossing boundaries,
15:04 where off-roaders go on-road, where estate cars go like rockets,
15:08 and mini-family MPVs have turbos fitted,
15:11 there are still a very few cars that stick to a plain and simple formula,
15:15 and they don't get much plainer and simpler than this, the Ford Mondeo.
15:19 A four-door, four-seater saloon with a wheel in each corner and one inside for you to hang on to.
15:24 So does it stand a chance in an age like this?
15:29 (MUSIC)
15:33 In actual fact, although I say it's plain and simple,
15:50 there's a heck of a lot faster than the Mondeo.
15:52 In many ways, it has to blur more boundaries than many other cars.
15:56 Weekdays, well, it's got to be happy to plough up and down the motorway,
15:59 containing mummy or daddy, selling computers or toasters or whatever they do in the week.
16:03 So it's got to be frugal, comfortable, efficient.
16:06 Then weekends, it's got to accommodate the kids, the dog,
16:09 go to the swimming pool and do all of the family stuff, so it's got to be an MPV.
16:13 But the story's a little bit more complicated than that,
16:15 because just because we've settled down, had kids, grown a bit older,
16:18 doesn't mean we're entirely boring and past it.
16:21 Honest, it doesn't. We still aspire to, you know, look reasonable.
16:25 A car still has to make a statement about us.
16:27 We still have to pull up outside the pub to see our mates
16:30 or round up friends' houses or wherever, so you don't want to look too much of a berk.
16:34 In other words, the Mondeo has to do everything for everybody.
16:37 It is a car for every day of the week, weekends and evenings as well.
16:40 That's a lot.
16:42 So whilst other fancier vehicles get on with combining their abilities
16:45 as a long jumper and an Olympic swimmer or whatever else they do,
16:48 does the Mondeo quietly get on with being pretty much everything to everyone?
16:53 Well, going through them one by one.
16:55 Come weekdays, it's got to be frugal on the motorway.
16:58 Well, it can be, because you can choose from a huge range of engines,
17:01 from the mighty V6 petrol Duratec, which is lovely,
17:04 to this that I've got today, the Duratorq diesel,
17:07 which is excellent, very strong, very frugal, very economical.
17:10 Also, when we're feeling businesslike, it's quite a businesslike cabin in here.
17:14 It's fairly sombre and dark and sensible, but you want that.
17:17 There's a few touches of brushed chrome here and there that lift it a bit.
17:21 It's perhaps not as substantial and smart-fitting as a BMW or a Mercedes,
17:25 but it isn't a BMW or a Mercedes.
17:27 It's a Ford Mondeo, and it doesn't do badly.
17:30 When it comes to playing at being a family bus at the weekend,
17:36 well, accommodation isn't bad at all.
17:38 There's a huge amount of space, actually,
17:40 and there's a lot to be said for that good old-fashioned, sensible
17:42 four-door, four-seater saloon layout.
17:44 Everybody's got their own bit of space.
17:46 You're not overwhelmed by too much or too little headroom.
17:49 There's an enormous and secure boot as well, so it'll do fine.
17:52 One problem, if you've got a dog, of course, it is a saloon.
17:55 You can't put a dog rack and have the thing in the back.
17:57 You wouldn't want to put it in the boot,
17:59 but then there is an estate option that could solve that for you.
18:02 And then there's that final, rather hard-to-define category,
18:05 the one that gives us the opportunity to slip the leash every now and again
18:08 and still feel good about ourselves.
18:10 Well, the Mondeo has been highly acclaimed for its handling and performance,
18:14 and justifiably so.
18:16 It's a very neat handling car.
18:18 It's not exactly the thrill of a lifetime, but come on, it's got a lot of jobs to do.
18:21 And in the look stakes, you're not going to stand out from the crowd.
18:25 Your mates are not going to go, "Wow! New Mondeo, eh? Nice.
18:29 How'd you get that pass the white?"
18:31 But it looks smart.
18:33 It does look distinctive-ish from some angles.
18:37 Kind of.
18:40 [MUSIC]
18:42 This is its natural environment.
18:50 An ordinary car park on a rather ordinary day.
18:53 It's not a car born to exciting times,
18:55 trekking the Amazon or posing around Monte Carlo.
18:58 What it does do, though, is a great many things for a great many people,
19:01 which is in itself kind of exciting.
19:03 And underneath, there lurks a very competent driving machine,
19:07 and it does prove that a very old-fashioned formula,
19:09 a four-door, four-seater saloon, can still be interesting,
19:13 even if it is very much on the quiet.
19:16 [MUSIC]
19:35 It seems like only a couple of days ago
19:37 that diesel engines were only ever dropped into huge cars
19:40 that covered thousands of miles a week.
19:42 And yet, here we are, with the launch of the dinky new Ford Fiesta,
19:46 and the diesel engine version is the best of the range.
19:49 I'm not kidding.
19:50 Of the two petrol engine versions, the 1.4 runs out of puff
19:54 when you try and pass anything faster than a bus,
19:56 and even the 1.6 feels wimpy.
19:59 By comparison, the 1.4-litre diesel feels smooth and powerful,
20:03 pulling away from much lower revs
20:05 and making the small car feel much bigger.
20:08 It's not exactly a rocket, though.
20:09 60 miles an hour takes a rather tedious 14.9 seconds to arrive,
20:14 and it's all over when you get to 101mph.
20:17 It is frugal, though.
20:18 Ford claim 65.7mpg combined, which is not bad.
20:23 [MUSIC]
20:25 Ford have worked hard to help the Fiesta grow up a bit
20:31 without sacrificing the driving fun that it's always offered.
20:34 It still feels agile and fast with a firm and controlled ride,
20:38 perhaps a little too much so around town
20:40 when it can get a bit jarring and bumpy.
20:42 I know it's only a small car,
20:44 but it's still got to have enough room to be useful.
20:46 The previous Fiesta was always a tad pokey,
20:49 and so Ford have made sure that this new one gives plenty of space,
20:52 both for front and rear seat passengers, and boot space.
20:55 [MUSIC]
20:58 [MUSIC]
21:00 The Fiesta's another 1.4 litre,
21:06 and we're down now to 67bhp, which isn't very good at all.
21:10 It's slightly quicker than the C3 off the mark at 14.9 seconds, though,
21:14 but you will pay a little more for your insurance.
21:16 It's an enormous and terrifying Group 4.
21:19 [MUSIC]
21:22 [MUSIC]
21:24 Small car, of course, no longer means badly equipped.
21:30 Even the base models get twin airbags, a CD player, and central locking.
21:34 Move up the range and you can add electric windows,
21:36 air con alloys, and special sporty interiors.
21:39 [MUSIC]
21:49 There's no way could Ford afford to launch the new Fiesta
21:52 with anything other than a competitive price tag.
21:55 The range starts at £8,495,
21:58 and the diesel version weighs in at a reasonable £9,495.
22:02 Faced with fierce competition from its small car rivals,
22:08 Ford have decided it's time to freshen up the Fiesta
22:11 and give it, well, a slightly new look for the Millennium,
22:15 but without taking away the basic characteristics of the car.
22:18 Now, with the new kids on the block, the likes of the Toyota Yaris,
22:21 the Fiat Punto, which is already outselling the Fiesta in parts of Europe,
22:24 and the Renault Clio, Ford have given the Fiesta its house style.
22:29 Yes, it gets new-edge design styling.
22:32 [MUSIC]
22:35 [CAR DOOR SLAMS]
22:37 [MUSIC]
22:39 If you're mystified as to why the new Fiesta didn't get the 1.7 engine
22:56 instead of the 1.6 engine,
22:58 well, it's because Ford didn't want the Fiesta treading on the toes of the Puma.
23:03 You see, the 1.4 Puma has 88 brake horsepower, the 1.7 125,
23:08 and this new S engine kind of fits nicely in the middle,
23:12 with 103 brake horsepower.
23:14 It does 0-60 in just over 10 seconds at a top speed of 113 miles an hour.
23:19 [MUSIC]
23:21 [CAR ENGINE REVS]
23:23 [MUSIC]
23:47 Revisions inside the Fiesta are, quite frankly, very minor.
23:51 In fact, looking at this now, you can see very little difference from the outgoing model.
23:55 But it does look a bit better, and it's very well put together and very well built,
23:58 with a look of the Puma inside,
24:00 but just doesn't have the je ne sais quoi and the style of the Renault Clio interior.
24:05 There's also the option of head and chest side airbags,
24:08 which is apparently a first for a car of this size.
24:11 One thing it doesn't have, which is very annoying,
24:14 is a switch inside the car to open the boot.
24:16 You always have to use the key, and that really gets on your nerves.
24:20 At the front end of the car, well, as you can see,
24:25 it's been given Ford's new-edge design headlights.
24:27 It gets a new bonnet, new wings, and new bumpers.
24:30 It's almost like the Fiesta's gone into a hairdresser's and asked for a new-edge design perm,
24:35 and it's gone slightly wrong.
24:37 And at the back, well, again, very little has changed.
24:40 It gets this cheap fuel flap, which looks like it's going to fall off,
24:43 an extra spoiler, and it seems to have grown some bulbby bits,
24:46 which look like a pair of breasts at some angles.
24:48 I thought new-edge design was all about sharp, angley points.
24:52 That certainly isn't.
24:54 The new Fiesta lineup now consists of the 1.25 and 1.4 Zetec engines,
24:59 plus the base 1.3 Endura-E and 1.8-litre diesel.
25:04 You can choose from five trim levels--
25:06 Encore, Finesse, Zetec, LX, and Gear, plus the new S.
25:11 Now, if you're in the market for a small car, well, there are lots to choose from.
25:15 They're all very different, but all very competent.
25:18 So have Ford hit the right note with the new Fiesta.
25:21 Well, it's more a revamp than anything else
25:23 in response to the likes of the new Clio and the new Fiat Punto.
25:26 The Fiesta has always been a very entertaining car to drive, and still is.
25:30 It's probably the best of the bunch for that,
25:33 despite having any real potent engines in the range, apart from the new 1.6 Zetec S.
25:38 I think you'll either love or hate the new Fiesta.
25:41 I personally like it.
25:43 Or you'll take so long to make up your mind over whether you like the car
25:47 that you'll buy something completely different.
25:49 This week, we're going to look at one of the most popular light commercials on the market.
26:04 Now, this particular van's been around for a long time.
26:07 Let's go and see what new security features are fitted on these vans, shall we?
26:11 So, what is this new van?
26:16 It's the new Ford Transit.
26:20 Now, this new van's got a lot of new security features on it.
26:23 Let's have a look at the one.
26:25 If you notice on the back, not a door lock to be seen.
26:29 It's all remote, and you have this remote to lock it with and unlock it.
26:34 So, if you lose it, you're really in trouble.
26:37 Make sure you keep that safe.
26:39 Right, so the styling of the new Transit.
26:41 It's certainly got a lot better styling than the old one.
26:44 If you look at the outside of it, it's certainly a lot more pleasing.
26:47 Interior cab, it's much more comfortable.
26:50 So, now we know this is the new Transit.
26:52 Does it drive as good as the new Transit?
26:54 The old Transit was good. Is this better?
26:57 Let's try it, shall we?
26:59 Right, the new Ford Transit.
27:01 Now, this is the new shape Transit.
27:04 This is just a low roof one.
27:06 They do a 75 and a 100 BSI one.
27:11 Now, this is the 100.
27:13 It's known as the 280S.
27:15 Nice torquey, new 2.5 diesel engine.
27:18 A lot of torque in that.
27:20 Good fuel consumption, and all on these new ones.
27:23 They wrap them around about 34 to 35 MPG, which certainly isn't bad.
27:29 And with these new ones, they've got these great big front windows.
27:32 Instead of them silly little quarter lights that were really new,
27:36 not used nor ornament, really.
27:38 The only thing you don't get on here is a tilting steering column,
27:41 which could be a bit of an advantage if you're a long-legged person.
27:45 All the controls are easy.
27:47 No big, long wheelbase.
27:49 Not like the old Transit that had the twin wheelbase.
27:52 But if you wasn't careful, you put the wipers on instead of putting the indicators on.
27:56 Surprisingly, for a van as well, it's not that noisy.
27:59 There's not a lot of drumming noise through from the back.
28:01 We don't have a bulkhead fitted in this one, as in some.
28:04 But the noise is certainly not drowning you out.
28:08 Handling is very precise.
28:10 Again, you'd expect it to be from Transits, wouldn't you?
28:13 Been around for a few years, and you'd expect it to be very precise.
28:17 Good suspension on them, nice and solid, even though it's empty.
28:20 It doesn't sway about all over the place.
28:23 It is a nice, safe ride.
28:26 Right. One of the things this Transit's got is this new bonnet catch.
28:32 Now, this is a new security feature on here,
28:34 but if this isn't well maintained, that is going to cause a lot of problems.
28:39 Now, this new Duratorq engine, very flexible, a lot of torque,
28:43 good fuel consumption, but there's been a few technical glitches on the electronics side.
28:48 So just make sure that you do get one with a three-year warranty on.
28:51 Just make sure that everything's spot-bob on with the electronics on it.
28:55 Right. The technical spec on these new Transits.
29:02 You can get two engines on these, a 75 PSI and the 100 PSI.
29:07 So, depends on what you're going to use.
29:09 75 PSI and the 100 PSI.
29:12 So, depends on whether you're doing motorway work or around town,
29:15 you can get the vehicle that's going to suit your requirements best.
29:19 They're comparable on fuel and the service in intervals, 10,000 miles.
29:24 You've got to remember also, being Fords, that spares are readily available.
29:29 We've road-tested the new Transit. We've looked round the new Transit.
29:32 It's got a lot of new security features on this.
29:34 Minor to minor glitches as well, which you've got to look out for.
29:37 Styling, it's certainly a lot better looking than the old Transit.
29:40 A much better vehicle. It's got a good torquey engine on it.
29:44 Is it the van you'd buy though?
29:46 So, we're here. We have to be careful here and here.
29:50 And with a bit of luck, we should make it through here and end up here.
29:53 To recap, this then is our house. That's the end of our road.
29:56 We turn right, pass the roundabout where the shops are.
29:59 There's the school. Drop the kids off. We should make it back.
30:01 Mission accomplished.
30:02 So obviously, we're going to need a 4x4.
30:06 Well, that's what everybody else uses to tackle the urban commute, isn't it?
30:10 And our chosen steed is this, the all-new Ford Maverick.
30:14 Whilst the previous Maverick was nothing more than a spot of bad engineering on a Nissan Terano,
30:20 this new one is just that. It's new.
30:22 And it's made entirely from Ford genes.
30:25 It's a competitor in the lightweight SUV sports utility vehicle market.
30:29 In other words, a competitor for the likes of the RAV4, the CR-V and Ford's arch enemy,
30:34 the Vauxhall Frontera.
30:36 Every time a new 4x4 is launched, whoever makes it,
30:40 the manufacturer will say, "Oh, it drives just like a car."
30:44 Well, it doesn't. They never do.
30:46 It's a 4x4. It's tall. It's got longer suspension.
30:48 It's got huge unsprung weight with the extra transmission.
30:51 But in the case of the Maverick, it's not far off.
30:54 It's not at all bad. Big wobbly monster, it isn't.
30:57 The most direct comparison is going to be with the Vauxhall Frontera.
31:00 We could be in its shadow when I mention it.
31:02 So they've got to answer to the impressive Frontera V6,
31:05 and they have with this 3-litre V6.
31:07 It's basically a bored-out and enlarged version of the 2.5-litre Duratec,
31:11 familiar to Mondeo owners.
31:13 There is a 2-litre option as well.
31:15 This one will dash from 0-60 in about 10.5 seconds and onto a top speed of 118.
31:20 Not much, but it's actually quite respectable for a car in this sector.
31:23 Checking out a new car that claims to be good both on and off-road
31:27 and only driving it on the road would be a bit like having a Swiss Army penknife
31:30 and only using the blade and not the scissors.
31:33 So we've got to have a go. We just need a bit of mud.
31:36 All right, so it's hardly crossing the Andes,
31:38 but this is about as rough as it's likely to get for one of these cars.
31:41 Maybe romping across a field to find the best picnic spot.
31:44 So this is probably a fair enough test.
31:46 It's hardly a mud-plugger's dream, but it's got the basics to get you out of trouble.
31:50 Ordinarily on the road, the drive is delivered to the front wheels,
31:53 but if you are getting off-road and you detect a bit of slippage,
31:56 power will be transferred to the rear.
31:58 Alternatively, you can do it yourself manually by switching to permanent 4x4.
32:03 As soon as you get off-road, things like rather vague steering no longer matter.
32:06 There are a couple of problems, though.
32:08 The throttle on this particular one is incredibly sensitive,
32:10 so it wouldn't be too difficult to get into a bit of a kangarooing situation.
32:14 It does suffer, though, from something I've noticed in one or two SUVs recently.
32:18 They claim to be off-road capable-ish,
32:21 and yet they've got absolutely no steering lock,
32:24 which is useless if you want to change direction
32:26 on a nasty, cramped bit of woodland or maybe at the top of a bendy, twisty track.
32:30 Not a good point in an off-roader.
32:32 The very fact that this car is compromised means it's never going to be a star at anything,
32:36 but if you want something that can romp across a field happily
32:39 and get you to that best picnic spot before anybody else without the wheels falling off,
32:43 yeah, it'll do the job.
32:45 Of course, when you do finally pull up at the perfect picnic spot,
32:48 the last thing you want to do as you stretch out in your blanket
32:50 is look across at a real moose of a car.
32:53 And Ford haven't done a bad job here.
32:55 It's not the most striking of cars, but it's not ugly either.
32:58 There is something spookily Freelander-ish about the front end, though,
33:01 and along the flanks.
33:03 Odd, really, that they should copy a car made by a company that they also own.
33:07 When you get to the rear, there's something slightly Jeep Cherokee-ish about it.
33:12 A large part of an SUV's job is to be a fashion statement.
33:18 It's got to look like it could take Davy Crockett hunting caribou in Alaska,
33:22 but all you're actually going to do is cruise the high street.
33:25 Despite what the manufacturers might say,
33:27 these things are not really about romping down to the lake
33:30 with your jet skis on the back and your mountain bikes on the roof.
33:32 They're about going to the shops, dropping the kids off at school.
33:35 Day-to-day, ordinary, boring stuff
33:37 that somehow a car with this extra space around you
33:40 makes that bit easier and a bit more pleasurable.
33:42 And that's what it's about. It's boring, but it's true.
33:46 (THE BIRDS AND THE BEES)
33:49 If you fancy one, you won't have to be a millionaire to buy one,
33:55 because for the 2-litre, you'll pay about 17 grand,
33:57 and for the 3-litre, you'll pay about 20 grand.
34:00 They may not be the most exciting vehicle on the road,
34:02 but whether you're going on or off-road, they'll do the job.
34:06 Ah, what a day.
34:08 And it can't help but put you in mind of the birds and the bees.
34:11 And where does that lead all too often?
34:13 Well, it's three little words. Darling, I'm pregnant.
34:17 Now, how you greet those words, with joy or with a little discomfort,
34:20 is entirely down to your own personal circumstance.
34:22 But one thing I can tell you for certain.
34:25 You can wave goodbye to your littlest two-seater sports car,
34:28 or any hope of ever owning one.
34:30 Welcome, my friend, to the world of the MPV.
34:33 [Music]
34:58 Clamber on board, and straight away,
35:00 Ford have very much shunned the kind of fun, fresh flavour
35:03 you find in a lot of other MPVs,
35:05 where they carpet the dash and then put the console in the centre.
35:08 It's very sensible and sober in here. It's wearing a suit.
35:12 But I would worry, if it were mine, that it might date rather quickly,
35:15 particularly with this bit of walnut along here,
35:17 and it's all rather sober and boring.
35:19 But that is probably a nod from Ford
35:21 towards the many business buyers for the Galaxy.
35:24 [Music]
35:29 Oh, and I forgot to mention,
35:31 you're going to have to start doing things like buying a diesel.
35:34 Well, no, you don't have to have the diesel.
35:36 It just so happens I've hopped into the 1.9-litre TDI,
35:39 which is the diesel of the range, and very good it is too.
35:41 Very strong, with loads of low-range torque, as you'd expect.
35:44 But you can have either of the two petrols,
35:46 a 2.3-litre or a 2.8-litre V6.
35:49 And if that engine is anything like as good in this one
35:51 as it was in the old Galaxy,
35:53 that should be quite a fiery little number for a big old bus.
35:56 And here's the interesting bit,
35:58 because in each of those versions, even in this, the TDI,
36:01 you can have a six-speed gearbox.
36:03 That's usually something you'd find in your little sports car,
36:06 so perhaps it's something to keep you happy in.
36:08 Once you're in here, you can kid on you're in your little sports car.
36:10 Might be a surprise in a diesel, but actually quite useful,
36:13 because it does mean you can row it through the gears
36:15 and keep it in that narrow power band.
36:17 And in the petrol, obviously, there are advantages
36:19 because you can optimise the engine's efficiency
36:21 and get maximum fuel economy.
36:23 And believe me, all of a sudden, you're going to start thinking
36:25 about things like fuel economy.
36:27 You don't buy an MPV unless you have to.
36:48 And if I really had to,
36:50 I'd probably want something with a little more flair and innovation.
36:53 But then trying to make an MPV exciting
36:55 is rather like buying wellies to match your dinner suit.
36:58 Pointless.
36:59 And that's very much the message that they got
37:01 when they put the car in front of a consumer clinic.
37:03 They said they wanted conservative,
37:05 they said they wanted nothing too striking and frightening,
37:07 nothing too radical, and no big changes.
37:09 So that's exactly what they got.
37:11 In case if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
37:13 And that's it. It's been top of the pops for a long time,
37:15 and it'll probably continue being top of the pops.
37:17 Nothing to change there.
37:19 You just expect it to be exciting, that's all.
37:21 You're not going to have the thrill of a lifetime.
37:23 You've already had that. That's why you need an MPV.
37:26 Hype is a very dangerous thing.
37:28 To hype a car up to a car-buying public
37:31 that includes the RS owners club
37:33 that are prepared to believe every single word
37:35 is playing with fire.
37:37 After not months, but years,
37:39 the Focus RS finally arrived at the tail end of last year.
37:43 And it was one of the most eagerly anticipated car launches
37:46 of recent times.
37:48 The entire male population of Essex was on valium.
37:51 Fingernails were bitten down to flesh.
37:53 And Ford, well, they just let the bright blue touch paper
37:56 cross their fingers and stood back.
37:58 So, what was the verdict?
38:00 The car is said to be inspired, of course,
38:02 by the Focus RS of the World Rally Championships.
38:05 But, well, it's a funny word, that, "inspired."
38:08 I might be inspired by Ruud van Nistelrooy,
38:11 but trying to play football like him is another matter.
38:13 I play football like Dick Van Dijk.
38:17 From the outside, the RS is truly stunning
38:20 and has more than a passing resemblance
38:22 to its world-conquering, all-terrain-munching cousin.
38:25 The stance is much more squat than the standard car
38:28 and it has bite-your-legs-off styling all round.
38:31 And the components, too, are made by the same people
38:33 as on the WRC car.
38:35 The wheels are made by Oz, the brakes by Brembo,
38:37 the seats by Sparco, et cetera, et cetera.
38:40 So, how good is it?
38:42 Was it worth the wait?
38:43 Was the hype justified?
38:45 And just how inspired by the WRC car is it?
38:49 Do you know, I've just had a thought.
38:51 That last bit about just how inspired is this car
38:53 by the WRC vehicle.
38:55 Well, I can't answer that because I've never driven one.
38:58 But the rest, I'll give it a go.
39:01 When Ford put the incredible Escort Cosworth out to stud
39:06 all of those years ago, they did promise us
39:08 a 300-horsepower four-wheel-drive replacement.
39:12 Well, someone had their fingers crossed
39:14 because what they've delivered is a front-wheel-drive
39:17 212-brake-horsepower car.
39:19 And they made us wait a very long time.
39:22 But they may have delivered late,
39:24 but boy, have they delivered.
39:27 Firstly, there's the engine, a super-sounding 2-liter
39:30 four-cylinder turbocharged unit
39:32 that doesn't sound dissimilar to its esteemed cousin,
39:35 the Escort Cosworth.
39:37 It'll really sing for you up in the high revs.
39:39 It's not quite as stunning as the incredible VTECs from Honda,
39:42 but musical and inspiring nonetheless.
39:45 The overriding joy of this engine
39:47 definitely resides in the mid-range.
39:49 Down at the bottom, there is significant turbo lag,
39:52 and at the top end, it doesn't feel too comfy either.
39:55 But in the mid-range, between 3,500 and 6,000 revs,
39:58 and with the clever use of the throttle
40:00 and the brilliant five-speed gearbox,
40:02 you get a huge amount of torque,
40:05 enough to last Parky a lifetime of shows.
40:08 Now, there was controversy, to say the least,
40:10 when Ford announced that the RS
40:12 was going to be driven only from the front.
40:14 The car was supposed to challenge the Audi S4s, Evos,
40:17 and Imprezas of this world,
40:19 all of which have four feet to run with.
40:21 But Ford have simply said it doesn't need it.
40:23 Well, they would say that, wouldn't they?
40:25 Now, reading between the lines on the four-wheel-drive issue,
40:29 it seems that there was huge problems
40:31 getting power to the rear of the car
40:33 that involved a lot more design and a lot more cost,
40:36 which is why Ford say they don't need it.
40:39 But all of those other cars that we mentioned--
40:41 the Audi S4, the Impreza, and the Evo--
40:43 all have four-wheel drive,
40:45 so you pays your money, you takes your choice.
40:48 And to a degree, it doesn't need four-wheel drive,
40:51 because on a nice, smooth surface,
40:53 the RS has an incredible amount of grip.
40:55 There's also a noticeable absence of wheel spin,
40:58 despite the absence of traction control,
41:00 although put your foot down hard over some crests,
41:03 and there's a disappointing amount of torque steer,
41:05 which would be eliminated if there were four wheels powering it.
41:08 But that being picky,
41:10 considering the power onslaught going through to the front,
41:12 the car performs brilliantly.
41:14 But get the car on anything other than a nice, smooth A-road,
41:18 and you start to notice where the focus is,
41:20 well, not a letdown, but let's just say irritating.
41:24 That's a polite way of saying it.
41:26 Because hit a pothole or a minor bump at speed,
41:28 and the car will deviate,
41:30 and you have to go routes that you wouldn't have thought possible,
41:33 let alone planned.
41:34 The car has got a mind of its own at speed,
41:36 and you need to keep both hands firmly on the steering wheel
41:39 when you're driving at speed.
41:41 But this car is all about performance and handling.
41:44 That 2-litre 4-cylinder engine might not sound like much,
41:47 but with that huge turbocharger,
41:49 it generates 212 brake horsepower,
41:52 enough to get this little car from 0-60 in under 6 seconds
41:56 and on to a top speed of 144 miles per hour.
42:01 (ENGINE REVS)
42:03 So, was this car worth waiting for?
42:09 Oh, boy, yes.
42:10 Was the hype justified? Well, probably.
42:12 Although to keep mentioning this RS in the same breath as the WRC focus
42:16 is to get just a little bit carried away.
42:19 But boy and girl racers the world over, and especially in Essex,
42:23 will love this car.
42:24 And some boy racers like me that got older and fatter,
42:27 they'll love it.
42:29 In America, they just love them.
42:31 No, I'm not talking about burgers, donuts or muffins.
42:35 I'm talking about pickup trucks.
42:37 Why Americans have this fascination with pickup trucks,
42:40 I really just can't understand, to be honest.
42:42 And you don't have to be a hillbilly redneck swilling bourbon to drive one.
42:46 They've now become family vehicles with large cabs, luxury accommodation.
42:51 And in the case of something like the Dodge Ram,
42:54 a seriously fast beast that can outdrag most sports cars.
42:59 So it's interesting that Ford have decided to launch this,
43:03 the new Ranger, here in the UK.
43:05 Now, apparently our lifestyles demand this sort of vehicle.
43:10 It's going to be the next big trend.
43:12 Does your lifestyle demand a pickup truck?
43:15 No, and I'm not sure that mine does either.
43:18 Perhaps it's more the case that Mitsubishi have the L200,
43:21 introduced now in the UK, and Toyota have the Hilux.
43:25 But at the moment, the pickup truck market here in Britain
43:28 is only worth 0.13% of total vehicles sold.
43:32 So in other words, the market share is tiny for this sort of vehicle,
43:37 unlike this rather big beast, which is big in every way,
43:41 apart from what's under the bonnet.
43:43 Now, you get a choice of two 2.5-litre diesel engines.
43:48 The first kicks out only 78 brake horsepower
43:51 and is an indirect injection diesel.
43:54 This second one is better.
43:56 It produces 109 brake horsepower.
43:58 It's turbocharged and intercooled.
44:00 It's the same 2.5-litre engine.
44:02 But let's face it, neither engine is going to produce any sort of excitement.
44:06 And you can imagine both of them struggling up a fairly large hill
44:10 with a full payload and a trailer on the back.
44:12 (MUSIC)
44:15 So how does the Ranger cope out on the road?
44:34 Well, you have to start by saying it's slow.
44:37 It's unbelievably slow, in fact.
44:39 I know 0-60-figure times don't really count for this sort of vehicle,
44:43 but just to give you an example and to prove the point,
44:46 I'll tell you anyway,
44:47 the 60-mph sprint in this 2.5 turbo diesel takes a snail's pace 26 seconds.
44:54 But that's nothing compared to the non-turbo diesel engine,
44:58 which would take you to 60 miles per hour in an astonishing 43 seconds.
45:03 You could run faster, for goodness sake.
45:05 It's amazing that in America, pickup trucks have wonderful, huge engines,
45:10 superb acceleration.
45:12 Here, they're tinny, they're hopeless, they're slow.
45:16 There are three versions of the Ranger.
45:18 A regular cab with seating for two and either two- or four-wheel drive,
45:23 a super cab with two extra jump seats and two-wheel drive,
45:26 and this, the four-door double cab, the family version, if you like.
45:30 It seats five, it has four-wheel drive,
45:33 and the turbocharged engine plus lots of payload space.
45:38 Ride-wise in the Ranger, well, the suspension is very, very soft,
45:41 which you really notice at most on country lanes on the motorway.
45:45 It's fine.
45:46 Steering, a little light, a little vague, a lot of understeer.
45:50 You go towards a corner, you start to turn,
45:52 and nothing much seems to happen,
45:54 so you turn and turn again until you get round.
45:57 Acceleration through the gears, first and second, nothing much to talk about,
46:01 but once you get into third and fourth gears, there's plenty of torque there,
46:04 and it's very happy cruising on the motorway at 70 or so miles an hour,
46:09 with still plenty to get you past slower traffic.
46:12 Inside the cabin, it's really quite spacious,
46:20 certainly thanks to this high roofline.
46:22 Ford claim you can also seat five adults in comfort in this double cab version.
46:26 Now, looking at those rear seats, I somehow doubt that,
46:29 but anyway, that's what they claim.
46:31 Specification is pretty high.
46:33 The steering wheel is tilt and height adjustable.
46:35 You get a radio cassette player.
46:37 You get twin sun visors, no less,
46:39 which obviously is a big selling point on pickup trucks.
46:42 Other things in this double cab version you get as well--
46:45 electric windows and air conditioning, bless them.
46:48 Now, although Ford claim that this is the sort of vehicle
46:56 that can be used to enhance our lifestyle,
46:58 I can't honestly see it.
47:00 Can you? If you're a builder, a tradesman, something like that,
47:02 you need that payload capacity at the back, absolutely fine.
47:05 For the rest of us, just doesn't work for me,
47:08 and certainly Mitsubishi's L200 looks better.
47:11 Prices? Well, they start at about £10,500
47:14 for the caffeine-free regular cab version,
47:17 rising to about £15,000 for this caffeine-enhanced double cab version.
47:22 Now, on this week's programme, we're looking for a new car
47:25 for our viewer Simon Holmes, who's 25,
47:28 he's in the media industry, and he currently drives a Ford Puma.
47:31 He's already driven the Nissan 200SX,
47:34 but what else have we got for him on this week's programme?
47:36 Well, we've also got a Ford Cougar,
47:38 and here's Richard Hammond with a lowdown on the Cougar.
47:41 Oh, dear. Remember when you were a kid
47:44 and you used to build an oil rig out of cereal packets and loo roll tubes?
47:47 Well, mine looked exactly like this,
47:50 only it was built slightly better
47:53 and probably looks slightly better even now.
47:56 But you were worried about your speaker space.
47:59 (LAUGHS)
48:01 Look at this boot in a coupé.
48:04 You'd get stadium kit in there.
48:06 But hold on. If we're going to start judging a coupé
48:09 according to boot space and rear seat accommodation,
48:12 there's something wrong buying a state car.
48:15 And here's a worrying point. It's got a toe ball on a coupé.
48:19 Isn't that a bit like buying a scooter with bull bars
48:22 and a roof rack to a soft top?
48:24 The thing about the Cougar to me is, looking at it,
48:26 do you not get the impression that somebody somewhere in Ford
48:29 was trying just a little bit too hard to please their boss when they designed it?
48:33 I mean, look. Yeah, nice one, Dave. Now make me one that looks pretty.
48:37 This ridiculous idiot grin.
48:39 Does anybody really want a sports car that when you open the garage door,
48:42 is there, "Oh, I confess, me." Nasty.
48:45 And it seems like the world would agree because last year Ford sold one.
48:49 And if that was you, it's so bad, they've killed it off completely.
48:54 And frankly, I agree with them. I'm sorry, Cougar. You were never any good.
48:58 Good riddance.
48:59 Well, Simon, I guess you already like Ford cars
49:01 because you've got the Pima at the moment.
49:03 I mean, how different do you think this Cougar is?
49:06 Just driving it around the corner,
49:08 you can feel the mass moving from side to side.
49:11 And the long wheelbase, of course, means it isn't as nimble,
49:14 but it still feels good on the road.
49:16 It's got a nice 2.5 V6 engine. It's 170 brake horsepower.
49:20 So it's a pretty quick car, isn't it?
49:22 Now, this car's only done 14,000 miles.
49:25 It is the 2.5 V6, so it's the top of the range,
49:28 and there's only two cars in the Cougar range anywhere,
49:30 the 2.0-litre and this 2.5.
49:32 I certainly wouldn't go for a 2.0-litre, that's for sure,
49:34 because it's just too underpowered.
49:36 But when you think that this car was somewhere around 22 grand when it was new,
49:41 I'm not so sure I'd want to spend that sort of money on this, would you?
49:44 Well, with this sort of car, you do suffer depreciation,
49:46 and somebody's lost, what, 11 grand?
49:48 Big time. Big time.
49:50 In 14,000 miles of motoring, which is just obscene.
49:53 You know, most people wouldn't spend that much on a car in the first place.
49:56 Absolutely not. They might just lose it.
49:58 So somebody like myself is in a good position to buy a new car
50:03 with leather, it's got electric adjustable seats...
50:05 It's got everything, hasn't it? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
50:07 ...aircon, power steering, traction control.
50:10 You know, it's a nice-looking car.
50:12 So you can really, well, show off a bit, really.
50:15 For 11 grand. Yeah, for 11 grand.
50:17 # #
50:20 # #
50:23 # #
50:26 (music fades)
50:28 [BLANK_AUDIO]