Diesel Focus

[kevino]

Anybody seen go.auto.com weekly mag.

Good write up on the coming Opel Astras.

121kw, 350nm diesel and six speed manual.

Those of us who prefer a six speed manual diesel are left with zero from Ford.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Diesel outputs have sure come a long way in the last 10 or so years!

Shame.... does Europe sell the 6 sp diesel or is it totally removed from all markets? Would think not selling a top spec 6sp manual in Europe would be suicide...

[kevino]

Yep Ford sell a 6 speed manual in Europe but not here, even the petrol Focus manual here is only 5 speed, poor really when Mazda, VW, Toyota etc can manage to give us a 6 speed manual in cars roughly the same size.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by kevino

Yep Ford sell a 6 speed manual in Europe but not here, even the petrol Focus manual here is only 5 speed, poor really when Mazda, VW, Toyota etc can manage to give us a 6 speed manual in cars roughly the same size.

Why does that not surprise me in the least....... Just as dumb as the Econetic being manual only. Great decision that!

[briskey_b]

Personally, I like 5 speed better than 6. Going through the gears on an 80km/h road with traffic lights becomes too tedious with 6 for me. Why do you guys prefer 6 to 5? I haven't found the change in ratio to be too great by any stretch of the imagination.

[kevino]

I dont use gear 6 until after 85km/hr.
The drop off in engine revs makes for a relaxed drive.
There is a decrease in noise levels v a 5 speed particuarly over 85km/hr.
My wifes petrol focus at 3100 rpm in 5th at 110km/hr sounds frenetic.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by kevino

I dont use gear 6 until after 85km/hr.
The drop off in engine revs makes for a relaxed drive.
There is a decrease in noise levels v a 5 speed particuarly over 85km/hr.
My wifes petrol focus at 3100 rpm in 5th at 110km/hr sounds frenetic.

I'm in 6th at around 90km/h, but if i want to sit on 90km/h with cruise control on, I leave it in 5th at close to 2000 RPM, because otherwise it lugs a bit if you try go up a steep hill.

Doing 100km/h with cruise on is fine, no issue with hills sitting on 1750 RPM.

I'm also a manual enthusiast, wouldn't buy a car without a manual gearbox, don't like autos, only exemption being my EL Falcon project car.

One thing that annoys me is there seems to be a big gap between 3rd/4th gear in my Focus, at 60km/h you're doing probably 2000 RPM in 3rd, if you change to 4th you drop it to 1500RPM or even lower and it starts struggling.

2000 RPM is pretty loud in my car at those speeds, 100km/h not too much because there is a lot more road noise. 2500 RPM you can hear it over the radio.

[In Focus]

Originally Posted by kevino

I dont use gear 6 until after 85km/hr.
The drop off in engine revs makes for a relaxed drive.
There is a decrease in noise levels v a 5 speed particuarly over 85km/hr.
My wifes petrol focus at 3100 rpm in 5th at 110km/hr sounds frenetic.

Is it a 1.6L? My 4 speed petrol auto sits on 2750 at 110km/h in top.

[kevino]

Mines the 2008 2 litre diesel 6 speed manual.
Wifes is a 2006 2litre petrol Focus 5 speed manual.
I had a 2004 5 speed manual 1.6 Focus in NZ and that revved lower than the 2 litre we own.