OptiX2K

Fiesta does have rear speakers, so that shouldn't be a problem - it's build to use the same electrical architecture as the current Focus so has Bluetooth module support etc. etc.

That one will take an Aux socket, not sure on WDS but it will have a CAN connection on it. That's a current spec 6006 as used on Fiesta and possibly other things e.g Focus. The display on the front isn't much good though, it's really intended to drive the display in the cluster. I'd agree it's probably from a Fiesta ST, as these are often being stripped for rally/race conversion.

Halford, Carnoisseur, Motorworld etc. should stock them. You can tell them from the standard ones by the price and the rotating ring around the head of the bolt. Multiple versions are available, make sure you get the right one! And as a hint, wrap some electrical tape around the socket before you install them, they're larger diameter than the 'normal' ones so it's more likely you'll scuff the wheel with the socket during installation. You can retain the Ford nuts as well as the McGard ones if you want to, just make sure they're fitted to 'opposite' studs - on the 5-stud wheels this

To be honest I'm not sure if an alarm would be that much of a disincentive, unless it's a lot louder than the existing one and the car is kept somewhere where you can see it if the alarm goes off. Are the McGard nuts the Ultras? The Standard and Ford ones aren't really much good, but the Ultras are pretty decent & would stop most removal attempts - not cheap but worth it.

Power steering is designed to be run with hydraulic assistance. It isn't built to be used unassisted, given the amount of force required to do something like normal parking I'd imagine something would break very early on, assuming you could actually manage to drive the thing.

Same with the climate control part of the system, sort of like an option provided in installments. Can't really see the point of it to be honest, it's usually quicker & easier just to push the buttons directly instead of activating the voice control then trying to get it to chagne the settings.

You put the handbrake on to stop the car rolling prior to launch, also you can potentially use it to get a (very) small amount of clutch bite pre-launch without moving. Obviously you release the handbrake when you want to move! It's a bit difficult to do any sort of fast standing start if your foot is on the brake pedal! So it isn't particularly difficult to detect ('vehicle stationary' + 'handbrake on' + 'clutch pedal depressed' + 'rpm over threshold') and set up a launch mode, it's not exactly a normal feature though it does exist on a few production cars. Gear selection usually isn't

As far as I can remember, the voice activation is part of the Bluetooth option?

All sorts of colours are available to special order, assuming you buy sufficient quantities. Think the non-custom list has something like 200 options? Something to ponder though is that in the Focus launch press pack the original teaser shot of the ST (well, blurred shot of the part of a Mk.2, with an ST spoiler) was of a car in a bright chrome yellow.

It's a 3/4 layer paint process, so probably impossible to match without doing it the 'proper' way. I imagine the tocuhup isn't available because of the lack of a match - it avoids all the problems of people buying the stuff then complaining it's a different colour to their car Obviously a bit of a pain though if you get a chip in the paint. 3rd party suppliers seem like the way to go, have to be a group buy though as the costs would get stupid otherwise for getting it made up.

There are signs along there warning of cameras. At least the brake lights ahead are a good warning there's actually a camera out! It's only dangerous along there 'cause the road needs repairing/rebuilding, not because of the speed. It used to be 70mph (and upwards) and dropping it down to 60 doesn't seem to have helped.

Or indeed to other Ford models...

I think some of these companys need to realise that the discounts they get aren't guaranteed, and there's nothing to stop them being told to F-off and buy at normal wholesale prices. Using trade & fleet purchase is a basically a cheat, and I wouldn't be surprised if it got locked down more tightly e.g. similar T&C's to Privilege sales. It isn't in Ford's interests to sell cars at a discount to people who undercut the normal retail outlets, it damages the normal retail chain and hurts resale prices. If they want to sell at a discount, they can buy through the retail side and dis

Wasn't it Evo that was the only magazine to really not like the RS either?

Looks like delaying buying 6 months for the spec to settle down was a good idea (as it was well known the spec list would evolve after launch), as it looks like it would have taken 6 months for the car to turn up anyway... :)

Might be that a touchup isn't really possible for a 3/4 layer mica metallic?

It's just the D-Power kits for the Duratec HE 2.0, similar to the existing stuff for the 2.3 but repackaged to suit the engines & fit the Focus/Fiesta. Nice enough stuff but nothing extreme. Check out the Cosworth online store for details.

It depends which owners guide you read, some include running in instructions, some don't. Brakes take ~100miles normal/~1000 miles motorway to bed in properly = 'Avoid heavy usage'. Brake bedding is a pretty obvious process &* worth the effort. Tyres take ~ 300 miles before they scrub in. Again the improvement should be obvious over this distance. Performance may not be expected on the new tyres so don't trust the handling! Engine & gearbox take ~1000 miles mixed driving & changing gear before the engine can be exercised properly. Recommended peak rpm is ~4000, though o

Sounds like submarine lighting to me. Wouldn't be the first time the wrong bits ended up in a car. Sounds like a nice free bonus! :)

Well, I treat Ghia/Titanium as lower models as they have a lower base price. They include toys that are only available as extra cost options on the ST, or just aren't there at all. All equipment from Ghia/Titanium should be standard on ST where possible, not extra cost options.

Nice to know the car was finished before people started buying it! :lol: I suspect the spec might evolve a bit further, I don't like the way the ST misses out on things that are standard on 'lower' models, and I guess many customers will feel the same way. Some bits are probably missing due to compatibility (CD changer might not fit under the Recaros for example) but others are just simple spec trimming to save money.

Not a huge shock, the discounters aren't exactly popular so it isn't surprising they go to the bottom of the pile when supplies are tight.

It's hardly a huge amount of work to develop, the parts exist, and they fit the car, so it's moe a matter of whether there's a market. ST TDCi is more likely to be a company/fllet model, so it'd depend if the demand was there. Lee: The biggest problem with producing a 'high revving' diesel engine is the fuel, rather than any fundamental engineering problem with building the engine. I don't think any suitable fuel will be going mainstream for a long time, so neither would any engines to use it. Racing diesels & hybrids are becoming popular for all sorts of reasons. The R10 shou

Couldn't give you exact figures, but to point out the ST has a heavier bodyshell and is bigger, with more equipment, so although it might only be 7mm taller there's a lot more weight at the top, as well as out front. (I believe it works out at ~140kg extra on ST vs RS, or two passengers worth, which gives some feeling of the impact it'd have on a car) THe ST has the same engine as the S40/V50 T5, the only difference is in the software. The engine is different to the other variants as it's significantly more compact to make it fit the car.

This seems to be going the way of many arguments, where the people shouting loudest are the people who know the least. I guess what most people know about the RS and ST is what they've read in magazines, or seen on TV, which usually means there's more bullsh*t than you'd find on the biggest ranch in Texas. And it's not like anyone (that I know of) ever really tried a direct comparison test in their reviews, they just had mentions and comments about the RS. I'm in the fortunate position to have driven both cars more than enough to know them inside out, especially the RS because it's been a