Originally posted by Rara:
...The SVT Focus will be substantially lighter than the SVT Contour w/ only a 30hp deficit, and it will have a much fatter tq curve too, w/ 85% of its peak tq available at 2000rpm (IIRC) the SVT Focus will have roughly 15.3 lbs/hp (~2600lbs/170hp) to the SVT Contour's 15.7 lbs/hp (~3150lbs/200hp)...
I was going to comment on how I'd expect the SVT Focus's lighter weight to significantly increase the fun factor, but I couldn't support that on power:weight ratio alone. I came up with 2769 lbs/170 bhp = 16.29 lbs/bhp for the Focus (from Supercars.net) and 3068 lbs/195 hp = 15.73 lbs/bhp for an E0 (from 1998 SVT Sell Sheet).
I also recall big promises of low-end torque for the Focus, though... Plus, >10% less weight, (presumably) lower polar moment of inertia, and more contact patch than my E0 sounds like a recipe for a grin-inducing, tossable car. As long as SVT Focus has fewer than 4 doors, the wife won't let me get one, but I'll be anxious to test drive one anyway!
