# Focus RS500 whats underneath



## nicks16v (Jan 7, 2009)

Hi everyone, sorry if this is a silly question, but I take it the Focus RS500 has a matt black vinyl wrap applied ? If so what colour is underneath ? Does anyone know? and what finish is it?
If its not a wrap then ill accept all flaming like man lol


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## Mini 360 (Jul 17, 2009)

Its gloss black underneath. :thumb:


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## DE 1981 (Aug 17, 2007)

Its panther black underneath and very nice it is to.


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## nicks16v (Jan 7, 2009)

Panther black eh? May look better without the wrap me thinks .


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## DE 1981 (Aug 17, 2007)

Personally i think it does, wraps do nothing for me and ive yet to see a perfect wrapped RS500


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## HeavenlyDetail (Sep 22, 2006)

Panther black is correct.


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## wookey (Jul 13, 2007)

That last picture just shows how bad black wheels look with dirty tyres and no tyre dressing! :lol:


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## Turkleton (Apr 18, 2010)

Gloss black looks so much better than the matte black vinyl


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## HeavenlyDetail (Sep 22, 2006)

wookey said:


> That last picture just shows how bad black wheels look with dirty tyres and no tyre dressing! :lol:


Typical flash shot  but i agree.

The wrap looks good but suffers in the sun as there is no such thing as perfection on this substrate.


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## Clark @ PB (Mar 1, 2006)

DE 1981 said:


> Personally i think it does, wraps do nothing for me and ive yet to see a perfect wrapped RS500


You'll never get a perfect wrap,if you want perfection then it's a paintjob you need.

Saying that I've seen a couple of bloody good examples now but still think they should have been painted Matt instead of wrapped.


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## HeavenlyDetail (Sep 22, 2006)

Clark @ PB said:


> You'll never get a perfect wrap,if you want perfection then it's a paintjob you need.
> 
> Saying that I've seen a couple of bloody good examples now but still think they should have been painted Matt instead of wrapped.


I agree ive seen one of the ones ive done as near to perfect as can be BUT in sunlight still suffered from application fine scratches just from smoothing out even though they use cotton gloves , in 90% of light sources it doesnt notice but sun side on it looks marked. Its a shame they didnt go like the bmw frozen black , you,ll probably agree the door handles and boot strips are perfect


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## Clark @ PB (Mar 1, 2006)

Heavenly said:


> I agree ive seen one of the ones ive done as near to perfect as can be BUT in sunlight still suffered from application fine scratches just from smoothing out even though they use cotton gloves , in 90% of light sources it doesnt notice but sun side on it looks marked. Its a shame they didnt go like the bmw frozen black , you,ll probably agree the door handles and boot strips are perfect


Aye,I wonder why...


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## DE 1981 (Aug 17, 2007)

Clark @ PB said:


> You'll never get a perfect wrap,if you want perfection then it's a paintjob you need.
> 
> Saying that I've seen a couple of bloody good examples now but still think they should have been painted Matt instead of wrapped.


Sorry but for £35000 it would need to be as close to perfect as is humanly possible.


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## Th3Doctor (Feb 2, 2010)

DE 1981 said:


> Sorry but for £35000 it would need to be as close to perfect as is humanly possible.


You would also have to be out of your ****ing mind to spend 35k on a ford


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## SNAKEBITE (Feb 22, 2010)

Even the lights and the windows got covered!
That's worth a pull from the plad if I ever saw one.


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## cheeks (Aug 26, 2010)

Th3Doctor said:


> You would also have to be out of your ****ing mind to spend 35k on a ford


even a GT?


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## ianFRST (Sep 19, 2006)

Th3Doctor said:


> You would also have to be out of your ****ing mind to spend 35k on a ford


i wish i could have got one tbh, they are worth more than 35k already!!

a couple of owners had been offered 45k+ from the dealer to buy them BACK!


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## Clark @ PB (Mar 1, 2006)

ianFRST said:


> i wish i could have got one tbh, they are worth more than 35k already!!
> 
> a couple of owners had been offered 45k+ from the dealer to buy them BACK!


Exactly,you're not going to lose money on one but more than likely make a bit of profit,I think that's why many people ordered one.


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## gally (May 25, 2008)

Th3Doctor said:


> You would also have to be out of your ****ing mind to spend 35k on a ford


Pmsl!

Oh dear, how short sighted.


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## Auto Detox (Dec 22, 2007)

Yes they are definately panther black under that wrap, the one I have done had marks in the wrap film that would not come out & some quite severe ones at that, shame really as once they are detailed they look stunning although I would certainly prefer one in its original Panther Black metallic ! 

While I was at the dealership the figures that were being banded about for resale were well over the purchase cost (if you could get one back then !)

Baz


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## Benjic2 (Apr 21, 2010)

My boss at work bought one privately for 39k with 190 miles on the clock :O. I thought he was talking out his a*** because how could it be worth more second hand, but it seems he was telling the truth!


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## A Fast Sloth (Aug 14, 2010)

I think its very ignorant to believe that a brand such as Ford cannot produce a quality product. Or someone can not buy a nice car without being called nuts, because it is brand X. I don't get why people in this day and age have such a thing against some brands, such as Ford. 

Example, my friends wife, has had her "****ty KIA" for years, it's done about 100k miles, apart from tyres, service etc, it has not needed anything. Yet another friend (not the one that has the KIA) has never been out the garage with his so called premium BMW... £4k of repairs to engine so far and it is only 9 months old.

You will always get your good and bad range/products within a good rage of any manufacturer, car or otherwise.


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## VIPER (May 30, 2007)

To answer the original question posed in the title......well, if I were a regular member on here then I'd probably say something like; "a car embarrassed to be wearing a badge its makers should never have bestowed upon it perhaps?".

But I'm not and I like to keep well away from controversy these days, so I'll not say that officially


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## -Ashley- (Nov 19, 2010)

Agree with sloth, Ford make some good cars :thumb: the Mondeo is very underrated imo and I would genuinely have one of a 3 series beemer.


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## cawsey20 (Sep 10, 2010)

Looks so much better in panther rather than matt !! they should just make a black RS !


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## JasonPD (Jan 8, 2010)

The 'special' Fords not only hold their value but increase greatly when they reach classic status, just check the classifieds for a Lotus Cortina, Escort RS2000, Sierra RS500 etc - some are going for 'silly money' - I'll take one of each please


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## Guest (Dec 8, 2010)

The wrapped car at the NEC Classic Car Show was green underneath, you could see the colour where the vinyl had lifted in the corners of the hatch.


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## HeavenlyDetail (Sep 22, 2006)

matt1263 said:


> The wrapped car at the NEC Classic Car Show was green underneath, you could see the colour where the vinyl had lifted in the corners of the hatch.


That is what is called in the trade as a wannabe.


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## clam (Jun 30, 2009)

Here's an extract from the Ford uk site!

http://www.ford.co.uk/AboutFord/News/VehicleNews/LimitedEditionFocusRS

All Focus RS500 vehicles will be painted in a standard Panther Black metallic colour, before being shipped to a dedicated 3M facility near Frankfurt, Germany, where a special foil film will be applied to the bodywork to create the matt black effect.

The film is extremely durable, and is specifically designed to resist superficial marks and scratches in automotive applications. In the event of damage to the bodywork, Ford dealers will be fully supported by a Europe-wide network of 3M agents who can replace the film on the affected panels.


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## HeavenlyDetail (Sep 22, 2006)

Shame it's bull$h1t them isn't it


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## Guest (Dec 8, 2010)

:lol::lol::lol:


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## SNAKEBITE (Feb 22, 2010)

JasonPD said:


> The 'special' Fords not only hold their value but increase greatly when they reach classic status, just check the classifieds for a Lotus Cortina, Escort RS2000, Sierra RS500 etc - some are going for 'silly money' - I'll take one of each please


Agreed.
About 15 years ago on regular Mountain bike rides we used jump this gate and oggle a Lotus Cortina through some gaps in the barn. It was quite togther but needed some serious TLC.

In the local free-ads a couple of weeks ago a dealer was selling one for £65,000 :doublesho
"Would make an excellent cclassic race car" it said. "Not at 65 grand I thought!"


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## SNAKEBITE (Feb 22, 2010)

It dawned on me last night that those Wrapped RS's look like a stealth bomber, all matt black.

Sorry each to their own but it does nothing for me, I want to see it shine.


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## carl123uk (Jun 16, 2008)

why didn't they just spray it matt black rather than wrap it?


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## Dixondmn (Oct 12, 2007)

there are numerous on autotrader for in excess of £40K at the moment.

i'd love one but its a bit too larey for me, I'd have to wear some kind of disgise to be seen driving one.


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## Neil M (Jan 28, 2007)

dixon75 said:


> there are numerous on autotrader for in excess of £40K at the moment.
> 
> i'd love one but its a bit too larey for me ...


The standard model in bright green would suffice in my case.


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## LiveWire88 (Sep 5, 2009)

:argie:

If only it was 4WD :argie::argie::argie::argie: Id buy 2 :lol:


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## DomIpswich (Jun 4, 2009)

Yeah, shame they're not 4wd.

I think the guy is right about paying that much for one being nuts aside of the possible profit. I went and drove a standard RS and felt I'd have to lose my mind to pay 28k for that! Plus the standard ones are not holding their money like everyone suggested they would...
Having said that, I have an Escort Cosworth and a lot of people would think the price of those is nuts for the age lol


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## rgDetail (Jul 16, 2009)

I'd love one of these, any colour would do, but the matt black is something a little more interesting - it looks amazing (in my own ford-biased opinion of course )


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## Mini 360 (Jul 17, 2009)

dixon75 said:


> there are numerous on autotrader for in excess of £40K at the moment.
> 
> i'd love one but its a bit too larey for me,* I'd have to wear some kind of disgise to be seen driving one*.


this disguise do? :lol:


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## Defined Reflections (Jun 4, 2009)

Im sure they are cracking cars,but imo the RS badge means nothing anymore and its used purely to sell cars,back in the day the rs500 was made because they had to make so many road going versions so they could race
Same with the other RS cars like mexicos ect, they were made because the ford escort won rallys,these new RS models athat are sold to the public are nothing like there race/rally versions


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## Richors (Apr 29, 2007)

All Rs's are cracking cars! Fact.:thumb::car:


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

They'll never be as good as they can be for a few reasons; the manufacturer won't map the car to it's full potential, no homologation rules for rallying anymore or we'd be seeing a fiesta rs with 4x4, the eu nanny state stopping manufacturers making cars like it or making it hard to - I'd still have one before any other hot hatch though, it's a guaranteed future classic.


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## SNAKEBITE (Feb 22, 2010)

Oh the heady days of the Mexicos, RS2000, RS200 and the Cosworths.

I know things move on, but aren't these new ones just so "complicated" and "soulless"?


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## Richors (Apr 29, 2007)

I would have to agree with you there but given i have 2 cosworths and a MK2 RS2000 I guess i am more than slightly bias................:driver:


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## HeavenlyDetail (Sep 22, 2006)

I do feel all brands these days find it all too easy to put some stickers on a car and a plastic interior trim and call it a special edition.


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## SNAKEBITE (Feb 22, 2010)

Richors said:


> I would have to agree with you there but given i have 2 cosworths and a MK2 RS2000 I guess i am more than slightly bias................:driver:


Or did you go for those cars because they were so good?
Not bised, just a sensible choice!


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## NovalutionGSi (Apr 19, 2010)

I have to say i honestly thought that they were painted Matt Black and not a wrap.... i suppose Ford did it as a Wrap so that if the owners got bored of it they could have it removed. I guess you cant get a normal RS in Panther Black anyway?

I have to agree that the "super" hatches nowadays from what ever brand are no where near the Race/Rally versions they should be like and it seems all to easy for the manufactures to just stick some decals on and give it special edition status, bit like the Astra Nuremburg (SP) is a VXR painted white, with some black checks on it and different wheels... oh and a badge! same amount of power as a normal VXR..... it just doesnt add up. 

Give me an RS500, escort Cossie or Lotus Carlton.... real Special editions!


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## Guest (Dec 11, 2010)

I thought skoda did the RS first?


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

matt1263 said:


> I thought skoda did the RS first?


Never heard of an RS Skoda


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## Guest (Dec 11, 2010)

fabia, octavia are the modern ones.

they had to put the small v in front due to a whinge from ford, but sure skoda had rs on the rally cars in the 40's/50's.

That was before ford went rallying.


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

So it's Vrs then. RS is synonymous with Fords


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## Guest (Dec 11, 2010)

No, it was going to be (for instance) fabia RS (after all, skoda are still a major force in rallying hence the RS) but had to change it to vRS after ford had a whinge about rights.

Its because people think rs is ford that ford got the change.

A quick google dosnt come up with the legal case, but that might be me not typing in the right words :lol:

But its the same as Porsche not being able to call the 911 901 because of puegot saying they have rights to the "01" etc

Am sure if you go onto the old skoda forums its all explained on them (or maybe not), but I am sure skoda has the RS for rallying before ford.


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## Neil M (Jan 28, 2007)

matt1263 said:


> I thought skoda did the RS first?


No, Ford have done RS models (Rally Sport) since about the 1960's and Skoda do vRS as thier performance models (since around the late 90's or early 2000's).


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## Guest (Dec 12, 2010)

But skoda has done the rs model from the late 40's or 50's I think it is.

I now I have read this either BBC or Top Gear or summit, but cant find the exact date Skoda went rallying with the RS as Skoda have a VERY long history in rallying when compaired to Ford for instance.


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## mpkayeuk (Aug 3, 2007)

NovalutionGSi said:


> I have to say i honestly thought that they were painted Matt Black and not a wrap.... i suppose Ford did it as a Wrap so that if the owners got bored of it they could have it removed. I guess you cant get a normal RS in Panther Black anyway?


I suspect they are not painted matte black because Ford don't have a paint process developed for a matte finish at the factory and developing one would have cost a lot for a limited run car. It would be very costly to ship bodyshells to some third party for painting, only to have them shipped back for completion on the production line. Also, what happens when a customer has a ding, etc. Ford don't have the capability to deal with such a special paint finish, they would have to source specialist paint shops... in general it would just be a bloody nightmare.

If it's a wrap, all these problems go away.


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## Chufster (Nov 21, 2010)

If you want a decent looking matt car, you can't go wrong with a brera independent italia!


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

Nice but missing the BLACK part!


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## Flair (Dec 11, 2010)

:0 Didn't know it was a wrap, that makes the RS500 even more pointless than it already was.


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## Guest (Dec 14, 2010)

Underneath is the chassis........


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## Hoppo32 (Nov 18, 2008)

matt1263 said:


> No, it was going to be (for instance) fabia RS (after all, skoda are still a major force in rallying hence the RS) but had to change it to vRS after ford had a whinge about rights.
> 
> Its because people think rs is ford that ford got the change.
> 
> ...


What about Audi's RS2, RS3, RS4, RS5, RS6?


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