Over a standing quarter mile on dry asphalt the Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk8) is the quicker car,
covering it in 13.94 s at
101.6 mph against the Ford Focus ST (2012)’s
14.36 s — a margin of
0.42 s. To 60 mph the Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk8) takes
5.44 s and the Ford Focus ST (2012)
5.84 s.
Simulated, not measured — computed from each car’s published kerb mass,
rated power and drivetrain, then fitted to its own published acceleration figures.
Dry asphalt, 20 °C, sea level, 1 ft rollout.
Ford Focus ST (2012)Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk8)
Watch the run in full — then change the surface, the weather
or the distance and run it again.
Down the strip
Standing start
Ford Focus ST (2012)
Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk8)
0–60 mph
5.84 s
5.44 s
0–100 mph
—
13.45 s
60 ft
2.31 s
2.27 s
1/8 mile
9.31 s
9.06 s
1/4 mile
14.36 s
13.94 s
Trap speed
98.2 mph
101.6 mph
Each car is trimmed to its own published figures —
9/10 for the Ford Focus ST (2012),
9/10 for the Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk8) —
so a heavier car can still be the quicker one if that is what it tests.
Is the Ford Focus ST (2012) or the Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk8) faster?
The Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk8). Over a standing quarter mile it runs 13.94 s to the Ford Focus ST (2012)'s 14.36 s, a margin of 0.42 s, and it reaches 60 mph in 5.44 s against 5.84 s.
What is the Ford Focus ST (2012) 0-60 time?
The Ford Focus ST (2012) reaches 60 mph in 5.84 s, simulated on dry asphalt at 20 °C with a 1 ft rollout. It covers the standing quarter mile in 14.36 s at 98.2 mph.
What is the Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk8) 0-60 time?
The Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk8) reaches 60 mph in 5.44 s, simulated on dry asphalt at 20 °C with a 1 ft rollout. It covers the standing quarter mile in 13.94 s at 101.6 mph.
What trap speed does each car run?
The Ford Focus ST (2012) trips the lights at 98.2 mph and the Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk8) at 101.6 mph at the end of the quarter mile.
Are these real measured times?
No. Every time on this page is produced by a physics simulation, not by a stopwatch at a drag strip. Each car is modelled from its published kerb mass, rated power, drivetrain and gearing, then trimmed until it matches its own published acceleration figures — 9 of 10 for the Ford Focus ST (2012) and 9 of 10 for the Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk8). Conditions are identical for both cars: dry asphalt, 20 °C, sea level, 1 ft rollout.
Figures regenerated 2026-09-02. Every number on this page is computed by the simulator at build time, so the page and the app can never disagree.