Comments on: Ford launches Focus ST500 in the UK

By: JohnnyBlazE

JohnnyBlazE — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:07:24 +0000

BTW Not to say Mk2 Focus has BAD handling – it’s still very good, just not as precise and enjoyable – ride quality is also greatly improved.

By: JohnnyBlazE

JohnnyBlazE — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:06:28 +0000

You know, the US complains about the Mk1 Focus they have, but I am sure if you notice, the Mk1 Focus had the sharper handling and better looks – just the opinion of most of the UK press… But the newer focus is of better build and has a much nicer interior… there’s the throw up.

By: ///m

///m — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 03:00:32 +0000

^^Bingo

By: global_lightning

global_lightning — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 02:21:47 +0000

Not to shabby but the GT40 tie-in is a stretch. Perhaps the Ford Cosworth RS200 may have been a better match.

By: Htay5500

Htay5500 — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:01:21 +0000

boo @ FoMoCoNA.

By: CA36GTP

CA36GTP — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 20:03:26 +0000

Regardless of exchange rate, from my personal experience the average compact in the UK started base price at £9,500. This is over twice that. For a FOCUS. 225hp isn’t shabby, but that’s the only noteworthy part of this car.

By: Aston Martin

Aston Martin — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 19:14:36 +0000

Hmm, a average price family hatchback becomes a Le Mans-winning GT supercar with the addition of a 2.5 litre engine, sports seats, black paint and some stripes? Maybe if I put stripes on my Roller it will become a Camaro musclecar…

By: Uncle B

Uncle B — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 18:57:48 +0000

“40k for a focus. poor brits…”

It’s more like poor americans with the value of the USD going down the drain.

By: sharpie

sharpie — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 18:42:56 +0000

Keep reminding us how unfortunate we are! Ford is an American company, and yet we keep getting the short end!

By: autonut

autonut — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 18:27:22 +0000

High price of luxury wannabe can also explain failure. I think the price is high due to exclusivity: only 500 will be build. I wonder how many will find home in collector’s garage next to Mazerati.

By: terminator

terminator — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:59:12 +0000

Ford moved the Euro Focus upscale so it is now a competitor to some of the 3 series BMWs. That explains the high price tag.

By: horvatic

horvatic — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:38:22 +0000

Oh, and the focus does not remind anyone of a GT40 no matter where you live. I’m sorry but that car is in a totally different league and the focus just can’t go there period! Very bad marketing by Ford.

By: horvatic

horvatic — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:35:37 +0000

Ford is losing there shirts because they don’t bring cars like the ST500 and the RS to america. Instead they put in the wimpy motors that can barely get out of there own way with antique transmissions with no auto manual mode! Hello Ford, are you reading these posts? You wonder why people aren’t buying your products? Well here’s why so do something about it please!

By: SS4LIFE

SS4LIFE — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:03:56 +0000

ok yeah nvmd, Haha if that’s what it’s going to cost to import that thing, then forget it.

By: autonut

autonut — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:49:46 +0000

First of all Rotman mentioned Netherlands, which is not Britain. Secondly, to match average wage in US briton would have to make 340 pounds per week on todays rate. Thirdly, the cost of living in most of England is much higher then in US.
Average family income in UK is £49,300 for 2006, which is about 100K USD. However, cars cost more, gas is about $7/gallon, food and clothes are much more expensive then in US. That explains number of touristers on street of NY: the most expensive city in US is bargain basement for Europeans.

By: A4

A4 — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:37:11 +0000

blah blah blah “bring it to america” weve heard it a million times and itll never happen why should i even bother

By: planet_drive

planet_drive — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:24:42 +0000

Its not bad looking, its a European Ford so its much better than the horrible unreliable Fords we get. When you convert 20,000 pounds to dollars its almost $40 grand and that sounds crazy for a Focus, or any Ford. But you have to realise in England people are paid in pounds. So when you convert their pay to our currency they get paid more than us. If an average wage here is $700/week, over there an average wage would be about 600p/week. 20,000 pounds to them is almost like $20,000 for us.

By: MY Si

MY Si — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:19:13 +0000

I THAUGHT FORD WAS AN AMERICAN COMPANY!!! WHAT THE HELL! hey euros! heres a brand spankin new Focus. its quite a beaut. got all the bells and whistles. and the styling is amazing. oh AMERICA? lets give them this Sync B.S. to play with for a while….

By: gooch02000

gooch02000 — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:18:52 +0000

surely all you guys talking about 40k usd!!!, know that exchange rates do not accurately reflect the price the car would cost of launched in another country. It DOES reflect how much it would cost if you were to import it, certainly. This is an important distinction.

By: monkeybars

monkeybars — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:17:10 +0000

40k for a focus. poor brits…

By: Culley

Culley — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:53:15 +0000

“the Focus ST500 was designed to echo the Ford GT40s that swept Le Mans in 1966.”

WTF??????????????? I am confused…

By: cardesigner5

cardesigner5 — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:49:53 +0000

strip-tastic is becoming a bit chav

By: Rotman

Rotman — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:46:51 +0000

The ‘regular’ Focus ST would set me back approximately 50k USD in the Netherlands (against todays exchange rate that is…) and yes, over half of that is pure tax.

By: autonut

autonut — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:42:25 +0000

All over the world cars are much more expensive then in US. The price is including all kinds of taxes, that we (US citizens) don’t pay. In Norway equivalent of Camry cost about 90K, but everyone has quite decent free medical service and if one is afflicted with arthritis the citizen spends winter in Caribbean courtesy of their government.

By: RicardoHead

RicardoHead — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:32:56 +0000

And in the meantime “Ford Launched Renamed 500 In The USA!”

Wooooooohoooooooo!

By: injunraiv

injunraiv — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:26:11 +0000

It doeswn’t remind me of those Le Mans winning Gt40s at all… Am I missing something?

By: CA36GTP

CA36GTP — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:25:05 +0000

Jesus, that’s over $40,000. I don’t care WHAT kind of Focus it is, HELL NO!

By: SS4LIFE

SS4LIFE — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:24:13 +0000

Ok why doesn’t FORD bring this over here instead of the re-designed Focus *cough Escort that they gave us? Oh wait that’s why they are in the position that they are in in North America. But this is what we need! I could see myself buying one of these if it was offered here.

By: autonut

autonut — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:21:49 +0000

It is a good looking machine. No ST500 for us!