Comments on: [update] 2008 Ford Focus ST and wagon

By: jonnycat

jonnycat — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 17:23:59 +0000

LLN likes stirring the pot. lol

By: Get Real

Get Real — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 17:03:14 +0000

Man that wagon looks like hot sex to me.

Droooooool….AAAhhhhhh……

Baby what a shape……

By: JohnnyBlazE

JohnnyBlazE — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 16:50:51 +0000

Also note the first Focus’s RS incarnation won the Auto Trader award for best used hot hatch and overall best used buy…

Not bad for a Focus on the CD170 (C170 in US) platform you all are shouting to be rid of.

The C1 platform is great, but you guys get updated versions of the original platform, which set the standard.

If only your cars looked better!

All things considered though, I definitely prefer the newer Focus as a whole car, but as the hot hatch versions go, the Focus RS was the one to have. LSD, smaller engine and a 4pot which was true to its rallying heritage.

That being said… I still love the i5’s growl in the current ST!

By: DeansterTJ

DeansterTJ — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 13:53:20 +0000

Johnnycanuck,

The reason we have a larger small car market is very simple – cars are more expensive and we have less expendable money per capita than in the U.S. So, smaller cheaper cars. The epicenter of that phenomenon is Montreal – Civics, Mazda3’s, Cobalts, and Golfs galore.

The minute someone turns a few dollars, Range Rovers and Escalades can be seen.

Incidentally, that prostitute is looking around for cops in the first pic, but the driver is already in the backseat, pants unzipped, waiting to get his filthy smegma-covered pork sowrd polished!

By: JohnnyBlazE

JohnnyBlazE — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 12:46:05 +0000

Also in the reliabilty index in the UK, the Focus, Fiesta, Ka, Puma, Cougar and Mondeo all rank higher than the BMW 3 Series…

By: JohnnyBlazE

JohnnyBlazE — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 12:44:12 +0000

Europe wants VWs, Audis and BMWs?

Top selling cars in Europe 2006:

1) Vauxhall/Opel Astra

2) Renault Clio

3) Ford Focus

4) VW Golf

5) Fiat Punto

6) Ford Fiesta

7) VW Passat

Peugeot 307

9) VW Polo

10) BMW 3 Series

Really, does it seem BMW is topping Ford sales in Europe?? VW comes close (Golf was top 2005) and Audi is nowhere to be seen!

By: Got Handling?

Got Handling? — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 07:32:47 +0000

I can’t see the heavy influence of the Verve concept here, just looks like a face-lifted current-model Focus.
.
Love watching the USA pining for this car, which in Europe is considered a very, very average offering. Maybe Ford Europe should ship their cars to the states, then they could stop selling them at a discount to company and rental fleets and Europeans can keep buying the VWs, Audis and BMWs that we actually want.

By: sharpie

sharpie — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 05:42:16 +0000

“with no current plans to bring it to the U.S” – Yeah yeah blah blah, more tease F Bold American! It’s more like BALD American!

By: Commodore

Commodore — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 00:17:18 +0000

planet_drive – the only part that I agree with you on is the UAW virus thing. THAT is the reason Ford of America sucks. Ford (as a whole) is resposible for approving all these Euro cars anyway, so NA Ford has a big part in the Euro models.

And why would Europeans be better? Last time I checked, most Americans ARE European

By: Cooper

Cooper — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 21:39:46 +0000

Comment by cwwilson, posted

So do what you gotta do to make the Euro Focus pass safety standards here, and put it on the market.

It is not a saftey issue its a pricing issue. The Euro Focus starts $10,000 higher then our Focus. And the performance version is actually over $40,000 in U.S. dollars.

By: richt62167

richt62167 — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 18:59:09 +0000

planet _drive

Well said!!

By: planet_drive

planet_drive — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 18:41:32 +0000

Ford should just shut down all its North American factories and let the Europeans build them and move Ford headquarters to Europe and turn it into a European owned company. Its obvious that Europeans are better at running Ford than Americans. And they build better and nicer looking cars than Americans. Also Europe doesn’t have a terrible virus called the UAW that keeps screwing things up.

By: cwwilson

cwwilson — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 18:36:02 +0000

Note to Ford: Kill off all your American market cars except the Mustang. Then replace them with the cars you send to Europe. Can’t be that hard, right? After all, you’re making cars now that nobody wants. You know there’s a high demand here for the Euro Focus. So do what you gotta do to make the Euro Focus pass safety standards here, and put it on the market.

By: richt62167

richt62167 — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 17:11:20 +0000

I just found out that Ford imports the Ford Focus ST to Mexico???? WTF!!!!

By: Aston Martin

Aston Martin — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 16:38:07 +0000

Why don’t they get their WRC car, (which is winning) and add whatever it takes to be road legal. That would be a proper performance car, not this. Any fool can get a Focus, paint some stripes on it, up the power and stiffen the suspension. But not anyone can make a rally car. That’s the difference between a chav/yob and an engineer.

By: JohnnyBlazE

JohnnyBlazE — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 16:32:03 +0000

CAT36GP, hence a simple chipping is required for the increased hp… modifying turbo, exhaust system etc and you’re looking at 350-400 bhp easily… but I see what you mean…

Just the implication of them putting 300+bhp to the front wheels out of the factory is not good I think.

Hence AWD RS with 300+ bhp would be just fine.

Even the original Focus could take 450bhp from the cammer crate 5 L v8 with a RWD conversion… that focus RS8 lapped a track quicker than a Gallardo by a second in a motortrend test…

The fact you get the torque (320nM/236 ft lbs standard) at 1600rpm through to 4000 makes for easy overtaking though…

By: angelo

angelo — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 15:42:51 +0000

Mazda3, Volvo S40/V50, Volvo C30, Volvo C70 all share platforms with the current European Focus. I just drove a European Focus and was unimpressed with the clutch and the shifter. If brought to the states, the European Ford Focus would retail in the $25k range (hence why it’s not imported, Americans would buy Accords instead).

US Focus is based on the previous Focus platform, which is 9 years old and very cheap to produce.

By: CA36GTP

CA36GTP — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 15:28:46 +0000

And 222hp is a bit anemic for a 5-cylinder with a turbocharger.

By: CA36GTP

CA36GTP — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 15:27:29 +0000

Aside from the engine, I swear I’ve seen this wagon before. It was the 2002 Focus wagon.

By: JohnnyBlazE

JohnnyBlazE — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 15:21:18 +0000

LP640 – Exactly… the Photo 1 at least shows different arches with the vent and differen tailpipes, but Photo 4 just looks like the current Focus ST.

For those of you who have never heard this car’s lovely i5’s sound on revving, get youtubing, cos its worth hearing… might not sound as eager as a Type-R’s revvy V-Tec, but it comes across a growler ready to pounce instead, quite akin to V6es…

By: LP640

LP640 — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 15:06:41 +0000

Looks decent from the front although i cant help thinking that they could have put more effort in the rear light design.

By: JohnnyBlazE

JohnnyBlazE — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 12:49:09 +0000

Nice front end revamp… very very nice…

Back is still a little…. dull, but still, not too bad…

Can’t wait for a full new Focus, but for now this one will do and the engine is brilliant both in sound and torque (especially when chipped – my mate’s 300bhp chipped Focus ST is putting out a LOT more torque and he is loving it!)

The quality of these cars is now up there with some of the best.

Neighbour has the brand new Audi A3 S-Line and it’s pretty damn good looking, but this pips the post for me… The front definitely looks like something you’d pull over to let you pass if you saw in your rear view hurtling toward you at 150mph!

By: lucklaster

lucklaster — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 16:36:59 +0000

Ricardohead-
It’s true there is nothing wrong with their quality – check the records and ask a dealer service rep – they are starving – but that’s a different story – its their design in N.A. F150 and Mustang have been killer but the cars have been taken over by the wimps and nerds of the company. No vision, no youth, no BOLD. There must be a huge battle between N.A. and Europe and the N.A. guys will be damned if they are going to give in to the customers in the U.S.

By: GBilbo070

GBilbo070 — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 20:21:42 +0000

Thats a very good looking car.

By: RicardoHead

RicardoHead — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 19:30:15 +0000

I don’t care what’s based on what. I just want Ford N.A. to show some common sense in its product decisions.

Believe me – I was once quite favorable toward Ford. Indeed their quality is fine, but I won’t even bother to look at them any more. Month after month and year after year they are bewildered that sales are always down and that nobody wants the products they sell here, and then they insist on not bringing fresh products in their global stable that do sell well. I have no idea why the obvious solution is so difficult for them to comprehend, but I gave up already and until they get a clue I will neither buy a Ford nor recommend a Ford.

By: deutschetouring1337

deutschetouring1337 — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 17:49:53 +0000

My god when are you troglodytes going to learn the C1 is a Volvo design but meant for global divisions. The Current I-5 is a Volvo engine, the current Duratec designs are based off Mazdas 2.3 litre engine and yes the past WRC Ford engine was a destroked Mazda 2.3 litre engine. Researching this stuff is not hard at all guys/girls show some due diligence.

By: unknown

unknown — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 16:36:59 +0000

To the guy who claimed “the Focus is nothing more than a rebadged Mazda3″: you are a moron. The Mazda3 is based off the Focus C1 architecture and not the other way around and the Focus is a much better car to drive and it’s handling is second to none while the Mazda3 is a good car but nothing special. But sure, everyone is keen on bashing Ford..

By: DeansterTJ

DeansterTJ — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 16:30:04 +0000

Too bad, it looks incredible….the first real alternative to the MAzda3

By: 1c3d0g

1c3d0g — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 13:15:59 +0000

You know, Mulally is the only one who could force the kinetic design as the global style for Ford. If he fails at this, I’m afraid Ford’s days are counted. Nobody, and I do mean nobody, wants to see the stupid 3-bar grille on another vehicle.

By: Cooper

Cooper — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 09:38:40 +0000

Yikes! Check out the current price in dollars: almost $38K for the 3-door ST and almost $42K for the ST-3! No way this would sell in volume in the US at that price. For the US market, the Focus would definitely need to be assembled locally, at least until the dollar regains some strength against the GBP and Euro.

Comment by Spingood Tanoya,

Thanks for saving me the time of looking up the exchange rates. Which I’m glad someone finally put up because everytime Ford shows a new Euro Focus. All the posts say Ford bring it here, bring it here. Yet they don’t bother to think why Ford can’t. Ford cannot just bring this car here. Our Focus starts under $15,000, this Focus starts over $35,000. Get real guys. You could probably get two Mazdaspeed3’s for the price of one loaded ST-3.

By: sharpie

sharpie — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 05:42:00 +0000

Another painful reminder of what we don’t have here.

By: lucklaster

lucklaster — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 01:23:24 +0000

After this morn I went out to a Dealer (U.S.) and looked all over a brand new Focus.

Ford-

Why the hell are you doing this to OUR customers here?
There has to be 8 potential customers for a focus like this to every one you gave us.
Give it a chance and sell cars here like you want to kick butt for a change.

By: mazdaman

mazdaman — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 22:25:22 +0000

I think the kinetic design elements look a little out of place on the carry over body design, but this still looks much better than the oddity that Ford offers here in the U.S. I hope the U.S. version is short lived and we see the next generation European version in the U.S. within the next 3-4 years (although, that still seems like a very long time).

By: autonut

autonut — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 21:11:20 +0000

scrwing is done by Firestone clan and vise versa. That is the reason for mental disability at the top of the company.

By: Htay5500

Htay5500 — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 20:47:04 +0000

scrw Ford.