The car was probbly engineered for the 3 bar grille…ewww.

However, if the car doesnt look like a fusion and looks good, has a nice interior, drives well, and is fast…it could be a good car.

Too covered up but I can just make out the side whch is kinda nice though I’m not too sure about chromed door handles.

Oh, i forgot to mention that the coupe looks just like the sedan with a missing door, not good, dont like the shape.

Maybe it’s just me, or the camouflage, but does it seem to have a bit of last-gen Civic look to it?

wtf is this? another rehash of the c170?! and ford thinks making a new coupe varient is cheaper than crash-testing the euro focus?!

buenos, it’s not just you. I was thinking the same thing, but I’ll reserve final judgment until I see the real deal.

They’re pretty heavily camo’ed, so it looks like the sheetmetal changes might be more significant than originally thought. I don’t think the coupe is too bad (although not great), the rear end looks differently shaped, so I’ll have to wait to see the production version. Are they keeping the 5- and 3-door and wagon models?

The C170 platform is not as bad as you think. It’s still a great driving vehicle. The standard Focus is as good or better driving vehicle (complete twisty road fun) than the base Civic or Corolla (the Si is a different level completely). It needs a litte NVH work, and probably a slightly tighter ride and stiffer body, but those changes can be made to an existing platform. I’m not convinced this is as bad as everyone thinks. The C1 design started with the C170 platform and improved it. Many things were changed, but that’s where they began. This won’t be a C1, but I bet it will be a better driver than most of the cars in its class, especially the Cobalt and Corolla.

The real test, as always, will be how it looks in production version. I’m still skeptical, but I hold out hope.

Can anyoe see the new Chrysler Sebring in there somewhere.

Another vote for the 2001 Civic look. Not a “bold move.”

Im with you stuart…Chrysler sebring meets old civic. And i also agree with mblommel as the European focus ST is a really good and i would rather have that here. Ford is dumb.

Robert: yeah, i have a c170 focus and i’m still having tons of fun with it. The problem with rehashing it yet another time is that it looks like the 10 year old design that it is. Nobody’s fooled by the ‘05 facelift, and i suspect nobody would think the ‘08 to be all new, either. If they’re adding a whole new body style, can’t they just actually redesign the car?
What I don’t get about American platform sharing is how they forget to restyle the part between the front end and the rear end. Say, compare the Fusion/Zephyr and the Camry/ES350.

I had heard that the Focus was only getting two chrome bars, and that’s all I see here…

i second mblommel’s comment. At least an SVT and the AWD RS please. this is bull****

How can you guys really see anything in these camo shots? Aside from the obvious inclusion of the bar (two or three?) grill, there really is not much to see. Until the camo comes off it is fun to speculate, but some of you guys are ready to jump off a freakin’ bridge over what you can’t even see!

They put a Sebring crease in the side and a 3 bar grille on an old U Focus, excuse me while I wet myself. Mark Fields you are a tit and a half if you think this will save Ford

Where’s the badass euro hatchback in orange? Just import the damn thing as a limited edition and sell it here to breath some life into the Focus.

****, all I see above is a cheapie econobox looking abortion (I think).

Kaptain: we do give a rat’s ass about that. How does toyota manage to make their reskins look so different? I’m talking about the greenhouse, here. Compare the Taurus reskins since ‘96, and the Camry reskins since ‘97. How does Ford manage to make their reskins seem so old?
There’s nothing that would make me personally happier than to see American car companies revitalized. But there’s something odd about the American market being ignored, though… Remember the 626 that we got in ‘98 that wasn’t the same as the next-gen 626 the rest of the world got?

The 2008 reskin doesn’t look anything like the 2005 reskin. They’re doing far more than just putting a slightly tweaked nose and rear-end on. Even the sides look molded differently. We haven’t seen the production version and yet everyone thinks this is just another 2005 rehash.

We’ve already heard that the styling is different and looks better according to auto analysts who have seen prototypes of the model. We know that Ford is working to tweak the powertrain. Yes, it’s the same platform, but it looks like a lot is changing. Toyota makes platforms last for 15 years by updating them. GM updates the old platform for its trucks and restyles them with almost no changes to its powertrain and few to its underpinnings and they’re going to “make Ford and Dodge cry?” Why can’t Ford do the same to the Focus?

I feel we are bashing this car just for the sake of bashing. The European Focus is good, but it’s not the end all and isn’t available. Get over it. If it came here with its $20k price tag, you wouldn’t buy it anyway, just complain about how expensive it is. Our Focus – aside from its rather bland looks – is still a good car. With some good interior and exterior updates, NVH, stiffer body and upgraded suspension and powertrain, it will be more than competitive.

It sucks that they didn’t build the C1 for the U.S. and bring it over in ‘05, but given that we cannot get it here now, what can Ford produce in the interim? Just keep doing the 2005 version? Or actually improve their products? Ford needs something for the 30 months before the C2 arrives, and this probably won’t be too bad.

What a piece of junk.
So does Ford give away free postcards of the Mondeo to people who buy the Focus? Something to make up for having to look at this junk.

04focus: Good point, I’ll give you that. At least Toyota can effectively convince people it’s a completely different Camry, but when you look at the Taurus and the 05 Focus refreshes, people know it’s the same old thing. You’re right on that, and I agree completely. To be sure, Ford has screwed up over and over again; it’s gut-wrenching. However, seeing as how the final look of the 2008 is anyone’s guess at this point, I think we can cut Ford some slack. Though I can’t really tell what specific changes are being made, it’s clear Ford is taking a new direction with this refresh, as though maybe they’re taking a page out of Toyota’s book and doing more than a minor and inconsequential cosmetic facelift. We’ll have to wait and see, but I think Ford knows another small tweak like the 05 refresh is going further damage their reputation, so minimizing said damage with some distinctive mods is really all they can do until the next gen comes along. They missed the boat not building the C1 Focus here. Now they’re paying the price, but good on them for trying to reduce that price as much as possible until the C2 (or whatever the nextgen platform will be designated) is ready for launch. Frankly, I’d rather they do this than pull another 05 refresh. The statement about the 626 does go back to my original point however, which is to say that Ford needs to extend their existing lines longer than originally planned. This happened with Volvo, and — as you and I have already pointed out on this thread — with Mazda too.
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I was discussing the possible sale of Volvo by Ford the other day when I posted my outright frustration with Ford. Being a Ford man, I want them to return to glory, and that’s why their errors frustrate me so as copied below:

F-150: warm.
Fusion: warmer.
Mustang: hot.
Edge: red hot.

Selling every Mercury in North America as a Ford rebadge: cold.
Crown Vic’ing the old Focus : colder.
Outright refusing to take it to the next level with North American versions of Mondeo, Falcon, ect.: ice-cold and insulting to boot.
Selling out Volvo : dude wtf. frozen extinct bugs from the cretaceous period do more thinking than this *right now*.
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Is this the same company? Why is Ford so completely hit or miss lately? There’s no gray area with these people. They either get it refreshingly right, or frighteningly wrong…
I’ve said it before: there is no problem an automotive company has that cannot be ultimately solved with the right product for sale.

Reminds me more of the new BMW 3 series coupe. A lot of the look of this is going to depend on what they do with the butt of the car. If they fix the stupid “blunted” trunk of the focus, this could be a really great looking car. The character line is not as steep as the chrysler and will likely enhance the front of the car by drawing your eye to the grill.

I’ll wait till its introduced to voice my opinion. But with camouflage it doesn’t look exciting. Too bad, Ford might have another lukewarm reception to it’s BOLD MOVE styling.

God, just bring over the Euro-Focus already. Now that would be a Bold Move. Well, it would be bold if it wasn’t just soblatantly obvious.

They sell the Mazda 3 everywhere around the world and it’s built on the new-Focus/VolvoS40 platform. So what’s the deal?

I guess the deal is; people with a brain will get the Mazda3 or Mazdaspeed3 and live happily ever after. Suckas and rental agencies will get this Focus.

Let’s slap tree bars on Mark Fields forehead and see what happens.

RETRO ESCORT!!!!!!

BOO HISSS

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“Being a Ford man, I want them to return to glory, and that’s why their errors frustrate me so as copied below:

F-150: warm.
Fusion: warmer.
Mustang: hot.
Edge: hot.

Selling every Mercury in North America as a Ford rebadge: cold.
Crown Vic’ing the old Focus : colder.
Outright refusing to take it to the next level with North American versions of Mondeo, Falcon, ect.: ice-cold and insulting to boot.
Selling out Volvo : dude wtf. frozen extinct bugs from the cretaceous period do more thinking than this *right now*.
.
Is this the same company? Why is Ford so completely hit or miss lately? There’s no gray area with these people. They either get it refreshingly right, or frighteningly wrong…
I’ve said it before: there is no problem an automotive company has that cannot be ultimately solved with the right product for sale.”

I had to quote this because this is SPOT ON (with the slight Edge edit). I drive a SuperCoupe, my second one in fact, and it pains me to see Ford release a slam dunk model and then let it fade into oblivion. Their constant misrepresentation of Lincoln and Mercury is just downright pathetic at times and the never ending “way forward” rehashes is just getting old. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Ford do something right. My next car is going to be a GM unless Ford really doles out some badass cars.

hmmm…Ford’s cheap version of the BMW coupe? It’ll sell like hotcake

i think thye need to get rid of the cheesy four lug wheelsand the three bar grill looks stupid on any car

hm… it does not look like the european focus… why?

The edge sucks, I don’t know why you guys think it’s hot
The mustang is a nice looking tractor
F150 is OK and thats about it for Fords Range

GM is in a much better postion for a recovery

For God’s sake Ford US… LISTEN TO YOUR PEOPLE… They want the Euro Focus!

I agree with Johnny…

This new 3 bar grille fad is making all their current models look ten times worse…
I like the focus thats out right now. I hate how ford is making nicely designed cars one year and screwing it up the next.

I’m all for the ford brand thats based outside of the us…
I live in America, and it seems ford is to high up on the [b]“bold”[/b] idea
I’ve said this a number of times, get rid of the 3 bar grille and go back to the honeycombe

This is even worse than tha last one. Everyone has said it: FPRD MOTOR COMPANY, bring over the Euro Focus and get cracking on the AWD Cosworth version for a small few of us while you’re at it!

While *I’m* at it, I’ll remind myself to double check my post before confirming it. Wow…

What platform is this using?

Never.