Ford Focus hatchback
regfootball
Member Posts: 2,166
A little informal survey on whether you like or
dislike the upcoming Ford Focus hatchback. I
didn't like it at first, but now I'm starting to
like it. It's better than your typical Civic
hatchback, I think.
dislike the upcoming Ford Focus hatchback. I
didn't like it at first, but now I'm starting to
like it. It's better than your typical Civic
hatchback, I think.
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Anyway, assuming Ford's marketing guys get their act together (lessee, how many good cars have they killed? Contour, Scorpio, SHO, yadda yadda), the Focus could be a runaway hit. AS you may know, it won European Car of the Year 1998, as voted on by the euro automotive press. The Puma (europe only) has been described as a superb handler in the sub-compact segment, and it is reasonable to assume a lot of that engineering will be in the Focus. I'm sure U.S. dealers will have no idea what to do with it (I got in an argument with my Mercury dealer-he didn't know why on earth I would think the Cougar was related to the Contour...uh, same platform, chassis, and driveline, maybe?), but that may help poor sots like me cut a good deal. Any European Town Hall visitors have any real world words of praise/tales of woe for us Yanks on the Focus?
Any thoughts?
To find all the auto show coverage, go to Editorial, select News, and click on the Auto Show Coverage. If you need help, just let me know. :-)
carlady/host
I am also worried about the death of the Contour. I don't have enough faith in Ford (or any domestic) marketing team to effectively market this car to a broader audience. Sadly for them, this one HAS to fly. I hope they are up for it. I am looking forward to this car, though. I am holding off on purchasing a Golf until the Focus arrives- the wagon looks great- cool New Edge front end and Passat Jr. body. The golf is roomy and fun, but this will be roomier and could be a real blast to drive ( so say auto writers who have driven Euro-spec models). *sigh* Dearborn, gimme that traction control, 'cause the Golf doesn't have it.....
BTW, are you considering a purchase? If so, what? Sorry for being long-winded...
http://www.ford.co.uk/home.html
Click on the focus link for some pictures.
Man, they could give VW a run...
Why do auto-makers think that we (Americans) like having to take off our seatbelts, get out of the car (or be mushed against the dashboard) when we discharge passengers? I just don't get it!
I really don't see what is so sporty-looking about 2-doors vs. 4-doors. And I'm an industrial designer!!!
Seriously though, a friend of mine says that Ford is now taking under consideration the possibility of bringing the 5-door over. I have no idea how reliable that information is....We ought to be getting firmer information soon, since the Dearborn plant is already undergoing preliminary re-tooling and will be cranking the suckers out around July or August. Seems to me that someone ought to be asking the Ford guys some more questions. Of course, since it isn't a luxo-laden 350hp insurance nightmare, no car magazine is going to care enough to pursue it. Hey carlady, pass it on to the Editors--scare up some more information on lineup and options (there is a lot of cool stuff available in Europe that may or may not be offered to us, supposedly brain-dead, US customers)
you are right, of course, and I think that we all know it, but that didn't stop us from wishing....My family actually owns TWO Merkur Scorpios, and they kick butt. They also sell well in Europe, but bricked in the U.S. Way to go, Ford marketing! Parts are now impossible to find, and Mom just ditched hers (120,000 miles) for an Accord. She says she wants her Scorpio back. But I digress..
Of course i'm talking about BMW. Too bad us americans won't understand until it's too late.
In ten years they'll be companies selling over priced neons with v6's and automanuals as sporty.
when will the companies get it.
I think I've decided to keep my old Toyo 4Runner, and fix it up a bit. As much as I pine for a sporty, practical car (aka focus? maybe?) even a relatively affordable one like the Focus, I just can't justify spending the money. I guess I don't earn enough to feel comfortable laying out 3 or 4 hundred a month. The ol' truck has already been overhauled, and has a legendary reputation for going 200 or 300,000 miles when well-maintained. That does not mean that I'm done talking about these cars, however....
dicie- pricing is not firm yet, but expect it to be within a grand or so of the escort. That would put hatch and sedan prices in the $13,000 to 16,000 range, and the wagon somewhere in the 16,000 to 17,500 range. That is really rough though; we'll have to wait for more info from Ford this summer.
jdeemer@hotmail.com
Also very costly to build being that it used japanese parts. needed a big number of sales to keep it alive. that didn't happen and it died.
I don't know if too many of you have seen pictures of the FOCUS, but for the record, i think the four door is the best looking. If you want info on the FOCUS, get it from fords main website.
If you want pictures, visit some of the websites of the more popuar magazines. caranddriver.com and motortrend.com . also try roadandtracks website.
From where are you getting the 140-hp figure for the Focus' Zetec engine? So far, everywhere I've read (including Edmund's) has said that the engine choices would be a 107-hp 4-banger and a 130-hp Zetec.
Considering this car is now going to replace the Contour and not the Escort, these are horrible choices, IMNSHO. Slick European handling is one thing, but it helps to have just a little more oomph under the hood as well. There's a reason the BMW 318 was never that well liked. I'd like to see Ford tune that Zetec up to at least 150 ponies, just to bring it a little closer to the Contour SE in terms of power:weight ratios. (A rumor had circulated that the Focus might come with the Contour's Duratec V6, but it appears that's been squashed.)
As a Mercury Mystique V6 owner, I was really looking forward to what the Focus might have to offer. Given the engine choices, the answer to that would probably be, "Not enough for me."
Here's the URL:
http://www.motortrend.com/april99/focus/focus_f.html
The more I think about it, the more I figure 140 horses is pretty good for a sub-2300-lb. hatchback. Of course, I was looking more at the sedan, which will probably be a couple hundred pounds heavier. Maybe I can learn to live with a hatch...
BTW, you we're right..130 hp is what Car and Driver listed. I figure you'll hate the idea, but how about the Euro-only turbodiesel? gas prices are starting to climb again...
On the other hand, I've got my eye on hybrid EV technology, and I could definitely get into the idea of 50+ mpg if it had some oomph to go with it. The Chrysler Citadel concept, for example: the 300M's 253-hp V6 engine works with a 70-hp electric motor to provide V8 power with 4-banger gas mileage. Granted, I don't need *that* much power, but if someone would use technology like that to give a 4-banger some V6-like power, I'd go shopping.
bye
I have enjoyed all the previous posts-- the information has helped me out. I have contacted Ford North America's customer support and they have given me conflicting information. One person stated that the Focus would be available, for purchase, by late August. Another representative reported not until October. Anybody have better information?
Then again, I don't have any better info than you do, so what do I know? I'd suggest waiting until October, and if it launches before then it'll be a pleasant surprise. =^)
BTW, I was unable to hold out- my truck died. Bought an Outback wagon for cheap as they close out the '99 MY for the all-new (or mostly new) '00. Oh well. I will have to replace my wife's car sometime soon.......
My father bought the new Focus this summer. What a terrific car! I am anxious to see the car in the US as it looks and drives great. The good news for the US consumers is that it will be better equipped than the European models. They only thing I am curious about is the price. If it is right, I want one!!!
Hatchback 2.0 I4 130 HP 130 lbs of torque
Sedan 110 HP 125 torque base engine. Optional same engine as the hatch on higher trim models.
Station Wagon Same as hatch
Hatch comes with a standard CD player.
BTW, the July issue of Britain's Car magazine included a letter from a disgruntled UK owner of a Focus hatchback. He had had trouble with an ill-fitting windshield and some other fittings, but his dealer was not being very cooperative. The writer recommended buying a Citroen Saxo or a VW Golf instead. (Yeah, right!)
The hatchback makes the car look more sporty but without the sporty price sticker.
carlady/host