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Ford Fiesta

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Comments

  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited March 2010
    ...Escort instead of Focus. I didn't catch the mixup when I read your post. I guess they are one in the same in my mind also.

    Having the big-deal multi-link rear suspension distinguishes the two. The Control Blade suspension, along w/ the Focus, was borned in the late '90's. It took at least 1/2 a decade before the sister cars like the Mazda3/S40/V50 get to adopt, & followed by its competitors like the FWD Passat/Jetta/GTI/A3 which duplicated it only after the original Focus engineer designed for them!

    Today, the Astra/Cruze don't got multi-links, neither does the Euro-market Civic hatch. &, w/in Fiesta's exterior dimension of around 170cm width & 170in length, only the hard-riding Mini Cooper does.

    So here is my precious collection of B-class-size "vintage" cars:
    1) 1999 E36 328is coupe
    2) 2000 Civic hatch
    3) 2007 Focus 2.3 ST sedan

    Despite having Double-Wishbone suspension all around, Civic's torque-sensing pwr steering is numb & slow.

    E36's steering is heavy & slow. Fortunately substituting w/ base-Z3's rack quickens it up.

    Only the '07 Focus' quick/sharp-&-steady steering needs no significant improvement.

    The only tuning I applied on the E36 & Focus are:

    1) Torsen/Quaife differential to blast off the power during cornering.
    2) Monroe/Gabriel shocks to calm down the nervous rebound ride motion.
  • plektoplekto Member Posts: 3,738
    The heavy-weight 4-seat RX-8 has weak low end.
    For its size, it weighs less than just about anything else on the market. And, yes, you have to rev it - it's not a V8. But it is very very fast if driven properly. About half a second faster than the Miata, in fact. It's one of the true sleepers out there - nobody seems to thinks it's that fast until they try to actually race one.
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited March 2010
    Only about half a second faster than the Miata when rev-ed? What if you don't get to rev much in the real world? How are you gonna have fun drifting on low-speed corners? Peak hp isn't everything. That's also why the '05 TSX is no fun to play with.

    If the beautifully light-weight rotary is replaced by an electric motor, then that's a different story.

    That's why, after the test drive, I've decided to get an used fat-torque 328is w/ LSD so the power-oversteer drifting is frequently available on tap.

    In a way, the RX-8 is the best car in the world. Even w/ its ('05 spec) super-soft std suspension & high-profile 16" tires, the light nose & the complicate suspension front-&-back help it to ride even plusher than the noisier Focus 2.3 ST sedan, while the cornering limit is still unreach-able during test drive. But why did I ended up getting the Focus ST instead? Same reason why I got the Bimmer -- I get to drift in the real world w/ Focus' lower cornering limit.
  • plektoplekto Member Posts: 3,738
    If you were contemplating an automatic, then, yes, get the Ford. The RX8 needs to be like the S2000 was and only offered ever with manual. Because whatever Mazda is doing just destroys the thing when they put that automatic into it.

    5.9 seconds 0-60 isn't slow. That's 0.1 second slower than the Cayman. And it handels almost exactly was well. They made a slew of minor improvements for the 2009 model and it's quite a bit better driving vehicle as a result. I'd liken it to the orginal Mini vs the new one - not much going on at first glance, but the tiny tweaks and changes all add up to a better overall ride.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    edited March 2010
    I got to see both the Fiesta and Mazda2 today at the local auto show. Both were roped off, hands-off. The Mazda2 looked stubby, kinda cute in a windup-car sort of way. It looked like it was a base model. The Fiesta was the sedan and looked all decked out (but was on a turntable also). It looked more like a real car, sort of like an Elantra that had been in the dryer a bit too long. The interior looked more upscale than that of the Mazda2.

    I also looked at some of the current subcompacts at the show. The least expensive that I would even give a though to owning were a Versa 1.8S that with automatic and the power package for just over $16k, and a Yaris 5-door automatic with power package for about $16.7k. Even a fairly basic Rio with power package topped $16k. Based on pricing for the Fiesta that I've seen, Nissan, Toyota, and even Hyundai/Kia will be in big trouble in this segment of the market once the Fiesta is available--and probably the Mazda2 also.
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited March 2010
    If you were contemplating an automatic, then, yes, get the Ford.

    The Focus 2.3 ST 4-dr, like the SVT hatch, was never available w/ auto.

    I am only interested in stick. The soft suspension w/ 16"s, which I envy, only came w/ the early RX-8 auto base model. But I checked w/ the parts dept & found out that you can adopt this plush-riding set up on the stick model simply by changing the springs & sway bars (shock absorbers have the same part #s). I just wasn't sure if the 16"s will fit over stick's possibly larger brakes.

    So are you saying that, as long as you rev, the RX-8 w/ LSD can power oversteer at very slow corners in 1st gear not unlike the Miata w/ LSD?
  • plektoplekto Member Posts: 3,738
    Yeah. It's odd in that you have to drive it like a sportbike more than anything else. It revs super fast but it's a small sweet spot. Not going to sugar-coat it. It's small.

    Which is why the automatic fails, I think. It just doesn't want to stay at 2/3 redline for more than a fraction of a second unless you're mashing the pedal down(and then you're often going way too fast for normal city traffic)

    Yes, the smart person will modify it to the 16s, because even that is overkill for the weight and power of the car. I had an old Volvo years and years ago with almost the same HP and weight and it came with 14 inch tires. And that was more than adequate. 16s are already overkill, and 18s ride like a go-kart. In a bad way. My old 1987 4x4 Toyota is less harsh to drive than those low profile tires, and it's about as subtle and soft to drive as a brick.

    Of course, the Focus also is miserable with the automatic. And the Mini and...(I think I see a pattern with small displacement engines and automatics... :P )

    What kept me from getting a RX8 myself was that the rotary engines aren't as reliable as I'd like. It's just a fact of life that they are a lot like a Cayman or Boxster in that the engines are good for about 80-100K and then you just need a new one. It just wears out due to the way it's designed and the high compression/high revs. Thankfully it's less money to replace than the Porsche, but it's still a cost I can't afford.

    My only gripe with the Fiesta is that they should offer a small supercharger on it instead of a turbo. I just don't like turbos on small displacement engines. IME, turbos actually work best on large engines with plenty of low-end power to compensate but not a lot at the top end and superchargers work best on small engines that need a boost overall. (yes, you can do well with both, but dual-turbos and fancy software is a lot of cost vs a simple supercharger)

    note - as an example, check out the Mercedes Kompressor models sometime if you're in Europe for an example of how enjoyable a small supercharger is to drive in city traffic.

    It's pretty good otherwise. I'd certainly own one over a Mini, just because the repair bills won't be sending my mechanic on free trips to Jamaica any time soon. :P
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited March 2010
    Yeah. It's odd in that you have to drive it like a sportbike more than anything else. It revs super fast but it's a small sweet spot. Not going to sugar-coat it. It's small.

    So it's not a broadband? That means power oversteer is not always available on tap.

    You need delicate throttle calibration in order to fine tune your "fun" during cornering. I test drove the old '99 C230 Kompressor sedan & wasn't impressed by the non-linear throttle. The next generation US-spec C230 sedan (not hatch) was actually a 1.8 Kompressor, & I didn't even bother to test drive it. So I only believe in displacement, but 6-cyl is also too heavy for fun, especially for the nose-heavy FWD set up. It's too bad that the Focus did not follow its sister-car Mazda3's (or Porsche 944's) foot step w/ the 4-cyl 2.5. That make my 4-cyl 2.3 Focus ST a collector's item, especially w/ its more torque-bias calibration than Mazda's 2.3. As you can see, even a 5-cyl (from the Volvo C30/S40/V50) is enough to make the Focus II a loser!

    Renault: 5/5
    Agile, beautifully balanced 250 gives a hot hatch masterclass. Cup chassis has stiffer springs, dampers and anti-roll bars than the standard 250, as well as a limited-slip differential. Just be prepared for the firm ride.

    Volkswagen: 4/5
    The Scirocco R is a very capable machine that mixes excellent body control with strong grip and powerful brakes. But it isn’t much more involving to drive than the accomplished standard TSI version.

    Ford: 3/5
    While the chassis offers lots of grip and plenty of feedback, the weight of the Focus’s engine affects the handling. Traction breaks easily and torque steer can corrupt the steering. It’s not as agile as the Renault, either.

    Audi: 3/5
    The S3 is the softest car in this test, but still has lots to offer. It’s reassuring in poor weather due to the 4WD, and the light controls give decent feedback. Yet the ride is firm without the optional adaptive dampers.

    So my cousin who got rid of his '04 RX-8 (w/ 18"s), due to repeated engine starting problem, eventually bought the '08 Cayman S, but everyone hates that Porsche's ride comfort (even worse than their already-uncomfortable '04 TSX). LOL

    Bottom line, the RX-8's has the best ride/handling compromise in the world. But rotary's fuel consumption & 2-stroke-like oil consumption are stupid. So how about a "Focus powered" RX-8? The solution is the Miata, which uses a shortened version of the same platform & pretty much share its 4-cyl Duratec powerplant w/ the Ford Focus 2.0. Even before the Miata switched from 1.6 to 1.8 back then, that exact 1.8 twin-cam (Mazda engine) was already being used by the US-spec Escort GT hatch & Tracer LTS sedan.
  • iamziamz Member Posts: 542
    edited March 2010
    " The Mazda2 looked stubby, kinda cute in a windup-car sort of way."

    Agreed. I think they were aiming at women as their target buyer. I can't see a lot of men going for it.
  • plektoplekto Member Posts: 3,738
    edited March 2010
    Well, you can powersteer - just like a sport bike, you have to keep the revs up above 3K rpm at all times. If it drops below that, well, you slow down like a rock. The thing has tons of power from 3K-9K and if you leave it in gear you can rev and power through a turn. But you have to almost always be a gear or *two* lower than the automatic wants to be in. I found for instance, that leaving it in 2nd gear on the test drive was all I needed to do. The second I put it into 3rd at anything under 40mph, it bogged down. The Cayman/Boxster is similar in that it's made to go 150mph and as a result you never actually use those top gears. Kind of annoying, really to always be shifting 1-2-3-6 and avoiding 4th and 5th because they have no use here in the U.S.

    As for the oil consumption, it's a required function of the design as the oil lubricates the seals exactly like a 2-stroke engine. That said, they really need to make it have a huge oil resovoir as a result. That's where the engines eat themselves as they age - you let it get a quart low and you're in trouble(this means checking the oil every week which nobody does so...)

    Oh - the Cayman is great if you get 16 inch all-seasons on it(from a boxster). I just don't get it, really, other than maybe the designers being idiots. Higher profile tires are superior for handling, comfort, and fuel efficiency. Now, it doesn't have to be 1920s era skinny, but putting 18 inch semi-slicks on a normal car is... they have their brains backwards on this one.
  • phill1phill1 Member Posts: 319
    Besides having KPH instead of MPH and Daytime Running Lights, the Canadian Fiesta has several different standard features. ALL SE model Fiesta`s get as standard, am/fm single CD radio with (4) speakers, BUT also standard SIRUS Satellite radio with free 6 months subscription at no additional cost. Also included is the removeable folding package tray for trunk stowage. NO premium upgrade charge of $180 for the Red Candy metallic paint either. Power Moon Roof is $1295 instead of only $695 on US version, ouch! The car is priced model for model and option for option several thousand dollars more in Canadian dollars and with the exchange rate not being all that much different, its still quite a bit more. Can`t figure why they would switch low end radios on assembly line with identical features except for the Sirius. The cost differences in the two radios must me minimal and leave the buyer to decide if they want to subscribe with or without the introductory 6 months of free service. As far as the DRL, now thats another matter. Only Ford and Chrysler refuse to join with the rest of the world and refuse to equip US version vehicle with this devise unlike nearly all other foreign and domestic manufacturers. Until DRL`s are mandated by the NHTSA for all US cars, they refuse to add the module to the wiring harness while the same car goes down the same line and is installed with DRL`s heading for Canada, go figure?
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited March 2010
    ...I replaced my old 1998 Escort wagon with a new 2001 Focus wagon.

    They're both sweet cars, & not too slow w/ manual. The Protege-based Escort has uncontrollable oversteer available, while the Focus, w/ the technologically advanced Control Blades, oversteers controllably.

    They both got an excellent steering that's quick w/ real road feel & a comfortable resilient ride, all wrapped in a roomy but highly-maneuverable compact-exterior package. What more can you ask?

    But everytime when I recommended one these 2 "best small wagons in the world" (especially the Focus wagon) to those who are in real need of a roomy small wagon, they always came up w/ excuses like they need more pwr, larger back seat, or AWD. Yeah, right. You know what? I don't believe'em! They've been living w/ 2WD cars w/ 4-cyl & were OK w/ them.

    So my brother ended up getting the E46 325xi wagon, which gave the passengers a hard time sitting next to the center-mounted child-safety seat. Not to mention their 130lb Swiss-mt rescue-dog pet could barely squeeze into the cargo area & kept dripping saliva onto the cow-hide-wrapped 2nd-roll seat...

    & I can only laugh when watching my slow-driving friend & relative, who just became Porsche owners for the first time lately, living miserably driving these brand-new cars. & I'm not talking about the $.

    FYI, Ford's Duratec engine block is designed by Porsche, so my Focus 2.3 ST is like a Porsche w/ a smoother ride :P
  • iamziamz Member Posts: 542
    edited March 2010
    I wonder why Edmunds won't let me choose an automatic transmission in their "Compare to Popular Models" feature.

    http://www.edmunds.com/new/2011/ford/fiesta/101266475/VehicleComparison?basestyl- - eid=101266475&styleid=101200428&styleid=101216526&styleid=101200500&styleid=1012- - 13354&maxvehicles=5&refid=&op=15&tab=start
  • puffin1puffin1 Member Posts: 276
    What about the Animals? "We Got to get Out of This Place no Matter what we do"
    I Corps Con Tien Grid 6341 Second Marines on the DMZ Puffin 0302 and I avoid my Bluetooth and would be paranoid using On Star. Yes, I still watch my back.
  • plektoplekto Member Posts: 3,738
    Perhaps it's because the thing drives like a Kia with an automatic? :P

    Just drive stick if you want a small fast hatchback.
  • iamziamz Member Posts: 542
    Normally that is true. The Fiesta might be one of the exceptions. Each clutch in a dual clutch takes turns shifting through the gears, meaning there is no lag between shifts. In all likelyhood, it will shift faster than 99.9% of all drivers with a manual. If they are tuned for efficiency, keeping the gears matched to the engines powerband, the 6-speed dual clutch may be faster.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Dual clutch gearboxes can shift in milliseconds, orders of magnitude faster than even the fastest stick shift.

    There is no reason to get a traditional manual trans now other than simple driving enjoyment (which is a great reason). Manuals are no longer cheaper, faster or get better mileage.
  • plektoplekto Member Posts: 3,738
    We'll see. I suspect that what we actually get here in the U.S. will be a miserable kludged thing like Ford is famous for. Toyota tried this a few years ago in the MR2 and the Smart Car is downright crippled by a half-baked version of it. At best this will work like promised but break down by 50K miles unles you drive my my grandmother.

    This isn't BMW. It's Ford. And the smart money is to avoid any automatic transmission they make if there's a manual available.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    But that's just it - this is NOT - I repeat NOT - an automatic with manual shift capability. Totally different technology. This is really 2 manual transmissions with an electronic clutch that share an input and output shaft. While one is engaged, the other one has preselected the next gear and you simply move the input shaft from one to the other to shift. No torque converter.
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    But that's just it - this is NOT - I repeat NOT - an automatic with manual shift capability. Totally different technology. This is really 2 manual transmissions with an electronic clutch that share an input and output shaft. While one is engaged, the other one has preselected the next gear and you simply move the input shaft from one to the other to shift. No torque converter.

    Its tuned for economy, the shifter just says PRNDL and there is no manual mode. Its a dry clutch sequential automated gearbox. Its efficient, not fun.
  • plektoplekto Member Posts: 3,738
    edited March 2010
    Exactly. Computer controlled, and simply put, not a PDK or similar high-tech dual gearbox(and even Porsche can't seem to make a reliable one - Ford has no hope at all, IMO). They simply put won't put a $5000 gearbox in a $13000 car. It'll be half-baked and break all the time and NOT be quick to drive as a result of having to stress economy and clutch life over performance.

    A great example was the SMT in the MR2. It had a non-defeatable half second delay between shifts in order to maximize clutch life. It sucked as a result.

    Given that it's Ford, I'll believe it when I drive it.
  • iamziamz Member Posts: 542
    I guess we'll know when they start to arrive. But, it's not a Ford transmission. It's a mostly German designed transmission. A partnership between Getrag and Ford.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    I didn't say it was fun or had manual control. I was responding to the comment that it would be slow to shift like other Ford trannies which is apples and oranges.
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    I didn't say it was fun or had manual control. I was responding to the comment that it would be slow to shift like other Ford trannies which is apples and oranges.

    I didn't meant to make it sound like a direct response to your statement. Its just doesn't seem like the VW DSG everyone is expecting.
  • plektoplekto Member Posts: 3,738
    I had a Getrag gearbox in an old Volvo 240 years ago and trust me - they suffer from the same problem that all German automotive parts do. Because of legal and financial rules and incentives, they source everything through German companies where possible and you end up with a beautiful car that frankly, even the Koreans can beat in terms of price and durability.

    Frankly "German Automatic" makes me cringe even more than if it was "Ford Automatic". Together, it'll take a small miracle to not be as bad as Chrysler's.
  • iamziamz Member Posts: 542
    Plekto,

    Have you ordered a Fiesta yet?
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Automatics have torque converters and planetary gearsets. Ford's powershift has neither. It has more in common with a manual than an automatic.
  • iamziamz Member Posts: 542
    Here's a link with some good images. You can see it's nothing like a conventional automatic.

    http://green.autoblog.com/gallery/ford-powershift-gearbox#4
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited March 2010
    If you are thinking about German's expensive SMG (sequential manual gearbox) from earlier BMW (and similar unit on Ferrari/Lamborghini), then, yes, it's a manual transmission with the clutch pushes in a rough manner on every shift by a high-pressure hydraulic robot, & will likely to break earlier than an conventional manual transmssion.

    Fiesta's VW/Audi-style DSG's clutch is always engaged except during the first few mph from 0 mph, then each gear change is done DIRECTLY by sliding into the next pre-aligned gear in a perfectly seamless manner. Even during downshifts, the engine throttle is adjusted accordingly to rev match. With smooth operation like that, the gears (& clutch?) will wear out even slower than in an conventional manual transmission.

    Unlike VW/Audi/Porsche, Ford skips the manual-mode on this transmission b/c Ford customers are too cheap to afford it.

    But I still prefer the conventional manual transmission partly b/c I can shift to neutral whenever I want.
  • iamziamz Member Posts: 542
    Thanks creakid1,

    I was going to put in a link that descibed how this transmission works for anyone confused about how it differs from a traditional auto-tran but your little summary pretty much gets to the point. The simplicity of the Powersift should prove it to be very reliable.

    Here's a link anyway;

    http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-10147042-48.html
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    edited March 2010
    A picture is worth a hundred posts.......

    image

    Doesn't look like any automatic trans I've ever seen.......
  • plektoplekto Member Posts: 3,738
    So it's a fancy manual. But what about the computers controlling it? See, the same thing happened to the Smart Car. It could have been great but the software and computers mangled it to the point of uselessness. I really can't trust Ford on this one when the manual transmission is apparently well built and drives great. And saves you $1000+ on the price of the car as well.
  • iamziamz Member Posts: 542
    It really is a work of art. If it functions half as well as it looks, I'll be happy.
  • iamziamz Member Posts: 542
    I'm sure you'll enjoy your 5-speed manual as well as the others that opt for the manual. I wouldn't try to convince you otherwise.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    It's not a manual replacement - it's a more fuel efficient, lighter automatic. They've had plenty of time to get the software right.
  • iamziamz Member Posts: 542
    5-door Hatch SE
    6 Speed Auto
    Lime Squeeze Paint
    Light Stone Interior
    Sport Appearance Package

    For those of us in the northern regions of the US, it sounds like our Fiestas will come standard with a frost plug heater.
  • phill1phill1 Member Posts: 319
    I think I previously posted that I already ordered my 5-door Hatch SE 6 Speed Auto Trans, Sport Appearance Package (including alloy wheels) Candy Red Metallic Paint ($180 extra..ouch) also with Light Stone Interior, (I`m so tired of dark charcoal/black). The only thing extra I ordered was the rear carpet floor mats and the Power Moon Roof. I deleted the radio/Sync upgrade and took the $595 cash credit and put it towards the Power Moon roof which then, only added and extra $100 for that option. I wish the vehicles being shipped to the southern regions of the US came standard with a "frost" plug COOLER! The Fiesta is such a perfect car for here in Key West, FL with its narrow streets and tight parking limitations.
  • iamziamz Member Posts: 542
    Your car, with the Candy Red and Light Stone, is going to look really sharp. I've had three red cars in my past though and after seeing a Lime Squeeze euro spec Fiesta last summer, I was sold.
  • manthony2manthony2 Member Posts: 3
    I had a white '79 Fiesta S with black and orange interior and I loved it. I'd love to have a new Fiesta, they look great. I'm going to wait and see how the reliability fares. I was excited about the Focus 10 years ago, then I read about the problems. I hope this time it's different.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    First - this fiesta is nothing like the old one. The old one was an econobox. This one is a premium small car. And Ford hasn't had a bad product launch or any significant quality issues since that Focus launch. They learned their lesson well.
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited March 2010
    Your Fiesta was imported from Germany to the States as the "un-Pinto" (like the 7-Up is the "un-cola"). I've driven both -- the German-engineered Fiesta is light years more advanced than the stodgy American-engineered Pinto. But, sadly, people in this country still associate the German-engineered Focus, which is even more advanced than today's Fiesta, as the modern-day Pinto.

    Lemme tell ya about Ford of Europe -- IT IS NOT AMERICAN CAR. They've been developing "Japanese-car fighters" since 40 yrs ago:
    http://www.mk3cortina.com/history.htm
    "Launched at the 1970 Earl's Court Motor Show, the Mk lll variant of Ford's family motor started the decade off in fine style, with it's distinctive 'Coke bottle' curves. The growing popularity of Japanese imports sparked a wake-up call to British car manufacturers and Ford responded by offering greater comfort and glamour in its mainstream car range. Paradoxically, the new styling and 'under the skin' technical innovation marked the growing influence of Ford of Europe in independently developing models from its Stateside parent. It was also in mass production in what was then West Germany, under the 'Taunus' moniker, marking a radical departure from the gradual, centralised evolution of previous Fords."

    I think it's a great looking compact sedan:

    http://www.mk3cortina.com/cgi-bin/imageFolio.cgi?action=view&link=Standard_Corti- - - - - nas&image=greencortina.jpg&img=56&search=CORTINA&cat=all&tt=&bool=and

    http://www.mk3cortina.com/cgi-bin/imageFolio.cgi?action=view&link=Standard_Corti- - - - - nas&image=reargreentina.jpg&img=64&search=CORTINA&cat=all&tt=&bool=and

    Does any one of you remember it being imported to Canada? B/c I've never seen one in N. America.

    Back then, this Euro "Japanese-car fighter" was only powered by a Pinto engine. But these days...

    So how reliable was your made-in-Germany Fiesta? Was it problematic like the other Geman imports such as the Ford Sierra w/ Pinto engine (Merkur XR4Ti) & Scorpio? The Focus, especially the one built in N. America, was a lemon. But after Mazda took over the 4-cyl Duratec-engine developement & replaced the Zetec engines more than a few years ago, the European-built Focus has become more reliable than any Japanese car in Germany. While the one built in N. America also excelled the reliability average of any German car company in the U.S.!

    Today, Ford of Europe doesn't just churn out great-looking & fun-to-drive cars, but reliable as well! B/c they're really German cars w/ Japanese powerplant :P
  • iamziamz Member Posts: 542
    Creakid1,

    I'm curious to know if Mazda was involved in designing the 1.6 liter that will go into our NA cars. And if not, what exactly is the history of it's development?
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited March 2010
    http://www.fiestaownersgroup.com/fog-vb/showthread.php?p=128
    Quote:
    "Sigma
    Main article: Ford Sigma engine
    The advanced Zetec-SE was developed in collaboration of Yamaha and Mazda, under the Sigma codename. It ranges in size from 1.25 L (1249 cc) to 1.7 L (1679 cc). It is very different from the Zeta engine - the intake and exhaust are even on opposite sides.

    This engine is sold under the Sigma name in some regions, while Mazda uses the MZI name. It is also sold as a crate engine by Ford Power Products as the ZSG. Rather confusingly, this engine has been renamed "Duratec" for use in the Mk II Ford Focus for Europe, being available in 1.4 L and 1.6 L versions. This incarnation also spawned a 1.6 L derivative with variable valve timing, known by Ford as Ti-VCT (Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing).

    This engine is now under the name 'Duratec' in the new Focus, Fiesta etc."

    So if the info in Wikipedia is accurate, then it can also be said that the Sigma engines are based off of Mazda architecture.

    While I can understand the appeal of being able to swap in larger engines, I can state from personal experience that the 1.5L Sigma in my Fiesta is a very smooth and revvy engine. It feels very "Japanese", which I suppose given its heritage isn't all that surprising.

    I meant, really, where else can you find a German-engineered car w/ Japanese-engineered engine?
  • iamziamz Member Posts: 542
    Found this also;

    The engine lineup for the Mk II is a mixture of old and new, with the Zetec petrol (gasoline) engines of the original having been superseded by the newer Duratec range. The 1.4 L and 1.6 L (100 bhp and Ti-VCT 115 bhp) units, although named "Duratec", are in fact revised versions of the old Zetec-SE units, while the 2.0 L versions are the Mazda-derived Duratec-HE units.

    This would make me think there was no involvement with Mazda or Yamaha with the current Fiesta 1.6 liter.
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    The Focus, especially the one built in N. America, was a lemon.

    I don't know about that. My impression has been there were a lot of problems with the first year model in 2000, but that it was a pretty reliable car in subsequent model years in the USA.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Yes, the first model had teething problems which were mostly one time flaws that once fixed didn't reoccur. It was the impetus for Ford to change the way they launch new vehicles and they haven't had those types of problems with new vehicles since then.
  • iamziamz Member Posts: 542
    My friend has a first year Focus and yes it had a few recalls but it's been fine ever since. The important thing to note from that is, Ford recalled them and fixed what needed to be fixed.
  • iamziamz Member Posts: 542
    Looks like we can expect to get at least 40 miles per gallon. Nice.

    http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=32291
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited March 2010
    Compare to conventional manual transmission, automatic transmission w/ torque converter wastes more fuel & power/acceleration while wears out faster. It's really for losers.

    But the new dual-clutch automated manual-like transmission is totally opposite! Acceleration wise, the shifting time involved w/ conventional manual transmission is totally eliminated, not to mention the added sophistication of shifting smoothness.
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    0-62mph sprint in less than seven seconds and a top speed of more than 140mph...six-speed Powershift dual-clutch transmission, controlled via wheel-mounted paddles.
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