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Tuner Focus: Enthusiasts tour plant, express (some) enthusiasm
Despite being derided by all and sundry for the restyled Focus, Ford invited some the model's biggest fans to tour the plant and sample the new coupe's wares. Members of both Focaljet.com and Focus Fanatics made up the dozen or so enthusiasts that were able to watch the Focus' production from start to finish, as well as driving the new coupe around a Ford test track.
Reading over the article in the Detroit News, you might get the sense that these die-hard Focus fiends aren't particularly thrilled with Ford's newest compact offering, citing everything from a lack of tunable powerplants to nixing the hatchback model from the lineup. Brian DePietro may have summed it up best in three short words: "It's not bad." Not a stellar endorsement from a guy that lives for the marque.
Naturally, the assembled Focus group had questions about the lack of SVT offerings in the compact range. No dice yet, according to John Zaremba, the Focus' marketing manager, who said that. "We're always looking at [the] performance division to enhance our vehicles, but currently there are no plans for SVTs."
[Source: Detroit News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
TriShield 11:14AM (9/09/2007)
SVT was one of the few bright spots at Ford, now it's all but dead.
It's a shame too. SVT could go a long way in helping lame-duck models like the rewarmed Focus and maybe even resurrect the SHO to go with the Taurus name.
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Jared 11:15AM (9/09/2007)
I do like the new interior a little bit. That's about it.
The new Euro Focus looks incredible. If they can't give us a new Focus, when they updated the exterior, they could have at least took design cues from the European version.
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Tim 11:19AM (9/09/2007)
I Agree. They should have taken some design cues from the Euro Focus rather than he Buck rogers styling we get here.
Nate 12:28PM (9/09/2007)
Indeed! Those fake side scoops have to go! When side vents are on a Focus, you KNOW they have "jumped the shark!"
darth 1:46PM (9/09/2007)
The euro fords are much better than the american ones
especcially the new mondeo
ford needs to send over some of those cars instead of the boring cars they sell here
Tim 11:18AM (9/09/2007)
This thing is DOA. If Ford is going to make it in the US they will have to make more competitive small cars. Of course some people will buy this car just because it is the fuel economy leader at Ford. Ford has to stop defections to other brands. This car wont do it
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Chris Riley 11:22AM (9/09/2007)
Why does Ford hate success? It's not hard to listen to the customers. It's not hard to put out models that people love. But they refuse to.
Instead of the amazingly delicious Mondeo, we get the amazingly mediocre Fusion.
And they'd never even think about bringing the Falcon here, since half the models are faster than a Mustang, and omg, you can't have a car faster than the Mustang in America!
It's sad. They have the models and the talent to succeed, and they're literally just choosing failure.
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Yaroukh 11:58AM (9/09/2007)
> Instead of the amazingly delicious Mondeo, we get the amazingly mediocre Fusion.
you're not fair here
1) Fusion is more than decent vehicle (including the exterior)
2) Mondeo is BRAND NEW vehicle... and with some weak angles in its interior and exterior as well, like the rear end of the 5-door hatch (which you realize to the full extent when you see it face2face), or the wood-imitation on the dash-board (one of the weakest attempts I've ever seen)
this whole "give us the perfect Mondeo, Fusion sucks" thing sounds more like "the grass in Europe is more green"
Chase 12:18PM (9/09/2007)
Having lived a few months in France recently, I think the old Mondeo was nicer than the Fusion. -- That said, the Mondeo is a full-size car in Europe when here it would be considered a compact (in dimensions, its comparable to an A4, which is a "Sporty Premium Compact"). It wouldn't really fulfill a mid-size car buyer's expectations here. However, I think it would fulfill a mid-size car buyer's needs excellently, they just don't know that.
Yaroukh 1:32PM (9/09/2007)
... nicer because it was something new for you; actually the exterior of the old Mondeo was considered quite boring by some (I don't agree with that but I'm Ford-fan...)
One of the reasons that Fusion outsells its rivals in Brazil is said to be that it has fresh look.
Too bad I will probably never see the US Fusion with my own eyes.
mister falcon 11:34AM (9/09/2007)
A better coupe or small sedan can be had elsewhere for similar money. For me - it was the hatch that brought me to the focus - it was like having a VW Golf with a slightly lower price of entry and a marginally better reputation for reliability.
Now, I'm glad that I ended up buying one of the last 07 hatches they made. A focus hatch is a pretty great blend of vehicle dynamics - SUV versatility, econobox fuel miserness, great manueverability, and that sports car feel you only get with a five speed manual.
Bring back SVT, and for the love of all that is holy - bring back the hatches and spend more than three months advertising them. There are people in the area I live in who have no idea what kind of car my focus hatch is - gee, I can't imagine why the sales were limited.
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Jugomugo 11:35AM (9/09/2007)
As an owner of an SVT Focus, unless Ford makes some smart decisions, my next car won't be a Ford.
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Ima Nutzack 1:31PM (9/09/2007)
+1.
2004 Focus SVT owner here. Great car, almost as much fun to drive as my M3. Has made me consider other Ford products for the first time in, well, ever....
To that end, I considered an Explorer for snow service and some towing. Decent truck, but who designed the interior? What an ergonomic disaster -- stupid stuff like poorly designed/positioned door handles, turn signal levers mounted too high, and odd secondary controls -- all stuff that was perfectly fine on the last iteration of the Explorer. This reason alone makes me unlikely to purchase.
And this new Focus? No thanks. Not even close. Yes, they really do seem to be trying to screw up.
Where did the magic go? For cars, the solution is so simple - bring over the European products already! Stop assuming that US consumers don't want a high-value small car. It's easy to prove your own theory when you give them no choices.. And for your other products, stop letting first-year design students design your interiors. Don't put form over function. Better, yet, build function that actually has nice form. It's not hard to do.
-Ima
iOrange 2:20PM (9/09/2007)
Love my 04 SVT 5 Door.... but this new one? No hatch? not interested.... I have been a die hard Mopar guy forever, my SVT was my first ford.. and I can't believe what a great car it is.. but if this is the replacement, it will be my last.
ckm 3:43PM (9/09/2007)
Totally agree with Ima Nutzack re: vs the M3 and I don't even have an SVT, but a ZX3 with the SVT suspension. Even without the power, it's still a riot to drive. So much so that I often take the long way home, or just go out for a drive, things I rarely do with the XJR.
Fun to drive, cheap to run (I just bought a full set of Ford Racing shocks for $200) and loads of room, what more could you ask for?
Chris.
naggs 12:21PM (9/09/2007)
the new focus is the posterchild for why ford is not doing well
they would be better off, nixing the redesign, and converting the factory back to producing the old focus
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Harold Kerrick 12:15PM (9/09/2007)
"....but the complaints were minor."
According to whom?
Even this article could be read as a story about how FoMoCo designed and built this car with little input from potential customers, and instead they put ease of production at the top of the priority list. Ford and VW were the only two manufacturers with a small station wagon (isn't that market opening back up?) AND a small hatchback.
I saw the coupe at a local car show a few months ago...it looked like it was designed in pieces and styled to include every possible "cue" to appeal to the under 20s crowd. Example? Those tacky fake vents that Ford FINALLY listened and removed from the Mustang....are now on the Focus. No sporty models with a tunable powertrain? Instead, shout it from the rooftops: WE'VE GOT THE SYNC SYSTEM.
Ford, I've bought small cars from your company before, but please, stop building "mini me" versions of largish cars and trying to sell them as "youth oriented" autos.
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Cornholio 1:37PM (9/09/2007)
I seem to recall reading a story (here on Autoblog, maybe?) that this new focus ended up costing as much or more to design that it would have to certify the EU version for sale here in the US. If this is true, we could have had the EU version (not perfect, sure, but damn better than this thing) for basically the same level of investment by Ford.
Way to go! NOT. You're even starting to Make GM look good with these sorts of decisions....
-Ima
John R 12:29PM (9/09/2007)
Why the got rid of the hatch and 5-door is beyond me. Maybe it's the area I live in, but whenever I'm on the road I see more focus hatches than sedans. This car is DOA, as one has already said.
I think these guys should start calling themselves Mazda 3 fanatics instead. And anyone thinking of a Fusion but wanting a Mondeo should wait for the next Mazda 6, which looks 300x better than the Fusion.
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ckm 12:29PM (9/09/2007)
The new Focus symbolizes everything that is wrong with Ford. Once upon a time, the Focus was the best selling car in the world, and was competitive in the North American market.
By dropping the 3 and 5 door hatches, and the wagon, they've just lost a fast growing part of the market. Look at the Fit, Aygo, Mini, A3, new Impreza, Mazda3, etc. The market for small wagons and hatches is coming back in a big way and Ford has NOTHING to offer.
Never mind that lack of an SVT model. And, if you have one, good luck finding a clutch for it.
Chris.
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