# Ford Focus Concept



## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

Presented at the Tokyo Motor Show. Shares the same platform with Volvo S40/V50 and Mazda 3.


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## philippek (Jul 31, 2003)

A4-esque?

TL-ish?

Good looking car either way.


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## Nbtstatic (Oct 9, 2002)

Definitly TL/TSX'ish.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

Too bad we don't get this new, 'real' focus in the US. We get a fecelifted old Focus instead. Yet another Ford World Car gone down the toilet.


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## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

As I have said in earlier threads, I owned one for two years was very impressed with the build quality. That was a solid car without any problems.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

Alex Baumann said:


> As I have said in earlier threads, I owned one for two years was very impressed with the build quality. That was a solid car without any problems.


It's interesting that a car that has gotten such praise for build quality in the EU does so poorly when built in this hemisphere. The Focus has ranked toward the bottom here until quite recently.

The Japanese can do transplant manufacturing with little or no loss of quality, but that doesn't seem to be the case for Ford, at least.


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## HW (Dec 24, 2001)

Kaz said:


> The Japanese can do transplant manufacturing with little or no loss of quality, but that doesn't seem to be the case for Ford, at least.


i've heard that the japanese built accord is much better than the ohio built ones. :tsk:


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## HW (Dec 24, 2001)

re: focus: can they do that w/ the tail pipes? :dunno: how do they stop it from vibrating?


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

HW said:


> i've heard that the japanese built accord is much better than the ohio built ones. :tsk:


I don't think that's the case anymore. My friend at Honda does say the UK-built Hondas (Civic hatch, CR-V) aren't quite up to US/Japan ones, but they're not that bad.

But with the Focus we're talking DRAMATIC differences.


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## HW (Dec 24, 2001)

Kaz said:


> But with the Focus we're talking DRAMATIC differences.


does the euro focus have different parts? design? or is it strictly the way the cars are put together? :dunno:


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## bmw325 (Dec 19, 2001)

Does anyone know why Ford decided to not bring the new Focus to the US?


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

robg said:


> Does anyone know why Ford decided to not bring the new Focus to the US?


Cost.


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## Jeff_DML (Mar 13, 2002)

looks very VWAGish in the upper part. Seems like a lot of then new Ford cars are ripping them off, i.e Ford 500. I guess the main ford designer is originally from VWAG, specifically audi I think, so maybe it is not ripping off  

I thought the new Focus was already out in Europe? :dunno: Or is this it?


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## philippek (Jul 31, 2003)

Kaz said:


> Cost.


If the car shares components with Volvo and Mazda, wouldn't it just enhance economies of scale to bring it here? :dunno:


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

philippek said:


> If the car shares components with Volvo and Mazda, wouldn't it just enhance economies of scale to bring it here? :dunno:


You would think, especially with the 3 starting at <$14k. :dunno:

Like I said, it's Ford fcuking up again.


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## bmw325 (Dec 19, 2001)

Kaz said:


> You would think, especially with the 3 starting at <$14k. :dunno:
> 
> Like I said, it's Ford fcuking up again.


Too bad. I actually like the styling of this Focus version of the platform the best.


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## racerdave (Sep 15, 2003)

philippek said:


> If the car shares components with Volvo and Mazda, wouldn't it just enhance economies of scale to bring it here? :dunno:


My guess is that because the Volvo and Mazda are based on the same chassis, they don't want to dilute those brands by offering the same Ford product here as well. It's all marketing.


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## BuffaloBimmer (Jan 8, 2004)

Kaz said:


> You would think, especially with the 3 starting at <$14k. :dunno:
> 
> Like I said, it's Ford fcuking up again.


That's not entirely accurate - while I agree with you that Ford should bring the New Focus over here (just as I've LONG held they should bring the Mondeo here - man, anyone ever drive a diesel Mondeo in Europe? Like Tony says... "They're grrrrreat!"), they ran the numbers on the business case and still need to recoup their original capital/manufacturing & development investments in the current generation Focus.

I'm sure there's some tradeoff point between the economies of scale of using the "world" platform vs. the cost of just producing what you've got, and, well, I guess they just didn't end up on the right side of it (from our perspective).

Plus, it doesn't help that we Americans don't require the same kind of sporting character from our mass-marketed small cars that Europeans do, though maybe that's changing with Mini, Mazda3, all those GM models at the auto show, etc.

So, a few more years of the current edition, and maybe if we're lucky we'll get Gen 2.5 Focus when it's updated in a few years.


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## Artslinger (Sep 2, 2002)

I kind of like it... American car makers are catching up. 

Ford should really come out with a luxury brand. It would take a few years but I think a carefully designed and engineered luxury brand could sell very well in America.


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## LDV330i (May 24, 2003)

robg said:


> Does anyone know why Ford decided to not bring the new Focus to the US?


 I know KAZ mentioned that it was not being brought over because of cost reasons but I am not sure I buy Ford's explanation. When Ford did not bring to the US/Canadian market the new generation Contour (Mondeo) it argued that it was too close in size to to the Ford Taurus and the sales numbers were not there. Well the Ford Mondeo is sold next to the Ford Taurus in Mexico, a market way much smaller than the US/CN market.


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