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The 2008 Ford Focus features available factory-installed ambient lighting that allows the driver and front passenger to illuminate the front and rear footwells and cupholders in one of seven colors (red, orange, blue, indigo, violet, green and yellow) by cycling through a dash-mounted switch.

2008 FORD FOCUS DEMONSTRATES FORD'S COMMITMENT TO SMALL CARS

* The 2008 Ford Focus brings a bold design, modern interior, improved driving dynamics and competitive fuel economy to the growing small car market.
* All-new exterior design strikes an exciting pose in two-door coupe and four-door sedan body styles.
* Redesigned cabin offers contemporary styling and features such as silver metallic finishing on the dashboard and center console, available ambient interior lighting and available leather seating with contrast stitching – all creating a modern atmosphere.
* Available Ford Syncâ„¢ offers advanced levels of connectivity to help create a second home on wheels inside the car.
* New suspension tuning and chassis refinements improve an already rewarding and dynamic driving experience.
* Improvements to sealing and sound deadening materials reduce noise, vibration and harshness levels providing a quiet, comfortable ride.



BlueOvalNews.com – Redesigned from the inside out, the 2008 Ford Focus brings a bold new look, a modern interior and a high level of driving enjoyment to the small car segment. Joining the new Focus four-door sedan is, for the first time, ever a sporty two-door coupe, which is designed to attract new and younger buyers to a growing small car market.

Ford is renewing its commitment to the small car market as an influx of younger buyers and the instability of gas prices have led to growing sales in the segment. Small cars make up the largest vehicle segment in the U.S. today and growth is expected to continue. The 2008 Focus will be poised to capture some of this growth when it hits the streets in fall 2007.

“We know the formula for success in the small car segment: Affordability, quality and a fun to drive, sporty personality,” says Cisco Codina, Ford group vice president, North America Marketing, Sales and Service. “These are the priorities that drove the redesign of the Focus for 2008.”

Muscular stance, sharp character lines and a high beltline define Focus

The 2008 Focus strikes an impressive pose. Designers drew inspiration from the Ford Fusion's prominent chrome-bar grille design, flared wheel arches and sweeping, crisp lines to create a small car that’s stylish and sporty.

“We raised the beltline to give Focus more modern proportions,” says Lon Zaback, Focus chief designer. “By raising the beltline we created a sleeker profile. The overall look is solid and more substantial.”

Flared wheel arches give Focus its firm, secure stance and work with the raised beltline to give Focus its muscular look.

The design is further refined by a taut character line that runs from the taillights, sweeping across the doors just below the door handles and snapping suddenly down at the front wheel well. Another crisp line runs from the A-pillar to the headlight and down to the bottom of the front bumper, defining the corners of the car.

“Having surface areas break sharply in places gives the car a sense of forward motion,” says Zaback. “A lot of cars today use forms and lines that are parallel and predictable. If you look at Focus, you will see one sweep going through the hood and headlamps, and a different sweep going through the fascia. This creates movement, tension and drama.”

Zaback says the goal was to use detail and forms to create unpredictable visual interest. For example, the hood uses four separate creases to break up a typically large flat area. “When you’re working with a small car, you want to add surface detail that will create interest from any angle,” says Zaback. “We definitely wanted to appeal to the more progressive customer.”

The headlights are a design story by themselves. Horizontal bars with a matte surface run through the reflection area, visually connecting the headlights with a sweeping line running through the chrome-bar grille. It is such an innovative idea that Ford has a patent request for the design.

The tail lamps share cues with the 2008 Ford Escape, with a white arc cutting across the red lens. The leading edge of the deck lid features a new clear lens center high-mounted stop lamp (CHMSL) that illuminates with red LEDs for a progressive, modern appearance.

Focus SEL models feature a front fender appliqué integrated just behind the front wheel arch, adding a bright accent to the profile. And the “Focus” name is spelled out in bold italic letters on the deck lid, scuff plates and instrument panel.

The 2008 Focus is available in two body styles: a two-door coupe, a first-ever for Focus, and a four-door sedan. These are the two highest volume body styles in the segment. In fact, the sedan and coupe will allow Ford to cover a full 80 percent of the small car market.

Redesigned Focus cabin is quiet, inviting and modern

Progressive is the word that best describes the interior. The new interior design not only adds more flexible storage space, but new surfaces and materials create a modern, contemporary cabin with a sense of openness.

“We've taken cues from fashion and home design and translated them into a more upscale Focus interior,” says Zaback. “We've given it some sophistication and flair by adding touches of silver metallic finishing like you see in today's home appliances, and used materials that provide a higher-quality feel to surfaces and touch points throughout the car. The overall package is simply more inviting.”

On SEL models, the dashboard and center console sport brilliant matte silver-metallic finishing. On SE models, the dashboard center finish panels are a contrasting dark stone non-metallic color.

A “top-of-dash” display, positioned at eye-level at the top of the center stack, features a message center that shows radio function readouts. This simple, efficient design makes it easier and quicker to read when driving.

A new “poke-through” center console design replaces the traditional “brick” design for the radio and climate control. The center panel houses the controls for the audio and climate control as well as a standard auxiliary audio input jack and two power points. In vehicles equipped with the available Sync option, a USB 2.0 port is located on the center stack near the power points.

Eliminating the traditional brick design gave designers freedom to draw a sharp accent line across the top of the dashboard, a design element that would not have been possible with the previous model’s square radio and climate modules. A new seamless passenger front airbag door further cleans up the interior.

The 2008 Focus offers a larger center console as well as added space in front of the console shifter for extra storage. Newly designed door trim features larger bins and cup holders in the doors plus three more in the console. New seats have improved contours and offer more lateral and lumbar support. A new cloth pattern is available for 2008 while the leather trimmed seats feature contrast stitching for an added touch of craftsmanship.

SE models come with a Stone interior; SEL models come in Stone or Charcoal Black. The coordinating interior instrument panel colors are Satin Pewter Metallic for the Charcoal Black interior and Dusk Metallic for the Stone interior. Focus models equipped with Sport and Deluxe packages feature a white face instrument cluster and chrome accents on the door handles, climate control vents and shifter.

Focus lets you set the mood

The Focus interior is even more distinctive at night thanks to a new approach to lighting that builds on recent Ford advances like the white LED instruments on the 2003 Lincoln Navigator and the configurable “My Color” instrument display on the Mustang.

In the Focus, the instruments and switches are lit in a new color called “Ice Blue.” Customers can also order an ambient lighting package that places tiny LEDs inside the front and rear cupholders and footwells. The LEDs can highlight the cabin in any of seven different colors (red, orange, blue, indigo, violet, green and yellow) and are controlled by a simple dash-mounted switch.

Both of these features will eventually make their way into other Ford and Mercury products.

“The idea was to let owners give the car its own mood,” says Philip Smoker, 2008 Focus product marketing manager. “Customizable ambient light gives the interior a whole different look and keeps it fresh. Focus is the first in this segment to offer ambient lighting as a factory installed option.”

Smoker says customizable and unique interior lighting inside cars and trucks is an emerging trend. According to a recent survey, over 90 percent of vehicle consumers said they would be interested in unique lighting to enhance the appearance of their vehicle's interior.

"With manufacturers often producing upwards of 150,000 copies of any particular model, vehicle differentiation is still the key," says Smoker. “The interior ambient light inside the 2008 Focus gives owners the chance to make the car their own.”



Sync connects your life to your drive

The 2008 Ford Focus will be one of the first Ford Motor Company vehicles to feature Ford Syncâ„¢, a cutting-edge way to use cell phones and portable music players inside a vehicle. Developed in association with Microsoft, Sync offers a new level of in-car communications and entertainment convenience. Sync lets users easily control and personalize their electronic devices in their vehicle. This technology will be available in other 2008 model year Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products later this year.

“Sync is state of the art connectivity and entertainment,” says Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, global product development, Ford Motor Company. “It’s aligned with our efforts to treat the interior of a car as a second home on wheels. We want to bring as much infotainment to our customers as possible in a way that is both convenient and seamless.”

Incorporating Bluetooth wireless connection technology as its foundation, Sync can wirelessly connect up to six different cellular phones to the vehicle, a process called pairing. Once the phone is paired with the system, the user’s personal features (such as phone book and ring tones) are automatically downloaded to the car. A microphone inside the cabin allows users to use their phone hands free while operating their vehicle.

Every time the user enters the vehicle with the phone, those personal features are updated and integrated into the Sync system. To protect privacy concerns, phone books and ring tones are active only for the phones to which they belong. Sync also allows users to maintain a cell phone conversation while entering or exiting the vehicle.

With many municipalities passing laws prohibiting cell phone usage in a vehicle that does not provide hands-free calling, Sync’s voice recognition software (which recognizes English, Spanish and French) allows users to place a call by simply tapping a "Push to Talk" button on the steering wheel and saying a command. For example, the command “Call Mike” will connect the user identified as “Mike” in the user’s phone directory. Users can also dial numbers by calling out digits.

When a call comes in, the user can answer or decline the call using verbal commands. If the user’s phone is configured for unique caller ring tones, that specific caller’s ring tone will be played through the vehicle’s audio system. Sync also offers call waiting, caller ID and three-way calling, along with three unique ring tones as part of the system.

Sync offers a unique industry-leading text-to-speech function that will translate text messages to speech and read them over the vehicle’s audio system. Sync will translate abbreviation like “LOL” into “Laughing Out Loud,” and it offers 20 pre-determined responses that can be customized via web downloads.

Sync is also the only automotive application that offers full hands-free, voice-activated command and control over portable music players and storage devices. Sync’s advanced voice command capability means consumers can access the song, artist, genre, album, playlist, etc., through voice commands. The selections will also be shown on the vehicle's audio display, as Sync allows complete command and control via dashboard or steering wheel controls. This means Sync acts as an extension of the music player, effectively melding the player’s functionality into the vehicle.

“If you plug in your Apple iPod® and say, ‘Play rock music,’ Sync will play rock music,” says Kuzak. “If you say, ‘play’ and name a band, Sync will display the album and title selections by that group. You then select a title and the music plays. Most music players connected to a car might let you shuffle. Sync lets you do everything you could do on the music player itself through the vehicle’s interface or through voice commands. Sync is a seamless extension of the music player to the vehicle, and that’s what makes it great.”

Sync hosts nearly all portable music players including Apple iPod®, all MP3 players with "Plays for Sure" technology, and Microsoft’s new music player, Zune™. Sync also accepts music saved on flash memory sticks inserted into USB port. Located on the dashboard near the power outlets, the USB 2.0 port simultaneously charges the player as the music is being played over the vehicle’s audio system. All music played through Sync is high-resolution digital quality.

Revised suspension settings further refine the Focus driving experience

Since its North American introduction in 1999, Focus has been hailed for being an affordable car that handles and drives like a car more than twice its price. For 2008, the Focus’s curb weight is down by 60 pounds, even though the body structure is stiffer. This allowed the suspension engineers to sharpen the car’s steering and handling while improving ride quality at the same time.

Engineers reworked and improved the strength of the roof structure, the package tray, the connections between the rear floor and the underbody and the door systems. A stiffened cross-car beam under the instrument panel connects the car side-to-side and provides better lateral stiffness.

The basic suspension features an independent front suspension with MacPherson struts and an independent multilink design in back. The spring rates, shock absorbers, stabilizer bars, and jounce bumpers have all been re-tuned for 2008. Engineers derived unique tuning packages for vehicles equipped with 15- or 16-inch wheels and tires. Models with 15-inch wheels and tires are equipped with low-rolling resistance Hankook tires. Those with 16-inch wheels and tires are paired with sporty, responsive Pirelli tires.

“Fuel economy was at the top of the improvement list for 2008, so we put the new Focus on a diet, dropping the curb weight of the vehicle by over 60 pounds,” says vehicle dynamics manager Mark Rushbrook. “To maintain good ride character, we reduced the spring rates. Improvements to steering and handling were accomplished by increasing the size of the front stabilizer bar for both the 15- and 16-inch tire packages, as well as detailed tuning of the shock absorbers to optimize the ride and handling balance.”

Rushbrook says the revised chassis settings help improve steering feel over the previous Focus without sacrificing ride quality. The front stabilizer bar diameters have been increased over 2007, from 18 millimeters to 20 millimeters on the 15-inch wheel tuning package, and from 21 millimeters to 22 millimeters on the 16-inch wheel tuning package.

“From a dynamics perspective, the new Focus feels much more solid and substantial,” says Rushbrook. “The chassis has been tuned with the new body structure to continue that feeling of confidence. Whether you’re driving down a twisty back road or an interstate highway, it always feels like you’re in a very solid yet responsive and fun vehicle.”

Focus gets an all-new brake system for 2008. New aluminum calipers save weight and improve brake pedal feel. The brakes are 10.9-inch vented discs in front and 11.0-inch drums in back with an available anti-lock braking system (ABS).

The 2008 Focus features a 2.0-liter, Duratec 20 dual-overhead-cam (DOHC), inline four-cylinder engine delivering an estimated 136 hp. An all-new air intake system, cooling and exhaust system are designed to improve the powertrain’s smoothness, efficiency and response.

There’s also a super-clean Duratec 20E engine offered in states adopting California emission standards that qualifies Focus as a Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV). PZEVs are as clean as some hybrid vehicles, according to the EPA.

The Duratec 20 and 20E are available with a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic. For 2008, the transmissions have revised final drive ratios, which let the engine turn at a lower rpm rate during highway driving and get better fuel economy. For instance, the automatic transmission final drive ratio decreased from 3.73 to 3.34, reducing engine speed at 65 mph from 2490 rpm to 2230 rpm.

NVH improvements provide a quiet ride

The new exterior design doesn’t just look good, it provides improved functionality as well. Improved airflow over the vehicle reduces the coefficient of drag (CD) from 0.33 to 0.32.

“Getting just a tenth of a difference in CD is a lot,” says Focus chief engineer Marcio Alfonso. “This is quite significant. We spent many hours in the wind tunnel developing the shapes of exterior parts like mirrors and front openings, spoilers, and the shape of the air deflectors under the car. There was a lot of work done to improve aerodynamics and reduce noise inside the car.”

At a simulated 80 mph in the wind tunnel, the previous Focus had 28.8 sones of wind noise while the new model recorded 25.6, an eleven percent reduction in wind noise. In a test of road noise (boom, rumble, roar), decibel levels inside Focus dropped from 70 dBA to 67.3.

“We know that customers equate quiet with quality,” says Alfonso. “The difference between the previous car and the 2008 model is far more dramatic than the numbers show. Sones reflect overall noise levels and not the directionality of the noise. A noise coming from a particular area can be perceived as being louder, even though the overall noise level is similar. With Focus, we addressed not only the overall noise level, but also where the noise is coming from.”

Engineers reduced wind noise by installing a new acoustic windshield and thicker side glass in the front doors (increased in thickness from 3.2 to 3.8 millimeters). Closed-cell foam for the dash panel seal, as opposed to open-cell foam material, also helps reduce wind noise. Fluffy cotton-like sound-deadening material has been added to the door trim panels, C-pillars and the flat shelf behind the rear seats to reduce cabin noise, and the sealing around the side mirrors is redesigned to reduce noise entering the passenger cabin. The front air dam is stiffened and produces less noise.

New Climate Control System is lighter, quieter and more efficient

The 2008 Focus has an all-new climate control system that is more efficient with improved cooling and heating performance. Switching to electronic actuators for the floor, panel, defrost and temperature controls improve Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) performance. This completely redesigned HVAC system results in a climate control system that is quieter, lighter in weight and more effective in cooling and heating the cabin.

Standard safety features offer peace of mind

The 2008 Focus comes standard with Ford’s Personal Safety System®, thorax side air bags and side air curtains for increased coverage in the event of a side impact crash.

Ford’s Personal Safety System is a comprehensive collection of passive safety features for the front passengers. The system includes dual-deployment front air bags, energy absorbing safety belts, load limiting retractors and pretensioners, all which will help to create one of the safest cabins in its segment.

Focus uses Ford’s Safety Canopy™ side air curtain system that deploys in certain side-impact collisions to help protect front- and second-row outboard occupants using "roll-fold" technology. If occupants are resting their heads against a window, the Safety Canopy™ is designed to slide between the glass and occupants as it inflates. The curtains remain inflated for several seconds after deployment to enhance protection during an extended crash event.

Available anti-lock brakes are designed to help drivers maintain great steering command during hard stops.

It's very edgy, some will like it, some won't... We all know compact cars have taken a crazy direction in stlying... Sentra ring a bell?

http://www.blueovalforums.com/forums/index...=0&#entry128958

i like the interior of the car

fusion style tail lights?

the front looks like Saturn Ion
minus bodykit

the interior is the only decent part of the car.

the rest is :throwup:

Yea I agree with Focus Guy. The interior is sweet but for the exterior.......what where they thinking?

Info On The New Sync System
http://forums.focaljet.com/team-pit-stop/5...nformation.html

Quote:* Ford Sync™, powered by Microsoft Auto software, is Ford’s new fully integrated, voice-activated in-car communications and entertainment system for mobile phones and digital music players.
* Sync will be available in 12 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products beginning this calendar year.
* Sync is the newest technology to emerge from the Ford-Microsoft relationship.
* Users can access their mobile phone or digital music player – including genre, album, artist and song title – via voice commands.
* Names and numbers in a mobile phone’s address book are wirelessly and automatically transferred to the vehicle.
* Sync can host nearly any digital media player, including the Apple iPod®, Microsoft Zune, PlaysForSure players and most USB storage devices.

FORD SYNC™ – TODAY’S DRIVERS DEMAND STAYING CONNECTED

FORD SYNC â„¢ FORD AND MICROSOFT TEAM UP TO DELIVER IN-CAR DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

DETROIT, Mich., Jan. 7, 2007 – Ford Motor Company today announced the launch of a new factory-installed, in-car communications and entertainment system that is designed to change the way consumers use digital media portable music players and mobile phones in their vehicles.

The Ford-exclusive technology based on Microsoft Auto software, called Sync, provides consumers the convenience and flexibility to bring into their vehicle nearly any mobile phone or digital media player and operate it using voice commands or the vehicle’s steering wheel or radio controls.

Ford owners will not need to worry about whether their car or truck is compatible with the latest phone or music player that hits the market. Sync seamlessly integrates the vehicle with the popular portable electronic devices of today and is upgradeable to support the devices and services of tomorrow.

“Sync is what today’s generation and today’s drivers demand in connectivity,” says Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, product development, Ford Motor Company. “Not only does it offer hands-free phone operation and iPod®, Zune or MP3 player connectivity, it’s built on a software platform that is upgradeable and will allow us to offer new features by simply upgrading the software.”

Sync offers consumers two ways to bring electronic devices into their Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles and operate them seamlessly through voice commands or steering wheel controls:

* Bluetooth, for wireless connection of phones and phones that play music.
* A USB 2.0 port for command and control and charging of digital media players – including the Apple iPod and Microsoft Zune – as well as PlaysForSure music devices and most USB media storage devices. Supported formats include MP3, AAC, WMA, WAV and PCM.

The ability to upgrade Sync, control all portable electronic devices via voice commands, offer a USB port to connect storage devices and recharge electronics puts this technology well beyond technology available today – including Bluetooth, hands-free offerings or portable music device connections.

“More than 80 percent of U.S. households use cell phones , and 60 million digital music devices have been sold. That’s a 50 percent increase from just 2005,” Kuzak said. “With such market growth led by consumers’ needs, Sync is the right new technology at the right time for Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles.”

Sync will debut this calendar year on the 2008 Ford Focus, Fusion, Five Hundred, Edge, Freestyle, Explorer and Sport Trac; Mercury Milan, Montego and Mountaineer; and Lincoln MKX and MKZ. The technology will be on all Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles in the near future.

“Ford and Microsoft share a vision for a future where drivers are safely connected to the people, information and entertainment they care about while they are on the road,” said Bill Gates, Chairman, Microsoft Corporation. “Built on Microsoft Auto technology, Ford Sync delivers an in-car system that is an important step toward achieving this vision. Using software that bridges the automotive and consumer electronics industries, Sync will help revolutionize the driving experience by providing a simple system that intelligently connects mobile phones, music players, and more.”

Sync Features:

* Voice-activated, hands-free calling: Simply press the “Push to Talk” button on the steering wheel, and then say the name of the person you wish to call. Sync will automatically connect with the names in the mobile phone’s contact list.
* Uninterrupted connections: No need to hang up in the middle of a cell phone call as you enter your vehicle. Simply touch the Telephone Button on the steering wheel, and Sync will instantly connect to a Bluetooth phone.
* Audible text messages: Sync will convert text messages from your phone to audio and read it out loud. The system is even smart enough to translate such commonly used text messaging expressions as “LOL” and J. You can choose to reply from any of 20 predefined responses.
* Advanced calling features: Sync includes the same features offered on mobile phones, including caller ID, call waiting, conference calling, a caller log, a list of contacts, a signal strength icon, and a phone battery charge icon – all conveniently located on the radio’s display screen.
* Voice-activated music: Browse the music collection on your digital media player, mobile phone or USB drive by genre, album, artist and song title using simple voice commands, such as “Play genre Rock,” “Play ,” or “Play Track .”
* Instant voice recognition: Sync’s advanced voice recognition technology means when you’re ready to use your phone or digital music player, just speak simple voice commands.
* Ring tone support: For supported phones, Sync will play personal ring tones. If you’ve configured unique ring tones to identify specific callers, Sync will automatically play those, too.
* Automatic phonebook transfer: Sync will automatically and wirelessly transfer all the names and numbers in a mobile phonebook.
* Multilingual intelligence: Sync is fluent in English, French and Spanish.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners

They've got lots of features in the car... I can see this car being a good car if it was done right... which isn't... Auto without manual mode? Thats pretty standard these days even for hyundai. Rear drum brakes is one of the main reason I don't put my car to the track and really enjoy it. lol and they still kept the 4 lugs... It looks different but its the same car underneath!

The headlights look like they take styling cues from Nissan Maximas and Altimas...even the interior dash and console look like they come from a Nissan.

I like the rear 1/4 and roofline of the car...looks like a late model SAAB 900 or 9-3...Also, the rims on the blue one look like Mustang wheels...some attributes of the car are nice, some are questionable.

I LOVE the fact that they went more gutsy with the lines of the car than I, or we, expected...it looks a lot less cookie cutter than the 05-07 models (sorry all of you that have em!)...

L8tz

Quote:* All-new exterior design strikes an exciting pose in two-door coupe and four-door sedan body styles.

No hatch or wagon? What are they thinking? :wacko:

Drivesthebeast,Jan 7 2007, 09:30 AM Wrote:I LOVE the fact that they went more gutsy with the lines of the car than I, or we, expected...it looks a lot less cookie cutter than the 05-07 models (sorry all of you that have em!)...

L8tz
[right][snapback]222501[/snapback][/right]

And I've never been happier to have a 2007. Modding the interior (stereo upgrades anyone?) will suck, the rest is basically the same as the 07 for underpinnings except they made the auto even slower than the 07 thanks to the taller final drive.

The outside? The rear's alright, except for the... *snicker* SEL plating... BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Now you're right at home next to a 500 and a Fusion! :rofl:

They discontinued the hatch (which is the only model to "resemble" the rally car) and they intro'd a coupe with no announcement of even the 2.3L availability in the coupe to counter the non-SC'ed Cobalt SS and higher Ions. Real smart :rolleyes:

It needs a debadge, fast. The headlights are STILL single halogens, and everyone else and their mother has HID as an option it seems these days. The double bars through the headlights? :puke: The gauge cluster looks alright, but the centre console looks like they were sorting through a Toyota Echo parts bin. The 4-bolt axle means the spindles and wheel compatibility are still gen 1 Focus.

And you know what? I like the new fender bulges and how the lines continue down the car... until you get a second look at it and you're like, "this really doesn't look like the tight-handling, rally-inspired car I've known for 7 years". At a point when Ford's rallying for sales (pun intended) and they could have REALLY used the European flavour... they brought out some old doodles that Ridley Scott did on the set of Blade Runner. Hell, even VW brought over the new Golf and called it the Rabbit.

They swung and I think they missed on this one. I hope their fleet sales go up huge, because the deletion of the hatch just got them off the sport compact shopping list of a LOT of folks. Plus, when Grandpa is asked whether he wants a Focus SEL sedan or a 500 SEL sedan... I know what he's going to pick.

2008 - the year the Focus died as a driver's car.

I really hope the coupe proves me wrong on the last part.

EDIT - "To maintain good ride character, we reduced the spring rates" - We got tired of older folks bitching about the stiff ride, so we screwed over the enthusiasts and made the car squishier.

" The brakes are 10.9-inch vented discs in front and 11.0-inch drums in back" - so you'll supposedly improve the suspension but you still won't give it matching front/rear discs? I won't be trading in our new Focus, but this is one area the Mazda 3 will always have an advantage over the Focus. What's more, they ought to have made ABS standard across the board for their "big" rollout, given the safety benefits. But they didn't.

Thankfully it's a long way off, and I plan to enjoy our new Focus for a long time, but the next time we car shop I doubt a Focus will be on the list. And that makes me a sad panda. :(

Wow, they really hit that car with the ugly stick. That headlight/grill/bumper combo is hideous. Why on earth would you make a big flat bumper with big rectangle shapes when the rest of the car has swooping lines..

And the fact that there is no hatchback means my next car will definitely not be a new Focus. Maybe they'll bring SVT back and do something interesting with the coupe, but I'm kind of doubting Ford at this point.

Did anyone miss this part
"Since its North American introduction in 1999, Focus has been hailed for being an affordable car that handles and drives like a car more than twice its price. For 2008, the Focus’s curb weight is down by 60 pounds, even though the body structure is stiffer. This allowed the suspension engineers to sharpen the car’s steering and handling while improving ride quality at the same time.

Engineers reworked and improved the strength of the roof structure, the package tray, the connections between the rear floor and the underbody and the door systems. A stiffened cross-car beam under the instrument panel connects the car side-to-side and provides better lateral stiffness."

The car platform is the same but everything is much improved....

This is a holdover till 2010 when everyone gets the NEW focus

here is a actual real life pic
http://forums.bradbarnett.net/attachment.p...04&d=1168140800

yeah i agree, kinda looks like a saturn from the front. the back looks nice, and so does the coupe version. But whats with the fugly licence plate indentation in the front bumper? they really trying to save every penny they can in terms of cost reduction? it would have looked nicer if it had a plate holder frame.

Interior isn't bad but the rest is ugly.

Sadly after seeing this i'm now convinced that the current focus will prolly be the last one i owned. I was gonna wait and see what the 08's looked like before deciding on what i'm gonna buy for my next car and after seeing this i can say that a focus is definately not on my list of cars. Why they couldn't just design the focus similar to the european one we'll never know but as much as i thought ford was taking steps forward i would say this new focus is a step backwards design wise.

That real-life pic does the sedan a lot more justice...I like the looks of that one over the C.G. ones...

Maybe they left the cars like this, with only the duratec 20 and whatnot because they plan on making performance variants of the cars for 09, or just wait until the 2010's come out.

If everyone wants the MKII so bad, then go and buy the new Volvo H/B...same car...

So we've seen what Europe, Australia, Asia, even f***in Mexico gets and we get a fugly ass coupe. WTF??? Jesus, somebody at Ford needs fired.

Not a fan at all... hopefully, two years will land them a few new team members who will be able to bring the Focus back to life.

And WTF is going on with those light up cup holders... the guy in the article is talking about personalizing your car by " Changing the colour of the freaking cup holder LED light " ... if that is personalizing... there is something really messed up going on in their heads!

It's ugly. I was trying not to say it, but it's ugly.

Habmann - get an 07 :)

http://www.engine-power.com/img/specs2/200...urn_aura_03.jpg

Tell me they didn't copy that front end. Jesus. :unsure:

Focusracer - I agree 100% man. Ford of N.A. has us all, apparently, as their bitches.

hopefully they have a few of these that we can sit in at the autoshow and i can get some better pics!!!

Okay, I'll start of by saying that properly optioned as shown in the pics the interior of that car would be my freaking wet dream because it looks like just about everything can be controlled without me needing to contort myself (or hiring a passenger to ride along :P)

But, hit the car with an ugly stick (I mean the character lines in the sides are ripoffs from a Mustang, the front end looks like it was humped by a Fusions front end and the ass? No comment.) Then screw with the ride and handling and what do you get?

Me looking elsewhere for the next small car :(

NefCanuck

I'd have to see it in person to fully judge, but it definitely needs some remodeling. I was actually going to get a sedan as my future car, but if the Focus looks like a toy car I'll be looking towards the Fusion no doubt. But to kill the hatch, that's a terrible idea.

The back remindes me of the new Impala so much, it's scary. The lines on the trunk lid to the tails is way too similar to Chevy's.