[quiksilverfocus]

2005: MISDIRECTED FOCUS

When the gen1 focus came out, ford brass positioned the ZX3 as the lifestyle niche car, while the sedan was to appeal to the masses.

Further proof of Ford's positioning of the ZX3 as the lifestyle vehicle is in the major standard equipment: alloy wheels and the 130hp engine, while the sedan is standard with steel wheels and 118hp. Ford knows which car appeals to which buyer.

Also worth mentioning is that sedan premiered in North America, while the hatch premiered in Europe. The sedan wasn't even available in Europe initially. I don't think the ZX3 would have had much success among a North American public that largely perceives sedans as premium products and hatches as econoboxes (firefly, fiesta, colt, etc?). The ZX3, along with some help from the Golf and the current generation Civic helped change that perception - somewhat.

But more geriatic money-wielding baby-boomers still have an affinity for the sedan bodytype. Ford must be aware of this.

Right around the time the focus came out, I had a sense Ford was taking the brand more to a more European direction (J Mays had just been hired as director of design). The Focus had an Audi-like aesthetic to it... clean, uncluttered design based on strong geometric lines.
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Flash forward to 2004. I suspect Ford has toned down the edginess to appeal to more quattrogenarians.

But after seeing the sedan, I am praying, for Ford's sake, that the hatch doesn't follow suit. New-edge has apparently lost its edge - where are the long headlamps?!?! The interior looks like pure sh**. The AC vents could have come out of anything from the 1980s. Gross. The overall body shape though is decidedly less geometric.
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In conclusion: it doesn't look like a Focus. I won't be buying the next generation.

There is however a silver lining for us. Our current Foci will look 10x hotter (especially once I get mine tricked out!) than the 2nd generations will.