[Drivesthebeast]

I would NEVER buy a Mustang GT with an auto. There would be NO POINT to owning a GT with one. Period. Drag Racing be damned, as going fast in a straight line to me is boring. Some cars it doesn't matter what kind of transmission it has, but there are ones that do matter, that should come standard only. The Mustang GT is one of them.

Anyways, did anyone notice that the 2008 Focus Coupe comes with Pirelli P-Zero Nero's on it? The same tires spec'd on the Mustang GT's with 17" rims, and also one of the highest rated tires in it's class. That looks/sounds half decent.

Again, I think that they are leaving the cars low-key for now, to gauge the buying publics reaction to it. If it does well, then maybe they will release some hi-po versions of them. Either that, or they will leave them plain Jane for a couple years, and release the Euro version (like the Volvo C30), so that the newer version in 2010 seems that much better/refined than the 08-09's.

L8tz

[darkpuppet]

^^-- I would have almost said the opposite...

I find the mustang takes a lot more effort to drive than the focus did, and in the GT, the automatic was easier to drive. Or maybe it just brought me back to my highschool memories...

that GT gearbox is one stiff mofo, coupled with a long throw clutch, the 4-5 test drives I took, I just couldn't come to terms with it.

Of course, the v6 isn't that much better, for what it makes up in easier shifts, it totally blows with lack of power...

and yet, for all it's faults, the car is hella fun to drive..

[reldridge]

Drivesthebeast,Jan 21 2007, 03:18 PM Wrote:I would NEVER buy a Mustang GT with an auto.  There would be NO POINT to owning a GT with one.  Period.  Drag Racing be damned, as going fast in a straight line to me is boring.  Some cars it doesn't matter what kind of transmission it has, but there are ones that do matter, that should come standard only.  The Mustang GT is one of them.[right][snapback]224082[/snapback][/right]

What if it was free, like the one my dad won? He has no problems with his auto GT... :)

On a note on the 2008 Focus, I was talking with my salesguy friend the other day. He said from what he heard at the auction in Montreal, that Ford brass are now rethinking doing away with the hatch. They didn't realize that the media and the public would react so badly... :lol:

Ryan

[Drivesthebeast]

darkpuppet,Jan 21 2007, 02:26 PM Wrote:^^-- I would have almost said the opposite...

I find the mustang takes a lot more effort to drive than the focus did, and in the GT, the automatic was easier to drive.  Or maybe it just brought me back to my highschool memories...

that GT gearbox is one stiff mofo, coupled with a long throw clutch, the 4-5 test drives I took, I just couldn't come to terms with it.

Of course, the v6 isn't that much better, for what it makes up in easier shifts, it totally blows with lack of power...

and yet, for all it's faults, the car is hella fun to drive..
[right][snapback]224084[/snapback][/right]

I only find the gearbox in both Stangs to feel stiffer when they are cold, and once they warm up, they really aren't that bad. Also, I have come to realize that a shifter that is remote from the transmission itself (like the one in the Focus) feels a LOT different than one that's between the engine and the driveshaft. I think the Shifters feel chunky/clunky because they are connected directly to the driveline, and that those of us used to FWD cars find them to be not as smooth as the Foci or others, at least from the start.

The only gripe I have with the clutch is that it's rake/stroke to the floor is as long as it is. I like knowing that the GT has a 32-spline 8.8" rear end, which is able to sustain a lot more power than the ones in the SN95's...

I also agree with what Reldrige said about rethinking the idea to s***can the H/B's (which if memory serves me correctly, were the highest selling models in Canada at least...?). Dumb dumb dumb idea. Hopefully Ford will smarten up with the 2010 Focus, and if it IS the MK II, it will be a homerun...in which case, leave it the HELL alone!!! :lol:

[NOS2Go4Me]

Drivesthebeast,Jan 21 2007, 02:18 PM Wrote:Anyways, did anyone notice that the 2008 Focus Coupe comes with Pirelli P-Zero Nero's on it?  The same tires spec'd on the Mustang GT's with 17" rims, and also one of the highest rated tires in it's class.  That looks/sounds half decent.
[right][snapback]224082[/snapback][/right]

That's a great example of a waste of good tires on a milquetoast redesign. I wish they had given those tires up as an option for the SVT owners, or even the ST owners. Hell, the ST owners got bent over as they weren't even offered 17s from the factory.

Year over year, the sporting options for the Focus have slid away into nothingness. If they wanted our reactions to be positive, they would have put a new ST/SVT/GT SOMETHING out there right freaking NOW. Not for 2009 or later.

And if I had an Auto GT Stang, I'd shift-kit the bitch 1/2 an hour after leaving the showroom. Hell, even Stockfish is a full Roush dealer now. :)

Yeah, if the 2010 Focus is pretty much a Euro-spec Focus... just intro it. Even the 2000 N.A. Focus and the <2000 Euro Focus (pre-Facelift) weren't that different... just the addition of the SPI for gas misers, deletion of the smaller Zetecs because of the SPI (and our need for more torque on the base engine and no diesels being offered) and presto... same car. The interiors were left alone in N.A. for 5 years before the 2005 N.A. "facelift", but they weren't THAT different. Now, when you put a 2007 Focus next to a 2007 Euro Focus, and that next to a 2008 "new" Focus... the 2008 is immediately singled-out as the least "Focus"-like of the bunch.

It'll be at least 2 years of fleet sales and clueless grandmas (long beyond SPI stuff) before they regain their footing at this rate. Of course, by then the 2007 and older MY faithfuls will be up against the end of their leases or 1-2 years left on their financing. I can guarantee you that a lack of Euro (or even sensible) content will keep me from ever owning another Focus.

[Drivesthebeast]

If they do bring the MKII to NA, then I'll get my gf to get one, instead of her desire to have a Mazda 3 GT Sedan...

[Kool_ZX3]

The C2 is coming 2010

[FocusGuy7476]

Kool_ZX3,Jan 22 2007, 01:37 AM Wrote:The C2 is coming 2010
[right][snapback]224135[/snapback][/right]

whats your source??

[Frost__2001]

Honesly the the Way that Everyone is Hyping the MK3 2010 Focus is a Joke, really it is, Becuase we full well know that we would not see it till 2012, just because there is no way Ford, or Any Car Company would drop a redesigned Car in just 2 years, Just to bring out a fully new model from the ground up. In Europe they will be getting the 2010 MK3 Focus on Schedule, Unless Ford Of Europe dose a facelift MK2 Focus like they did with the MK1's in 2002.

Realistically I'm Suprised no one is going, good job to Ford of America for doing what they could on such a limited budget they had for the car, as the company is still loosing vasts ammounts of money at the time, and still is, when they launched this A.MK 1.3 Facelift Focus. Honestly I think we're kidding ourselfs saying " Yeah the Next Focus will be Great! " or " We'll Finally be getting a MK2 or 3 for 2010" just because if Ford continues to slide and fall further and further in to debt, they will cut more things they can't afford, like retooling a plant, or spending the budget to revamp the current global Focus to North American Safety and emmissions standards just to sell it here.

The C2 Platform is a great one, and I highly doubt Ford of America will bring it along anytime soon, as it was made and designed in Europe. Ford Said years ago that the 2008 Focus Concept shown at the Shanghai Autoshow in 2004 or 2005? would be our 2008 Focus and it will have a C2 platform and the 2008 Focus will be a Global Focus Again! well guess what it's almost 2008 and this is what they could do on a budget, we can choose to buy what they made or do what most people do when they don't like something, and that's look else where till the next one comes along.

We all have said it before, and hear it all the time when people say " It's just a Focus " We know for a fact Ford of America will more then likely never sell the Fiesta, or Ka here under the Focus and let the Focus go upscale, like Nissan is doing with it's Sentra with the Introduction of the Versa under the Sentra. Honestly I really think and most of you would agree with me here and say Ford Of America, would rather go-it-alone then take notes from Ford of Europe & Austraila, on how to build a car.

[Kool_ZX3]

A B segment car is coming and ford showed it at the "cars of tomorrow" show for employee's last month..... I heard it a very nice car and ford got just right.

The c2 focus in 2010 news has been going around or months now, it's coming.... This car is a hollover until the whole thing is ready. Europe and everyone else is getting the car around the same time we are getting it. Why design the focus on the c1 and go through all that work when c2 is coming a few years later?

The c2 is coming though, that's a fact.... The car is being designed with all countries in mind and all new ford's will be done the same, common platforms will be used and more common styling going forward.

Derrick Kuzak
This guy is going to make sure of it..... He is going to do much like lutz did at GM, pool all the global resources together and have one team do one thing for Europe, North America, Australia etc....

[NefCanuck]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The Euro platform for the Focus will not be hitting these shores in 2010, no ifs and or buts (The Detriot Lions will win the Superbowl before that happens)

Ford just dumped a ton of cash into the car do the latest interior & exterior reskin, there's no way that they will not at least make back the cost of the retooling before they even think about merging the platforms again.

Therefor IMO don't expect a reuniting of the platforms until at least 2012, if that.

NefCanuck

[D-Dub]

I can tell you right now the 2 door will tank in N/A and this is the last redesign for the focus.... before they axe it and come up with something new. If they wanted to release the Euro focus here they would have done it this year, instead of dumping money into stupid redesigns. Face it its just another cavalier or a taurus, same s*** just a different package......

If you want Euro buy Euro........I know I will be, unless Gm starts bringing over some sick Opels....which they promised to do.

[Frost__2001]

D-Dub,Jan 23 2007, 12: Wrote:I can tell you right now the 2 door will tank in N/A and this is the last redesign for the focus.... before they axe it and come up with something new. If they wanted to release the Euro focus here they would have done it this year, instead of dumping money into stupid redesigns. Face it its just another cavalier or a taurus, same s*** just a different package......

If you want Euro buy Euro........I know I will be, unless Gm starts bringing over some sick Opels....which they promised to do.
[right][snapback]224243[/snapback][/right]

they are the Saturn Astra will be on sale in Sept 2007 as a 2008 model year, with the higher engine spetrem of the Opel engine line ups (ie. 2.0's)

[Flofocus]

new focus will be here by 2010-2012 fer sure. By that time were all in MS3's or volvo c30's :lol:

[euro]

If they put a 2.3l duratec, SVT brakes, 17" wheels and a different bumper. Well this car would be allright. We don't get the C1, well Europe doesn't get the new coupe :rolleyes: OK they win again. Ford is an American car maker right or it's Euro based :rolleyes: OK, if thet do what I wrote down and put the 2.3l turbo from the mazdaspeed3 (using the mtx-75 :P ) I'll get one, I'll make it look like a escort oh wait it looks like the new escort :P crap. I'll make my focus last an other 5 years and see what the 2010 focus will look like :unsure: I hope for them that they do well.

We should drive to the head office this summer and do a show of protest, 300 custom focuses in their parking lot protesting the new car (with media :P ) will show that customers are allways right! Oh, I'm just pissed off. But it would be fun as a meet! I'll drive all the way from Calgary for that! Stupid saturn/tiburon/nissan sentra focus. :angry2: