RAJ27

Very very important car for Ford.....and it looks somewhat disappointing?

New Ford Focus is here! | Auto Express News | News | Auto Express

New Ford Focus revealed - Autocar.co.uk

Matteeboy

Oh dear - It looks like a Kia.

That rear end is gash.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Uncanny resemblance - especially to their prototypes:



Especially the rear quarter.

Ford outdone by the Koreans - who'd have thought it?


Hang on; this is Auto Express; Well know for their Photoshops. Their pictures probably are a photochopped C'eed prototype

Dream Weaver

Those pics are from the Detroit show so probably accurate.

As a family car I don't mind it, looks like the Kuga at the back which I like a lot but I need to see it in the flesh before making judgement.

Rumours are they aren't making any hot versions in the future, defo no RS which is a shame.

RB5SCOTT

The first focus was edgy but since every new model comes out they have kept dumbing it down to look like every other car. Rear end looks crap now, i prefer the pillar lights not ones that come all the way across the back panel

Matteeboy

The facelifted "current" Focus is definitely better than the first mk2 but all struggle to look as good as a mk1 RS and an ST170. The looked modern, neat and different as well as purposeful. Then Mr Ford came along, inserted a big pump into it and overinflated the car as well as adding a lot of lead to it. The FRS is 1500kgs - for a FWD hatchback. That isn't right. This one will probably top two tonnes (!) even for the base spec 1.6...

Jimpreza

I thought the Focus RS weighed more than 1500kg.

Matteeboy

Parkers says 1467kg but I've seen over 1500 for it. Heavy whatever it is!

Dream Weaver

I had a Mk1 Focus and now have a Mk2 and although the Mk2 is much bigger it feels so much better inside than the original. Mk1 was an ace car, and I keep looking for another as a trak car as they handle superbly, but it feels "old" now when you drive one.

Petem95

I don't really like Fords, but that doesn't look that bad to me - just looks like a facelife of the current model rather than an all-new model.

Sure it will still sell plenty and be a good drive.

paulwrxboro

it looks ok nothing flash, just a facelift

Jamescsti

Think it looks pretty good, although I think the colour doesn't do it justice, think the sporty versions will look sweet, states they are developing "new turbo petrol and diesel engines" think an ST model will look good if not an RS

stilover

I very much doubt an RS will happen. This Focus will be bigger and heavier than the current version. And weight was the reason they didn't give it 4WD. An RS of the new car will be one big heavy mother ****** even without 4WD. So we'd get another FWD compromised heavy hatch.

Ford are planning a Focus Coupe though, so an RS version of that would make more sense as long as it weighed less that the Hatch.

Considering the Fiesta is almost the same size as the MK1 Focus, a Fiesta RS would be the best option for Ford. However I doubt they'd give us a Fiesta RS as it would cost too much compared to it's rivals.

BOB.T

Can you prove that AE have ever used an actual photo? I thought it was a comic!

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

But all cars are getting bigger and heavier. A lot of it is out of the hands of the manufacturers too... we want more toys, better and better spec as standard and the EU rules on emissions, safety etc mean that all the extra weight often goes on safety including crumple zones blah blah.

Cars are a lot safer but in my mind it does take the edge off the driving experience trying to move a barge around!

5t.

Matteeboy

Some make them lighter - the mk5 Astra was lighter than the mk4 for example and a few others (who I've forgotten!) have done the same.

What amuses me is those that blather on about how sporty their car is only to find it has been specced to within an inch of it's life with heavy and pointless extras.

I wish manufacturers would stop the weight gain - the materials and technology are available to to so without sky high costs. "Progress" to me is not adding a 15th airbag and a NASA control system (computer controlling stuff is actually cheaper than mechanically controlling it and makes servicing by other non dealers much harder....) but looking at the weight and balance of stuff.

The Focus RS is a performance car - why the hell does it weigh so much when it's a smallish engined FWD hatch? Does it have lead wheels or something?

A real shame as Ford do make decent cars (mk2 RS included) but to me, making a FWD hatch weigh 1500+kg is about as "performance" orientated as giving it beige velour seats and cross ply tyres.

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

Matteeeboy we are hardly talking about the majority of cars with the Astra are we?

The fact is crumple zones, impact braces, ABS, EBD, Traction control, climate zones, cats, airbags etc have all made a huge difference. People want to be in a nice comfy car with a boot and foot space etc so the cabin stays the same size, if not bigger and the car gets fatter. Even the engines are increasing in size in order to meet emissions (2.5 as opposed to 2.0)

Computer control might be better than mechanical in many ways but the computer has still got to have something mechanical to control in the first place and don't forget, people don't want to pay more for their cars either so fancy materials are out.

This is why Ford could make the Escort Cosworth seem like it ripped up tarmac with just over 200bhp and a hefty four wheel drive system. Even the Lux model weighed in at a slimline 1320kg but they have no chance of doing it with a Focus.

Agree re:spec on a sporty car, no point on an elise or something but for most it is a GT they are looking for so spec away on that (assuming it is going to be used to cross Europe)

5t.

Matteeboy

Five - indeed the Astra was a rare example of a mainstream car being made lighter - partly what attracted me to it.

You don't have to use fancy materials to make stuff lighter - you just use what you have more sensibly and design it better. Not easy but definitely achievable. A heavier car needs more bhp to shift that weight, bigger and more powerful brakes, will use more fuel - it's getting out of control I reckon.

There are many cars out there that seem great until you realise what they weigh - how on earth have LR made the new Disco top 2.8 tonnes?! That's almost truck like in weight.

I agree that safety features are all good but I think weight just gets ignored too much and manufacturers get away with producing over lardy cars.

stilover

Cars don't have to get bigger. The Focus MK2 could have been the same size as the MK1, however all we hear is "it has enlarged leg room" "Enlarged Boot space" etc They make them bigger because they say we want them bigger.

If I have a Golf, and I want it bigger car, I won't write to VW asking them to make the next golf bigger, I'd go out and buy a Passat.

The Fiesta has just as much safety equipment as a Focus, but is smaller. They could make the Focus smaller and lighter without compromising safety. A smaller & lighter Focus would need less power to make the same performance, would handle better as there would be less weight to shift, and would get better mpg.

There is no reason why cars should keep getting bigger. Indeed Ferrari have stated their cars will get smaller & lighter.

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

Ferrari... for the man in the street eh?

Given they are not meant to be practical in anyway and most of the older ones are bemoaned as unreliable, expensive to run and poor handling they are hardly a great example.

As matteeboy says the Astra was a rarity. We do demand a lot of toys and the law damands a lot of safety. If Ford made the Focus smaller they'd have to call it a Fiesta.

5t.

Matteeboy

True and there are those who are a bit extreme.

I remember waffling on (in my usual style) about the old mk2 GTi vs mk4 R32 argument. No matter I said, mk2 owners (I used to be one too) were convinced that the mk2 was a million times better than the mk4 R32. Lighter (yep) and nimbler (possibly) but with almost no brakes, no security and no safety at all, I wasn't so sure.

Having said that the R32, which was criticised for weighing 1477kgs, is still lighter than the mk2 Focus RS despite being better made, 4WD and packing an extra cylinder and 0.7 more litres capacity. Yes 240bhp was lame from a 3.2 V6 but 300bhp was fairly easy to achieve. Has the game moved on in five or so years? Tricky to decide.