RE: Warm Focus due by the summer
Thursday 15th February 2007
Focus ST: cooler version dueFord is set to produce a cut-down version of the Focus ST, according to Auto Express, and it'll be here by the summer.
Warm Focus due by the summer
Ford to make ST variant cheaper to run
Focus ST: cooler version due
The car will look pretty much like the 222bhp ST, only without the much-feted car's front wings' silver gills and with new alloys, but will be warm rather than hot. The aim to make it more affordable among the young, so expect lower insurance premiums as a result of a 2-litre four-pot engine pushing out 145bhp.
According to the story, the suspension setup will be the same as the ST's however, but it'll get to 60mph in under 10 seconds -- the ST makes it in 6.8 seconds.
It'll cost less than the £17,995 ST, slotting in just above the £14,845 1.8-litre Sport.
Ford usually has a warm Focus for sale -- the last one was the well-received ST170 whose dynamics were praised -- if not its relative lack of horsepower.
Discussion
The Mk1 Focus 2.0 Ghia didn't sell that well, as it offered very little extra performance over the 1.8 and the diesels, yet was substantially more thirsty. This seems to fall into the same category.
IMHO it DOES seem an odd one. There's a huge performance gap between the ST and the TDCi's, so something like an ST170 engine would be an obvious fit (Fiesta ST engine with different breathing thanks to the extra under-bonnet space, perhaps?). 160-ish bhp would compete quite nicely with say the Astra SRi, but without making it insurance-unfriendly.
IMHO it DOES seem an odd one. There's a huge performance gap between the ST and the TDCi's, so something like an ST170 engine would be an obvious fit (Fiesta ST engine with different breathing thanks to the extra under-bonnet space, perhaps?). 160-ish bhp would compete quite nicely with say the Astra SRi, but without making it insurance-unfriendly.
RDE said:
Why not give it 170 HP again then? Or maybe 5-10 more? Seems foolish to decrease the power if they're trying to copy the car, especially seeing as this iteration is probably heavier (as per usual).
That's just it - they're not trying to copy the ST170 (IMHO the article does the ST170 a disservice - it was more 'hot' than warm, as the power-delivery was deceptive and it was long-geared, and of course the RS took most of the accolades), but trying to fit a model in between the boring Focuses and the ST.
I guess the analogy would be the creation of (say) the Ka and Lupo - the Fiesta/Polo and Escort/Focus/Golf kept getting bigger, so there was suddenly room for a new model underneath. The power of hot-hatches has kept getting bigger, so making room for a new gen of 'warm' hatches, all with similar/more power than a Mk4 Golf GTi!
Philbes said:
But this engine is already available in the Focus Zetec, Ghia and Titanium. So it is just suspension, wheels & styling differences?
Ah, that changes things then.
It isn't a 'brand new' version - it's just a marketing exercise trying to get more money out of the tooling for the bodykit on the ST.
And 145bhp in nearly 1,400kg of car is hardly 'warm' by today's standards. My wife's Fiesta Zetec-S has a better bhp/tonne than that!!! Hell, my diesel can't be far off (c.120bhp in a Mk1), and with much more torque/tonne!
The old narrowbore centred Zetec/CVH-derived ST170 engine was killed off a few years ago.
The new I-4 has enormous tuning potential but annoyingly Ford are always allergic to adapting their engines to make peak power beyond 6000rpm (giving no more than 80ps/litre), and fitting in the necessary low pressure-loss inlet and exhaust systems.
The best bet is putting the 2.3 I-4 that is about to go in the new-mondeo and this is roughly 165PS with a fat torque curve.
The new I-4 has enormous tuning potential but annoyingly Ford are always allergic to adapting their engines to make peak power beyond 6000rpm (giving no more than 80ps/litre), and fitting in the necessary low pressure-loss inlet and exhaust systems.
The best bet is putting the 2.3 I-4 that is about to go in the new-mondeo and this is roughly 165PS with a fat torque curve.
scoobiewrx said:
It's a great way of shifting all those surplus chassis and bodies sitting around doing nothing. They've got to be sold somehow i suppose. 
What makes you think the Focus is selling badly?
Don't confuse Ford North America's problems with Ford in Europe which is running at capacity.
nickfrog said:
How do you know they are running at capacity ? If so, why do they discount so heavily ? Just to give money away ?
A 3-year old volume model not having spare capcity ?
A 3-year old volume model not having spare capcity ?
I know because I work for them. They are discounting (just like pretty much everybody else) but not so heavily that they are losing money on them. 3 years is probably about peak volume, and things like this warmed-over focus are just some of the many little things they have to do to stir up a bit of interest and maintain volumes. Nothing unusual really is it!
Next.........
Actually wheeljack might have a point because with most manufacturers it isn't until such time as there is a brand new shape/model on the visible horizon that they start selling the old model with lots of added extras, bells and whistles, coupled with further discounts in order to shift the last of the old stock.
So fair enough
So fair enough
wheeljack said:
nickfrog said:
How do you know they are running at capacity ? If so, why do they discount so heavily ? Just to give money away ?
A 3-year old volume model not having spare capcity ?
A 3-year old volume model not having spare capcity ?
I know because I work for them. They are discounting (just like pretty much everybody else) but not so heavily that they are losing money on them. 3 years is probably about peak volume, and things like this warmed-over focus are just some of the many little things they have to do to stir up a bit of interest and maintain volumes. Nothing unusual really is it!
Next.........
Sorry I don't buy it. You can buy a new Focus with 21% discount from a dealer trhough Broadspeed for instance. Manufacturers who truly do a good job to balance demand and capacity do not give away so much margin. As an insider, you are telling me that every single Focus that can operationnaly be made is sold straight away? Last time I flew over a certain airfield in Bedfordshire a few weeks ago, there were QUITE a few unsold Focus.
Gassing Station | Ford | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff