Putting together the puzzle of the Future of Focus

igor2 · Feb 28, 2006

focaljet-1 said:
Also, whether we get the C1 platform or not, odds are it will NOT look like the Euro Focus.

Peter Horbury, Executive Director of Design, North America, has already said that European wannabe designs are out at Ford. From now on, it’s bold, open American designs that say “Hi, I’m Dave! Fly Me to Miami!”

Yes, the above is a quote from him.

I like the new design direction.. somehow with the preception Ford has in the US the Euro look with a blue oval always ended up looking frumpy.. while it was pure hottness in Europe.. I think we are better off with straight up - from the start -US intende bodywork... I like the new face.. especially how it is worn by the Bronco and Reflex concepts.... I think ford found a good design to stick with for now

Igor

Thameth · Feb 28, 2006

focaljet-1 said:
Peter Horbury, Executive Director of Design, North America, has already said that European wannabe designs are out at Ford. From now on, it’s bold, open American designs that say “Hi, I’m Dave! Fly Me to Miami!”

Yes, the above is a quote from him.

WHAT THE ****????? What is that supposed to mean? Am i missing something about Miami? Also of all places Miami is so Euro car hungry compared to the rest of the country its not even funny.

Color me puzzled.... :dunno:

secondechomatt · Feb 28, 2006

I picture that being said with a very flamboyant lisp, and a wave of the hand! :lol:

SilverSVT · Feb 28, 2006

Thameth said:
WHAT THE ****????? What is that supposed to mean? Am i missing something about Miami? Also of all places Miami is so Euro car hungry compared to the rest of the country its not even funny.

Color me puzzled.... :dunno:

Stupid qoute from him, but basically it means bold designs incorprating the design cues from the 427, ala the Fusion. No more boring or sedate cars like the 500 or 05 Focus....cars that have "style", but often style is in the eye of the beholder.

blucarz · Mar 1, 2006

Yep - I've heard from designers within Ford that the next Focus will be C170 and sedan/coupe only. Why must they hate us hatch owners? First no 2.3 and now this?

Thameth · Mar 1, 2006

SilverSVT said:
Stupid qoute from him, but basically it means bold designs incorprating the design cues from the 427, ala the Fusion. No more boring or sedate cars like the 500 or 05 Focus....cars that have "style", but often style is in the eye of the beholder.

Yea too bad the Fusion isn't that DARING.....

highlander · Mar 2, 2006

I bet these Ford executives want to have a US only small car only so that they could have a project for themselves in order for them to keep their jobs. If the company imports everything what is left for these idiots to do? might as well fire them.

Furthermore, if the Ford Europe car sold successfully it will only make US executives look incompetent. So what is the incentive for them to do sell those cars properly?

Lets face the facts. The Focus, designed from Europe, is a success in US in terms of sales volume. If there was no significant quality issues (hence costly recalls and warranty repairs) the Focus would have been profitable. Ford would not need that much incentives to move them off the lot too. Ford needs to fire those selfish executives and bring the 2nd gen Focus here.

igor2 · Mar 2, 2006

highlander said:
I bet these Ford executives want to have a US only small car only so that they could have a project for themselves in order for them to keep their jobs. If the company imports everything what is left for these idiots to do? might as well fire them.

Furthermore, if the Ford Europe car sold successfully it will only make US executives look incompetent. So what is the incentive for them to do sell those cars properly?

Lets face the facts. The Focus, designed from Europe, is a success in US in terms of sales volume. If there was no significant quality issues (hence costly recalls and warranty repairs) the Focus would have been profitable. Ford would not need that much incentives to move them off the lot too. Ford needs to fire those selfish executives and bring the 2nd gen Focus here.

Highlander...
did you even read any of this thread?

Mark Fields and Bill Ford, once the fnally got hold of Ford NA have been heard several times saying that they are VERY unhappy with hte Focus situation. Ever since Fields took over it was rumored that he has been pushing for the MkII Focus to be brought over and these efforts were aparently suported by Bill Ford.

Now the rumore that just restarted the thread is that they found a good business decision that will bring overgood focus- skip MkII and simply speed up development of MkIII and bring it over in late 2007 - early 2008...

I believe what you said did happen.. Ford NA has brand new leadership, and something seems ot be hapening.. but we will have to wait to actually see the results.

Igor

SilverSVT · Mar 2, 2006

Thameth said:
Yea too bad the Fusion isn't that DARING.....

Well it looks better then the 500 or 05 Focus

You run a fine line between daring and Ugly when it comes automobile design. Just take a look at the 07 Navigator or even the 300C....either people hate them or love it.

wilko · Mar 2, 2006

I am EXCITED to see that there is still a Future for the Focus. Or at least that Bill Ford Jr is concerned. Even if this is a "ru-more". Thanks for the info everyone.

IMHO there is still legs left in the C170 platform. Ford will have to do a good makeover to rebound from the slow sales.

Thameth · Mar 2, 2006

SilverSVT said:
Well it looks better then the 500 or 05 Focus

Agreed....

Thameth · Mar 2, 2006

igor2 said:
Highlander...
did you even read any of this thread?

Mark Fields and Bill Ford, once the fnally got hold of Ford NA have been heard several times saying that they are VERY unhappy with hte Focus situation. Ever since Fields took over it was rumored that he has been pushing for the MkII Focus to be brought over and these efforts were aparently suported by Bill Ford.

Now the rumore that just restarted the thread is that they found a good business decision that will bring overgood focus- skip MkII and simply speed up development of MkIII and bring it over in late 2007 - early 2008...

I believe what you said did happen.. Ford NA has brand new leadership, and something seems ot be hapening.. but we will have to wait to actually see the results.

Igor

Yea but now your missing the part where they said the next focus will NOT look like the European one, it will finally be on the same platform but have its own american "look"

:what: :screwy:

igor2 · Mar 2, 2006

^^^Well I am holding my judgement for that one.. Fusion is not the best inloks, but I like the Edge, the Reflex and the Bronco .. they all manage to carry the new front very nice...

I understand their decision to kill Euro design for the US.... but yeah there is no great looking, or even good looking "truly American" small car... this will be a first...

but if thye manage to pull it off as they did on the reflex it will be great..

Igor

OmniFocus · Mar 2, 2006

Unfortunately, a Focus that isn't a hatch will not make my list for consideration.

I hope that rumor does not hold true.

Thameth · Mar 2, 2006

igor2 said:
^^^Well I am holding my judgement for that one.. Fusion is not the best inloks, but I like the Edge, the Reflex and the Bronco .. they all manage to carry the new front very nice...

I understand their decision to kill Euro design for the US.... but yeah there is no great looking, or even good looking "truly American" small car... this will be a first...

but if thye manage to pull it off as they did on the reflex it will be great..

Igor

Again, for the vets around here we really don't trust Ford US to design us a "Merican" Focus..... Again why go through all the BS and work of design, R&D, testing when you have one part of your company already doing it on a great selling award winning car. Its just plain stupid.

The MKI Focus did great in the US with its Euro design until Ford US killed the car by decontenting and then sticking their hands in the design jar. Billy boy has lost our confidence, he's had enough time to do something. Marky will have to do something bold since he's a newb. Until then most of us will not ride the oohhhh they say they will change things.

I think its safe to say most Jet vets are highly dissapointed to hear they're saying the current or next Euro Focus will not be seen here as it is designed and released in europe.........

One of the only reasons i first ran to a dealership at 8pm at night 6 years ago to see my first Ford Focus was because it was fully designed by Ford of Europe.... now that is slowly slipping away.

Thameth · Mar 2, 2006

OmniFocus said:
Unfortunately, a Focus that isn't a hatch will not make my list for consideration.

I hope that rumor does not hold true.

Same here.....

igor2 · Mar 2, 2006

Thameth said:
Again, for the vets around here we really don't trust Ford US to design us a "Merican" Focus..... Again why go through all the BS and work of design, R&D, testing when you have one part of your company already doing it on a great selling award winning car. Its just plain stupid.

The MKI Focus did great in the US with its Euro design until Ford US killed the car by decontenting and then sticking their hands in the design jar. Billy boy has lost our confidence, he's had enough time to do something. Marky will have to do something bold since he's a newb. Until then most of us will not ride the oohhhh they say they will change things.

I think its safe to say most Jet vets are highly dissapointed to hear they're saying the current or next Euro Focus will not be seen here as it is designed and released in europe.........

One of the only reasons i first ran to a dealership at 8pm at night 6 years ago to see my first Ford Focus was because it was fully designed by Ford of Europe.... now that is slowly slipping away.

Point taken...

I believe there was a Press release about 2 months ago where Ford justigfied their divergence from Ford of europe, because the Eurodesignes didn't appeal to the people in the US, ford wanted them to appeal to. Of course if they showed the Fivehundred or the 05 Focus as "Euro" styling that hardly holds any value.. but maybe they did show MkII Focus and mondeo or somwthing...

finaly.. there really are no mass manufaturers releasing world cars anymore.. Mazda, VW, Subaru and the luxury Europeans pretty much the only ones left.
So maybe there really is wide enough split across the atlantinc making selling Euro styled mainstream cars impossible (Honda, Toyota and Nissan gave up already).

But yeah... I know I sound enthusiastic.. and do get excited over talk, but I know nothing matters untill it is spinning around as a production model on an Auto show.

Igor

highlander · Mar 2, 2006

igor2 said:
Now the rumore that just restarted the thread is that they found a good business decision that will bring overgood focus- skip MkII and simply speed up development of MkIII and bring it over in late 2007 - early 2008... Igor

They can say what they want in the press, but who knows if they are really putting efforts into it. Perhaps next month they are going to say something else. Talk is cheap. And 2008 seems kinda distant to me, who knows what the competition will come up with by that time. Look at this Honda Civic that they brought over this year. Chances are in 2008 the bar will be raised once again by someone.

SilverFocusZX3 · Mar 2, 2006

I love all this discussion, and the thing that would make me the MOST happy would be for someone to just be like....BAM...here is a picture of the next focus....(and for that car to be beautiful) Hell make the Reflex, tone it down and call it a Focus haha.

The question I have is what are everyones thoughts about this playing any roll with the C30? Do you think Ford could wait to see how the C30 does? Could they release something right after? Or does the fact that the general non automotive informed public has no idea that the C30 is almost a Focus from Europe not play a role?

jinstall · Mar 2, 2006

I am starting to wonder if the new Focus is going to look exactly like the new Galaxy and Focus S-Max?

Putting together the puzzle of the Future of Focus

igor2

Thameth

secondechomatt

SilverSVT

blucarz

Thameth

highlander

igor2

SilverSVT

wilko

Thameth

Thameth

igor2

OmniFocus

Thameth

Thameth

igor2

highlander

SilverFocusZX3

jinstall

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