Good to hear. I like it because of the funky styling, but that is just me.

 

Good to hear. I like it because of the ugly styling, but that is just me.

There fixed it for you :lol:

But still, good news, however I would like to see Ford catch up to Chevy with their fuel efficiency.

 

The styling really has grown on me quite a bit, except for the cheesy fake fender grill thing. I saw several on the way to work this morning, and I like them in silver and that light gray/silvery color. Certain colors make the car stand out (in a good way). Still, I'd take my Mazda3 over it without hesitation.

 

The two-doors are growing on me. However, I hate the grille and the fender vents.

It's one of those things though; I'd rather have seen the Euro version come over than the one on sale now. IMHO, the looks don't even compare.

I'm both happy and not so happy it's selling well. I'd love to see Ford make some money and have some success. However, part of me wanted to see it not do so well so Ford might get the idea that this is not what people really want.

Then again, with an 88% jump, maybe it is what people want. (It's just not what I want.)

 

Ford’s new Focus posted an 88 percent increase in retail sales compared with a year ago;highest April sales for Focus since 2000.


So much for it being a failure....though I'd say its success is more from being the right car at the right time (A car with good MPG in light of high gas prices) then anything else. Outside of the somewhat funky styling (its starting to grow on me) its a pretty soild car...

http://media.ford.com/pdf/080501_Ford_April08_US_SalesResults.pdf

It was the first "new" focus in 10 years. Isn't it just common sense that it would sell better than the previous model? Focus sales are high because of Sync, fuel prices and the $1500 in rebates plus dealer discounts currently offered. Its not a failure, but Ford spent a lot of money to just build another car that only sells because its cheap.

 

So it says 88% increase in "retail sales" but total sales are only up 43%, still a pretty damned good number. But its not 88%..... :dunno:

Focus 2008 - 23,850 2007 - 16,626 Change - 43.5% YTD 2008 - 72,920 2007 - 56,463 Change - 29.1%

 

Another question, is Ford making $ off Focus sales?

 

I'm sure some, and if its reliable, you more importantly gain a future customer base.

I'd wager that ALL inexpensive fuel economic vehicles are up in sales right now, as peeps are in a gas panic, especially fueled by sensationalist media warning of a huge economic doom and gas prices tripling.

 

I'd wager that ALL inexpensive fuel economic vehicles are up in sales right now, as peeps are in a gas panic, especially fueled by sensationalist media warning of a huge economic doom and gas prices tripling.

I can tell you that Yaris sales are up 46% in April.

http://sev.prnewswire.com/auto/20080501/LATH08801052008-1.html

 

Good time (and getting better) to get a lightly-used F150 if you need a truck for truck duties! All over the lots and depreciating hourly.

 

As much as our particular community (heavily favoring track type setups and hatches, etc) doesn't care for the new Focus style- it really is a nice car.

The interior is in a whole new league over past Foci. The exterior is, well, different, but it has potential.

I think Ford didn't screw up as much as many here like to think. :thumbup:

 

I'm both happy and not so happy it's selling well. I'd love to see Ford make some money and have some success. However, part of me wanted to see it not do so well so Ford might get the idea that this is not what people really want.

Then again, with an 88% jump, maybe it is what people want. (It's just not what I want.)

Thats what I don't get, if someone finds a shortcoming with a car, they automatically assume that everyone else shouldn't like it either?

WTF?

So it says 88% increase in "retail sales" but total sales are only up 43%, still a pretty damned good number. But its not 88%.....

Its just a statement of fact so all the haters out there don't say the new car is being dumped into fleets, as for sales, most sales are with the SES models, which have a higher selling point then the stripper models that have been moving the Focus line for the past couple years. As for the rebate thing, outside of certain higher price C-cars like the Mini, who DOESN'T have them? In all likelyhood, the rebates are already built into the price of the car and are on there just to draw people in who are already conditioned to look for a rebate on a car...

 

So it says 88% increase in "retail sales" but total sales are only up 43%, still a pretty damned good number. But its not 88%..... :dunno:

Focus 2008 - 23,850 2007 - 16,626 Change - 43.5% YTD 2008 - 72,920 2007 - 56,463 Change - 29.1%

because when ford boosts sales to fleet everyone bitches they are just reaching for sales and killing resale value.

This is showing a GOOD change because every retail sale over a fleet sale = more profit, and a higher optioned car.

The fact that sales are being driven by the HIGH end foci is a good thing, it shows americans are no longer scared to buy nice C class cars, and DON'T want stripped cars like ford was tryign to shove down their throats for the last few years. we have seen now the focus ONLY sells well with LOTS of features, in stripped form sales tank. It happned when it first came out, and now sales are back up again now that content has gone up again.

I am still sure ford is kicking themselves for not doing this a little sooner, i bet they wish they had the fiesta coming out now too, along with the bronco/ecosport like they were SUPPOSE to.