Oh, I thought they would have come back like this:

Dear Ben,

Are you sure there is no North American Ford Focus ST? We could have sworn we made one of those. Hmmm.... Are you sure? Positive?

:lol: At least that type of response wouldn't surprise me...

Greg

 

Dear Ben:

We at Ford already attempted to bring this type of car to North America with our SVT Focus.

In typical fashion, we mismarketed the SVT, failed to give it enough power to have credibility with our target market, and allowed non-SVT dealerships to carry it. They did a fine job of not properly selling the model and treated it like a red-headed stepchild. We are especially proud that most of our dealership network does not even recognize the car as a Ford product. SVT owners truly seem to like having to explain the SVT car wash and rental car policy to the dealership Service Manager when they bring in their SVT Focus for commonplace non-covered repairs.

We do not think the North American car buyer wants a car like the ST, because it has refinement, power, distinctiveness and good fuel economy at the same time. We would prefer to continue to sell the decontented Focus in order to keep our C.A.F.E. numbers down. That's all we care about anyway. Besides, our accounting and marketing departments think the tacky aluminum gauge surround on the current ST is sufficient to appease the American public for at least two more years. It has a certain "boy racer" look that sets the ST apart.

If you want a performance model, might I suggest the Mustang?

Sincerely,

Bill Ford

 

Oh lord, how true.

 

OMG...that's nice.

Greg

 

Maybe I do not understand. Am I missing something?? I am looking at a 2006 Focus sales catalog and right there on the first page is a 2006 Ford Focus ST??

 

Maybe I do not understand. Am I missing something?? I am looking at a 2006 Focus sales catalog and right there on the first page is a 2006 Ford Focus ST??

Yes it is true we have a Focus ST but it is only sold as a 4 door with minor trim updates and a slightly larger and stronger 2.3L motor at I believe 153 hp and only comes in a manual with some SVT suspension work.The Euro ST is completely different and on the new C1 platform and it has a factory turbo putting out over 200 hp.
Needless to say Ford won't sell that here due to cost reasons,etc. from what I have been reading.:thumbdown @ Ford.

 

Yeah I am always pissed off when my cousins from the old country tell me what is available... I emailed them that I bought a 2006 focus ST, they were impressed till I sent the pics, lol....

they thought I had bought that:

but... I have this:

not too bad but a factory I-5 w/turbo would have been nice...

 

Ya i want the MK II here in NA but noooooooo, there response was we're not selling the Focus ST in america, well no SH'IT.. BUT WHY!!!!!

 

But, my feed back was takin ya know! so we have a chance

 

people when are you going ro realize that the only people who would buy a euro ST are 100 people on this board???????????????????????

There is no market for a C1 ford focus............................. when are you going to realize this. Who, in the general public, will pay that much more for a FORD FOCUS. Remeber, in the general publics eye... THE FORD FOCUS IS A PIECE OF JUNK....

nuff/ said

 

I disagree. people can appreaciate quality when they see it. The C1 is a phenominal automobile platform. Look at Mazda 3 sales. That alone would point to the MKII focus being a success. Even if we didn't get the ST.

 

I disagree. people can appreaciate quality when they see it. The C1 is a phenominal automobile platform. Look at Mazda 3 sales. That alone would point to the MKII focus being a success. Even if we didn't get the ST.

Mazda 3 ...... droooool....

 

people when are you going ro realize that the only people who would buy a euro ST are 100 people on this board???????????????????????

There is no market for a C1 ford focus............................. when are you going to realize this. Who, in the general public, will pay that much more for a FORD FOCUS. Remeber, in the general publics eye... THE FORD FOCUS IS A PIECE OF JUNK....

nuff/ said

 

 

Dear Ben:

We at Ford already attempted to bring this type of car to North America with our SVT Focus.

In typical fashion, we mismarketed the SVT, failed to give it enough power to have credibility with our target market, and allowed non-SVT dealerships to carry it. They did a fine job of not properly selling the model and treated it like a red-headed stepchild. We are especially proud that most of our dealership network does not even recognize the car as a Ford product. SVT owners truly seem to like having to explain the SVT car wash and rental car policy to the dealership Service Manager when they bring in their SVT Focus for commonplace non-covered repairs.

We do not think the North American car buyer wants a car like the ST, because it has refinement, power, distinctiveness and good fuel economy at the same time. We would prefer to continue to sell the decontented Focus in order to keep our C.A.F.E. numbers down. That's all we care about anyway. Besides, our accounting and marketing departments think the tacky aluminum gauge surround on the current ST is sufficient to appease the American public for at least two more years. It has a certain "boy racer" look that sets the ST apart.

If you want a performance model, might I suggest the Mustang?

Sincerely,

Bill Ford

Thank for that Mr Mike, thats the best laugh I have had in a long time.

 

Thank for that Mr Mike, thats the best laugh I have had in a long time.

You are absolutely right about the Mazda sales. Ford also sells the C1 platform on the Vlovo S40/V50 and look how well it's doing. Prices have always been comparably the same between Mazda and Ford, so why not give us the same MKII (Euro) as everyone else. In about a year, ford of europe will offer awd on the C1 chassis. How about that!!!!

 

I disagree. people can appreaciate quality when they see it. The C1 is a phenominal automobile platform. Look at Mazda 3 sales. That alone would point to the MKII focus being a success. Even if we didn't get the ST.

dude, it WAS A BRAND NEW FREAKING CAR WITH THE MAZDA. How is ford going to market their econo-box car for a base price of 15,000 when you can pick them up now for 10,999..... how please tell me. ford will loose a lot of customers who just need a cheap car that runs well, and has a warranty.....

 

people when are you going ro realize that the only people who would buy a euro ST are 100 people on this board???????????????????????

And you know this how???

Look at all the WRX's Subaru sells, just because you won't buy one desn't mean there aren't those of us who would, and have the money to do so.

There is no market for a C1 ford focus............................. when are you going to realize this. Who, in the general public, will pay that much more for a FORD FOCUS. Remeber, in the general publics eye... THE FORD FOCUS IS A PIECE OF JUNK....

nuff/ said

LOL, well then there is no market for any updated vehicle from ANY automotive manufacturer!:lol:

If Ford sold the C1 here that wasn't decontented and looked the same as ther euro Focus they wouldn't be looking at falling sales. When you never update a car and then blame falling sales on stupid ideas like "nobody would buy a better Focus" it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

Nobody I know or has talked to thinks the Focus is a "piece of junk", only on online websites such as this do you find the haters who just want to have a reason to undermine anything positive Ford might do.

 

Nobody I know or has talked to thinks the Focus is a "piece of junk", only on online websites such as this do you find the haters who just want to have a reason to undermine anything positive Ford might do.

DUDE, next time you see someone with a focus in a parking lot ask them what they think about their focus...... and they will tell you either 1 of 3 things

1. yo dawg my focus runs low 11s
2. it's a decent car for the price, but it needs lots of improving to keep up with quality of the japense cars and stay in the same price range.
3. I HATE THIS GODDAMN PEICE OF **** ALWAYS IN THE ****ING SHOP.


that simple enough for you?


and also ask them what racing organization is the focus mainly associated with?

and they will be dumbfonded

 

DUDE, next time you see someone with a focus in a parking lot ask them what they think about their focus...... and they will tell you either 1 of 3 things

1. yo dawg my focus runs low 11s
2. it's a decent car for the price, but it needs lots of improving to keep up with quality of the japense cars and stay in the same price range.
3. I HATE THIS GODDAMN PEICE OF **** ALWAYS IN THE ****ING SHOP.


that simple enough for you?


and also ask them what racing organization is the focus mainly associated with?

and they will be dumbfonded

Are you a troll is is there a reason for you to be on a Focus website?

 

Are you a troll is is there a reason for you to be on a Focus website?

i am not a troll, i am simply stating logic, which apparently you have none becuase you were unable to answer my previous post with relevlant information

The main reason ford will not bring the C1 focus over,

While the focus is a good car for the money, there are plenty of people who buy it for that reason, and really don't care about the heritage, and as soon as the base price goes form $XX,XXX to $XX,XXX, ford will loose a HUGE customer base. Is that in plain and simple enough terms for you?

 

i am not a troll, i am simply stating logic, which apparently you have none becuase you were unable to answer my previous post with relevlant information

The main reason ford will not bring the C1 focus over,

While the focus is a good car for the money, there are plenty of people who buy it for that reason, and really don't care about the heritage, and as soon as the base price goes form $XX,XXX to $XX,XXX, ford will loose a HUGE customer base. Is that in plain and simple enough terms for you?

NOOOOOOO they wouldn't if they just keep doing what they already do. People buy focuses because they are cheap yes, but we have many different versions of the focus from spi all the way up to 2.3 duratec and the prices differ accordingly i am sure that ford wouldn't stop making all of the versions just to start making the MKII ST they would make the MKII se, the MKII zx3,and so on and so forth. I am sure that not all people are going to want to buy a focus beast with a warrenty they just want a car to get them from point a to point B but there is people that will buy the st to get there alot faster than the other person and then wait for him to get to point B and mock him for being so damb slow lol

 

NOOOOOOO they wouldn't if they just keep doing what they already do. People buy focuses because they are cheap yes, but we have many different versions of the focus from spi all the way up to 2.3 duratec and the prices differ accordingly i am sure that ford wouldn't stop making all of the versions just to start making the MKII ST they would make the MKII se, the MKII zx3,and so on and so forth. I am sure that not all people are going to want to buy a focus beast with a warrenty they just want a car to get them from point a to point B but there is people that will buy the st to get there alot faster than the other person and then wait for him to get to point B and mock him for being so damb slow lol

the other problem i forsee is the mk2 st, if they bring it over, IT WILL be a special edition, and fords service is not going to want to pay to train techs to work on it, even though it is essentially a volvo s40 we can buy here

 

the other problem i forsee is the mk2 st, if they bring it over, IT WILL be a special edition, and fords service is not going to want to pay to train techs to work on it, even though it is essentially a volvo s40 we can buy here

maybe ya but they can also just have the specialists for the s40 work on the focus

 

I think the C1 would do well in the US but with a couple of conditions. They need to make sure that the quality is there, I have read many reviews and seen many photos of the new car and it is definately more refined. I think that as long as the quality is there people would buy it.

The US is becoming more increasingly an urban culture, truck sales are very good but cars still sell more. I think that Ford has pissed in their own bed by not having the quality, that is why people don't buy them, no other reason. A small car that is well built AND well priced will always be a big seller, just look at the Civic. For god's sake, people are spending close to thirty g's on the Prius and the gas mileage isn't even that great ( and there's a waiting list to get one! ), studies have shown that in the long run a hybrid will not save you any money. Put simply, people will not drop a ton of dough just to have a dealer **** on them when they go in for service.

I have an SVT Focus, I am not interested in any other Ford product and will not be in the foreeable future. I would NEVER even consider a regular Focus. I will NEVER buy a Mustang, it's a gas guzzler that's KINDA fast. I hate trucks, I know they serve a purpose but they are very impractical unless you have a use for one (by the way, I own an F350 Super Duty for my company). Ford did a wonderful thing with the SVT and that is why I bought one. Though it does'nt hold up to horsepower figures of a lot of the competition, I still think it is a better all around preformance compact than most everything out there when it was being produced. If every Focus produced was an SVT, I garauntee the Focus would have been a smash hit.

Ford has played it safe and it has cost them, they need to start competing. Another thing, who's bright idea at Ford was it to make the GT? Yeah, the American car buying public was just clambering for a $150,000 super car. Don't tell me the C1 won't sell, it will. Look at the new MKV GTI, price is up to 30g's loaded and if they are anything like previous VW's, it'll be a hunk of ****, but people will still buy them. There is an old saying that Ford needs to hear, "you never know til you try". how do they know they can't compete until they get in there and do it.

Ford CAN compete, they pioneered this industry. They will beat anyone in organized racing. They need to build on this and stop trying to sell F150's to NASCRAP fans. You know why the WRX and STI sell so well? Heritage, people can watch them race and go down the street and buy the same purpose built car, the production Focus is a flat out EMBARASMENT compared to the WRC version, even the euro RS is pretty weak really. I have driven a WRX, my wife wanted one, all I can say is this, disappointing. I don't see what the big deal is, they don't seem very fast to me and I think AWD is crap. I have a friend who races professionaly and I think he said it best, AWD is for women and pussies, which one are you?

I would love nothing more than to continue to purchase domestic vehicles but they just won't compete with the euro and japanese automakers. They can and NEED to change this, look at Chrysler, they are killing right now and they build CRAP, but there disigns are inspiring and people want them. I think I'm done for now.