What is Ford thinking?
syr74
12-01-2003, 10:11 PM
Ford is driving me nuts with some of their strategies, and the replacement of the current Focus perplexes me in particular. Maybe you guys have a better explanation for this than me so I am gonna throw my reasoning out there.
First of all, we all know the Focus had a rocky start, but before someone cites this as a reason to redisign the entire car let me remind you that reliability gets better with time and experience...not worse. Look at the Focus' reliability ratings for the last two years, they are exceptional. If anything this is reason one to update this chassis, not replace it, as the bugs are apparently largely gone from new production units.
Second of all, it probably STILL rides on the best "small car" chassis in the market even if it is getting kinda old as it was out in Europe long before it was released here. (A4's and the like not included in that small car comment) Before someone chimes in with the Evo or WRX, understand I am referring to the basic chassis design of the car...not what they have done with it. (lots of hp and awd like in the Evo and WRX aren't the issue) I have driven nearly every small car currently available on the U.S. market and the Focus chassis is notably better than them all with the exception of VW groups Golf/A3, etc. chassis which is far more expensive.
The Focus most certainly has issues. The interior is just weird though not badly done ergonomically. The outside..well, it's not a beauty queen. However, the styling of small cars does seem to be an issue for everyone except the Germans. The A4 is very similar in size to the Focus, Sentra, Lancer, and none of those comes close to the new or old A4 in terms of sheer beauty.
And, the price of the Audi cannot be used as a crutch as for the most part good looks on a car are free for the manufacturer..if subjective. Not to mention even VW groups other small and less expensive sedan offering, the Jetta, is noticeably better looking than any U.S or Japanese small car I can think of, circus wagon graphics not withstanding.
I was selling Volvo's the first time I drove a Focus.(back when I was working my way through college) I daily wheeled around in Integra's, Jetta's, A4's (previous generation), and the like from our used lot. Not to mention Volvo's own S40. I did not expect to like the Focus, as I had yet to like more than a handful of small cars that were not priced in the stratosphere. I got out of the Focus with my mouth open awestruck at how good the basic car was. I could find no fault with the way the car handled whatsoever..........quiet and ride were just as impressive
Sure, the seats did not impress me at all....frankly they suck. (Ford could easily steal a set of very nice front buckets from the S40 considering they own Volvo) The exterior looked weird and was not attractive at all to my eye (Hire a designer with better than 20/240 vision) and the inside looked weird (Okay, hire two designers that can see) However, the car handled unbelieveably well for a fwd design and it even rode well for a small car to boot. It reminded me of an Integra that was actualy comfortable. Hard to do in a vehicle with a tiny wheelbase.
Seriously, at that time I thought. "If Ford would put the S40's seats in here and made this thing look as good as an A4 I might even buy one myself. Heck, I could SELL that all day." Add an option with a Ford built 200hp naturally aspirated four with a nice set of 17" wheels for right under twenty large and I would pony up for sure. Basically a good looking, four door sedan version of Ford's current SVT hatch with 30-40 more hp. BTW while the SVT's seats could stand improvement they are far better than the standard fare buckets.
An AWD option with a turbo four to compete with the WRX and Evo would be welcome too, but leave the circus wagon graphics to them. How about a more serious look with mild fender flares, a subtle rear spoiler, and a deep front air dam rather than a rear wing the size of Utah.
But no, you and I are getting none of this. In a time when Ford really, really needs a new Ranger Ford would rather redesign one of their most promising platfroms. Ford will spend much more money on an all new chassis than these simple upgrades would ever cost. And, I have no doubt the new car will be nowhere as good as these simple mods would make the current chassis. I wonder if I will even be able to tell the difference from behind the wheel. Whatever.
First of all, we all know the Focus had a rocky start, but before someone cites this as a reason to redisign the entire car let me remind you that reliability gets better with time and experience...not worse. Look at the Focus' reliability ratings for the last two years, they are exceptional. If anything this is reason one to update this chassis, not replace it, as the bugs are apparently largely gone from new production units.
Second of all, it probably STILL rides on the best "small car" chassis in the market even if it is getting kinda old as it was out in Europe long before it was released here. (A4's and the like not included in that small car comment) Before someone chimes in with the Evo or WRX, understand I am referring to the basic chassis design of the car...not what they have done with it. (lots of hp and awd like in the Evo and WRX aren't the issue) I have driven nearly every small car currently available on the U.S. market and the Focus chassis is notably better than them all with the exception of VW groups Golf/A3, etc. chassis which is far more expensive.
The Focus most certainly has issues. The interior is just weird though not badly done ergonomically. The outside..well, it's not a beauty queen. However, the styling of small cars does seem to be an issue for everyone except the Germans. The A4 is very similar in size to the Focus, Sentra, Lancer, and none of those comes close to the new or old A4 in terms of sheer beauty.
And, the price of the Audi cannot be used as a crutch as for the most part good looks on a car are free for the manufacturer..if subjective. Not to mention even VW groups other small and less expensive sedan offering, the Jetta, is noticeably better looking than any U.S or Japanese small car I can think of, circus wagon graphics not withstanding.
I was selling Volvo's the first time I drove a Focus.(back when I was working my way through college) I daily wheeled around in Integra's, Jetta's, A4's (previous generation), and the like from our used lot. Not to mention Volvo's own S40. I did not expect to like the Focus, as I had yet to like more than a handful of small cars that were not priced in the stratosphere. I got out of the Focus with my mouth open awestruck at how good the basic car was. I could find no fault with the way the car handled whatsoever..........quiet and ride were just as impressive
Sure, the seats did not impress me at all....frankly they suck. (Ford could easily steal a set of very nice front buckets from the S40 considering they own Volvo) The exterior looked weird and was not attractive at all to my eye (Hire a designer with better than 20/240 vision) and the inside looked weird (Okay, hire two designers that can see) However, the car handled unbelieveably well for a fwd design and it even rode well for a small car to boot. It reminded me of an Integra that was actualy comfortable. Hard to do in a vehicle with a tiny wheelbase.
Seriously, at that time I thought. "If Ford would put the S40's seats in here and made this thing look as good as an A4 I might even buy one myself. Heck, I could SELL that all day." Add an option with a Ford built 200hp naturally aspirated four with a nice set of 17" wheels for right under twenty large and I would pony up for sure. Basically a good looking, four door sedan version of Ford's current SVT hatch with 30-40 more hp. BTW while the SVT's seats could stand improvement they are far better than the standard fare buckets.
An AWD option with a turbo four to compete with the WRX and Evo would be welcome too, but leave the circus wagon graphics to them. How about a more serious look with mild fender flares, a subtle rear spoiler, and a deep front air dam rather than a rear wing the size of Utah.
But no, you and I are getting none of this. In a time when Ford really, really needs a new Ranger Ford would rather redesign one of their most promising platfroms. Ford will spend much more money on an all new chassis than these simple upgrades would ever cost. And, I have no doubt the new car will be nowhere as good as these simple mods would make the current chassis. I wonder if I will even be able to tell the difference from behind the wheel. Whatever.
z33guy
12-03-2003, 08:21 PM
jesus christ, please cliff notes....jk :grinno:
Ford just wants to make a decent buck and thats all. They dont care about its buyers unless you buy their trucks. End of story. They can get by with freshing up models and other stuff. The mustang and f-150 are their babys, everything else just gets by. Understand? I agree it handles like a dream, but so does the AE86, reason why. Not enough power to really show its true abilities. But i still think it could handle as well as an rsx, mp protoge, specv with just as much power.
Ford just wants to make a decent buck and thats all. They dont care about its buyers unless you buy their trucks. End of story. They can get by with freshing up models and other stuff. The mustang and f-150 are their babys, everything else just gets by. Understand? I agree it handles like a dream, but so does the AE86, reason why. Not enough power to really show its true abilities. But i still think it could handle as well as an rsx, mp protoge, specv with just as much power.
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