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04/08/2011
REVIEW By EWAN KENNEDY
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Ford Australia has high hopes for its just released new Focus. Promoting the fact that it’s oriented towards Europe rather than Asia, with all that means in the way of style and handling dynamics.
Styling is also part of the Focus package and the new model follows a familiar theme, though to our eyes they have backed off a little and it’s not as in-your-face as before. Perhaps this is a sensible move as the aim is to pull relatively conservative buyers down from larger cars into cleaner, greener smaller vehicles.
Focus comes as a four-door sedan and five-door hatchback, with the latter having a rear end using a similar treatment to the increasingly popular Ford Fiesta. As is the norm in this market segment, the sedan has a more sedate rear end treatment.
Because of the strong sales push on the new Focus, Ford is bringing in no fewer than four variants. It will import it to Australia in four grades: entry-level Focus Ambiente, the midrange Focus Trend and topline Focus Titanium. The latter will continue Ford Australia’s strong push on high-tech features, including voice activation and the ability to park itself when it finds a suitable kerbside spot.
Finally there is the Focus Sport with more dynamic looks and performance, including firmer suspension.
Petrol engines will have capacities of 1.6 or 2.0 litres, the latter being a new design featuring the efficiency of direct petrol injection. There will also be a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel. At this stage Ford Australia isn’t planning to import smaller petrol units boosted by turbochargers. However, the success of such engines in newly released variants of Holden Cruze and Volkswagen Golf may lead to a change of plan on this.
Interestingly, Ford Australia is soon to launch a small capacity turbo-petrol engine, tagged EcoBoost, in its Falcon. The first time a four-cylinder powerplant will have been used in this family sedan.
At one time there were plans to build the new Focus in Australia, but Ford’s head office said the sums didn’t work out so the Focus will soon be imported from Thailand. Initial imports will come from the Ford factory in Germany, with the switch to Thai built cars taking place midway through 2012.
Cars from Thailand benefit from a free trade agreement between Australian and that country which should see a reduction in the price of the Focus when cars start to come from our near north.
It will be interesting to see how Ford’s Focus fares against Holden’s Cruze as the buying public seems to be applauding Holden’s decision to build the Cruze in this country, responding by buying it in ever increasing numbers.
Unforeseen circumstances meant we were not able to drive the new Focus at the media launch. We will borrow a car to review in our home area and report back on it as soon as possible. |
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