GapBoyPCS

Any updated version to the Source Book already out? Or is that one still "current"?

Based on the Source Book link, the winter package SE would get side mirror signal repeaters, but it won't get "security approach" (I assume puddle) lamps. There doesn't seem to be any allowances for the Sport Package to get them

Grrr...I knew I shouldn't have gotten excited when I saw the pre-production cars at NAIAS. I saw cloth + lumbar on the 5-door SEL hatch that was there. I was hoping the various guides and sourcebook were still "draft" enough to change. I'll have to see what shows up here in Canada in a few weeks for the show here. I'm not a 100% fan of leather, but I do a lot of driving. I think my lower back might win this argument.

Question about the cloth seat configuration in the Titanium: Will that configuration offer a manual driver's side lumbar support, or do you need to ante up for leather?

I'm eyeing to order a 2012 Focus Titanium with MyFord Touch, and a friend is looking at the 2011 Edge. I'm trying to grasp how the SD navigation and SYNC services would work here in Canada because they may or may not be worth having/getting: 1. NAVIGATION Are the maps North American, or are they country specific? If I wanted map updates (or maybe maps for another part of the continent), does it mean I'd have to order it from some company at quite a high price? Right now, Ford of Canada is listing it as a $700 option on the Focus, and the Edge has it bundled with another package. 2. SYNC Services - Am I reading things correctly that things like the traffic, travel link and information services are only available in the US? If I'm down in the US (which can be frequent), would the services become active, or would it still consider me as "Canadian" and won't allow me to access the services?

After those pics that MKII posted, I'm not sure I like the darkened ones anymore. I think it's the "silver" detailing that's within the rims that aren't sitting well with me.

I somehow fished these out from ford.ca.

But there's also the MyFord Touch guide, which is 102 pages. So, add that to the mix and there's a LOT of information. So, a Titanium owner could be looking at some lovely bedtime reading if s/he wants to be fully versed in the car (and all the EULA that seem to have crept into the print)

There weren't any "Titanium" sedans there. Only an SEL hatchback and sedan. That being said, some of their contents suggested they were actually Titanium versions. And, both had MyFord Touch in them.

The question and answer are probably being misinterpreted. The question could have been interpreted as whether *all* variants (sedans, wagons, and hatches) will be manufactured in the US. If that's the case, then the reply is correct because currently only the sedan and hatch are being made in the US. I don't think the 'yes except the focus wagon' remark was implying the wagon will only come from Spain. The new plant, however, is flexible, no? So, I doubt Ford will waste money in importing a vehicle from Spain. Rather, I'm sure their update to MAP will mean a wagon can easily be brought online without much impact to the general manufacturing process.

Hmmm...I'm already wondering if someone can swap out the non-Electric headlight housings with the ones now on the Electric. It's a small thing, but some people are going nuts over the fact Ford isn't offering those headlights in the standard vehicle.

I'd say more of a way to hog the spotlight, and to promote Ford as a technology leader in the automotive world. Get those in the technology sector hyped, and gamble they will lead the charge for a Focus EV (no pun intended) by going into a dealer and paying for one. Besides, next week the spotlight will be in Detroit for NAIAS, so Ford would have to share it with other manufacturers.

I am. svtenthusiast pretty much nailed it on the head. If I weren't interested, I would be driving in a 2010 or 2011 Focus SES right now. As much as I don't mind the outgoing Focus model, the entire vehicle package is much more attractive in 2012 form.

Ford didn't keep MyFord Touch a secret -- it's been publicized for a while (I believe since last January at NAIAS 2010). These outlets may have only played with it until now (on the Edge and MKX), but doesn't it seem very odd that only *now* is CR is making something over it (and CNN just repeating it)? Part of me wonders if some folks have realized too late that Ford is really changing the game here with ergonomics and design. Now there is some real risk it will take off and anyone who isn't going to adopt touch-based systems in upcoming will be left out of the game. Not too long ago, if you said a touchscreen cell phone, people would just die laughing. Now it seems most manufactures (even the corporate/enterprise BlackBerry) have at least one touchscreen device, and some have a dual (touchscreen/traditional button) interface. Tablets are now becoming the rage. With Toyota now getting into a similar game with their Entune running off QNX, I think CR is going to find its voice being slowly drowned out by people who were initially afraid of something like this and are now die-hard converts.

The quick reference guide is now up on Motorcraft's website. Hopefully the manual isn't far behind :shades:

Why don't you contact an auto broker?

Reading this makes it seem Ford is readying for an all-out assault in the marketplace with the new Focus :shades: Interesting note on the NHTSA crash ratings. I think they learned from the launch of the Fiesta.

I welcome the addition, as a good chunk of my commute is stop-and-go. In some ways, Ford's press release is a bit cryptic. I'm trying to figure out when it will get onto the 2012 Focus -- either at the launch (which I'm surprised there wasn't any mention of it earlier), or whether it will be introduced later in the year).

Anyone else notice how the pics are showing hatchbacks? Is Ford pushing hatchbacks more as a result of Fiesta sales?

I can't agree more. Even for options, Ford's profit mentality filters down to that level. Also, I used to be in the camp that loved HIDs because of how they work and how they look. I have the MACH bi-xenons headlamps on my Focus. Now, I could care less some days. The wake-up call was when I had to source replacement bulbs in a hurry (which was a real pain, and cost me $200 - Ford dealers were "backordered", and I was told dealers wanted at least $170 each), the realization that to replace some silly weatherstripping that fell apart meant ordering a new headlight housing (over $900), and figuring out a new ballast on my lights would cost over $200 from Ford. Maybe I'm getting older (and impatient), but if "low tech" options can work just as well as the high-tech stuff that can cost a fortune to fix when it breaks, I'd rather have "low tech" and have a better sense of their reliability over the years. Besides, why offer projector or HIDs on a "Ford" C-segment vehicle? If anything, such elements may come in the form of the rumoured C-segment Lincoln vehicle. It would be similar to the Honda Civic models, and the Acura CSX.

His argument makes sense if the LEDs are only available with the projector beam/HID setup. If that unit cannot pass DOT regulations, then there's no reason why Ford would want to spend money just to redesign the optics to make it work for the US market. If the LED-equipped unit cannot be made to accomodate, say, DRL lighting standards in Canada, then Ford doesn't want to spend the money just to redesign the wiring (and maybe optics) for it to work just for Canada. When the HIDs from the Focus were introduced on the 2002 Mach Edition ZTS and later SVT models, those could not be sold in Canada because they could not be wired to run DRL's. This all being said, I'm wondering how "easy" it would be to retrofit a EU headlight unit to a NA unit. It's been done in the past with the first-generation Focus with much ease by enthusiasts. The issue then became stories of Ford cracking down on grey-market parts, and shady characters selling these parts.

I'm personally holding off until I see how the cloth interior of the Titanium looks. I'm not 100% sold on a leather interior (a personal thing, plus I haven't been a fan of how "plain" they look in the pictures). As for the parking technology package being on hold, I think it's a CYA move on Ford. I've noticed a lot of the early shots out and videos talking about the Focus seem to have the parking sensors in the videos. I can only take that as positive news because the vehicles would probably be tested for that feature. I'm also planning to order that package. The only feature I've seen on the Canadian site as being a "late availability" is the remote start.

Great shots! It's an SEL with the Premium Package and Parking Technology Package. I know there was some talk about the parking technology package being a late availability option, but seeing it on a tester this late in the game suggests it will probably be ready to go in the very near future. Is that Frosted Glass? If so, it looks a lot like Light Tundra used a few years back. I have it on a Taurus, and it's a pretty decent colour. Also, note the rear "fin" versus the traditional antenna that sticks out. That's a buck from the trend, no? I hope the oversight of the centre caps was just that. I got visions of my current Focus losing centre caps

After reading the latest PDFs, I saw a disclaimer notice just saying some shots were pre-production shots. So, I assume things can still change (but I highly doubt anything drastic because it's close to production). One thing that I hope maybe someone at a Canadian dealer can clarify is whether the manual transmission *IS* standard on Canadian SEL models. The Ford.ca website is showing in several places that a manual transmission is standard on the SEL, and the PowerShift automatic as an option. If this is the case, would Focus buyers in the US start to import Canadian SEL models with a manual? Aside from the manual transmission option on the SEL, it looks like there will (still) be subtle differences between Canada and the US models. Canadians get (essentially) the Winter Package as standard on the SEL and Titanium, And, some of our Rapid Spec options are still different (like the Titanium 401A in the US calls for leather, but leather is an added extra in Canada).

Thanks for posting! So is it safe to assume the pictures in the guide are NA spec? Most of the shots are already those on Ford's websites, and they've had the "pre-production" disclaimer on them for a while. I'm personally just wondering about the seat fabrics -- only because I'm really debating whether I want leather seats or not (in Canada, ford.ca suggests you can have a sunroof but with a cloth interior).