I didn't mean to imply that the base Focus starts at that. But it starts at £12,495, which is $24,500. I'm just saying that all the boards complain about why we don't get the Euro Focus and have to deal with the one we have. The answer is $10,000. Thats the difference between the starting price of the US Focus and the UK Focus. And people in the US just aren't willing to pay that much money.
Using your Volvo example, I realize that the money conversion doesn't work out exactly. The C30 starts at £14,995 in the UK, which would be about $29,500 in the States. But the starting price here in the States is actually 23,000. So obviously something has to give. But working that out proportionally still puts the Euro spec Focus starting near $20,000, and the American buying public just won't stand for that....