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In the Autoblog Garage - 08 Focus SES Coupe


igor

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Dump the vent for crying out loud, just crease the sheetmetal there and be done with it. Whomever thought that was a good idea needs fired and so does their boss. If Ford is so helbent on cutting costs, the lack of two chrome'd plastic thingys should help them out.

 

Do something with the back windows, so that they look finished. And dump that god awful ride height, good grief! :finger:

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Let me say this about that:

 

The new Focus and the new Accord arrived here in Albuquerque within days of each other. After a few weeks, I've seen the Focii actually driven around town MUCH more often than the new Accord.

 

I know the Accord will likely double the Focus' sales...but the lambasted little beast may just accomplish a decent showing.

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That guy, & many other so called auto experts are way too picky.

 

Honestly, has there ever been a beautiful Focus? (before you get all worked up, I'm not calling the Focus ugly, just not beautiful). It, and most cars in this segment are just odd looking. Someone said on another thread, that styling a small car is the most difficult task an automotive stylist can face.

 

I might agree with the writer about the head lamps, but the prevoius Focus's weren't much different.

 

If he's gonna beat a car up about style, move up a notch, there you'll find some truly beautiful designs to compare the bad ones to.

Edited by Hemiman
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So Autoblog doesn't like it, so what?

 

It's a Focus, so zoom-zoom is not part of the shtick, and that won't do, to those guys.

 

It's a transitional sled, designed to go head on with Civic and Corolla for NVH and interior. It should do OK.

 

But the vents suck. I hope they're a delete-option. Too bad they didn't spend another $20 per car for better vents. Yet, as H.L. Mencken once observed, nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public (remember the filligree 70's?), so a lot of people who buy these numbnutz vehicles may love it.

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That guy, & mnay other so called auto experts are way too picky.

 

Honestly, has there ever been a beautiful Focus? (before you get all worked up, I'm not calling the Focus ugly, just not beautiful). It, and most cars in this segment are just odd looking. Someone said on another thread, that styling a small car is the most difficult task an automotive stylist can face.

 

I might agree with the writer about the head lamps, but the prevoius Focus's weren't much different.

 

If he's gonna beat a car up about style, move up a notch, there you'll find some truly beautiful designs to compare the bad ones to.

prev gen Zx3 and Zx5 were terrific.....not beautiful as such, but definitely a succesful design....like I have said before, I am GLAD this is a stop-gap...i personally cannot handle the styling, but at least all those that have driven it have raved...common word...SMOOOOOOOOOOTH!

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It wasn't greenlighted and rehashed as a "transitional sled", though.

 

But that's what it's turned out to be. A 6-speed transmission is necessary for a class-leading position in the market. The JV probably won't fit, and costs too much, and the Getrag transmissions aren't quite ready.

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ill admit im not a fan of this focus but that is probably because i have seen what the FOE Focus looks like

 

and the vents are very tacky, a lot of things on it are tacky

 

IMO it does look rushed....i don't know if it was rushed but it surely looks like it was

To make it look decent, all they really need to do is re-design the headlights. They are the absolute worst, and ruin the whole look of the car. The side vents are senseless and stupid. If they insisted on putting something there, a Euro style side marker would be fine. Something that actually has a purpose.

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Despite all the negativism on the internet, October 2007 Focus sales were up 13% over last year, and that was mostly sedans as the coupes shipped later than the sedans. Compared to other cars in it's class, it's looks are not unusually ugly.

agree...they are the least of worrisome styling pho-pahs.........

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Despite all the negativism on the internet, October 2007 Focus sales were up 13% over last year, and that was mostly sedans as the coupes shipped later than the sedans. Compared to other cars in it's class, it's looks are not unusually ugly.

 

How much was that to fleet sales? :ohsnap: :shades: :stirpot:

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How much was that to fleet sales? :ohsnap: :shades: :stirpot:

not a lot......I can usually gauge by deliveries we have that go to Enterprize, Wheels Inc and Gecal.....seems the Taurus and fusion are more of interest to those parties, along with a dash of taurus X's and a mere sprinkling of Edges.....

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Despite all the negativism on the internet, October 2007 Focus sales were up 13% over last year, and that was mostly sedans as the coupes shipped later than the sedans. Compared to other cars in it's class, it's looks are not unusually ugly.

 

Sales for the outgoing Focus were also up in its last months, so it's not because of the redesign.

 

Back in '96, sales for the Taurus we also up IIRC.

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I have a feeling that the '08 Focus will end up like the '08 Escape: "auto enthusiasts" on the internet said the new Escape was crap, but in the real world, sales went up after the "crap" refresh (Escape is up 26% last month compared to October 2006).

 

Concidentally, fleet sales for it are as high as ever, and even with multiple versions, it still can't outsell the one-model-only CR-V, which has much stronger RETAIL demand, and is faster and smoother than the V6 Escape according to prestigious reviewers.

 

Anyone who still thinks Ford should be commended for trailing the CR-V is deluding himself.

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Concidentally, fleet sales for it are as high as ever, and even with multiple versions, it still can't outsell the one-model-only CR-V, which has much stronger RETAIL demand, and is faster and smoother than the V6 Escape according to prestigious reviewers.

 

Anyone who still thinks Ford should be commended for trailing the CR-V is deluding himself.

contrary to what you are saying PC...i have only seen a couple to the fleet companies i mentioned beforehand....Hybrids of all things.....

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what is interesting about these so called "Fleet" cars is the choices they are given, its just plain bad and no-wonder Ford gets chosen a lot. I guess from the corporate side is the bean-counters decide what models fit the bill, so it is unlikely you will ever see CRV;s due to lack of production numbers and costs....the choices are interesting based on what we receive as turn in vehicles...Dodge Magnums, a few Muranos, impalas of course, 300's, Minivans.....

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Let me say this about that:

 

The new Focus and the new Accord arrived here in Albuquerque within days of each other. After a few weeks, I've seen the Focii actually driven around town MUCH more often than the new Accord.

 

I know the Accord will likely double the Focus' sales...but the lambasted little beast may just accomplish a decent showing.

 

 

Well then it is settled. Zannynanny has spoken.

 

The new Focus is a major HIT.

The new Accord is a major FLOP.

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