regfootball Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Did not realize the current focus has two stalks. But the majority all have one stalk. Just drives me nuts-like being able to just pull the lever to have one pass-not turn it on and off like I do now. Plus the stalk to me is a little short-compared to my volvo it is probably at least an inch shorter. i have a BRAND new 08 focus to drive while my 500 is getting fixed. this focus for 08 only has one stalk. my 500 has a separate wiper stalk, which I love, and which the arses at ford changed back to one stalk on the taurus for 08. wiper on stalk on right is the better way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suv_guy_19 Posted January 14, 2008 Author Share Posted January 14, 2008 i have a BRAND new 08 focus to drive while my 500 is getting fixed. this focus for 08 only has one stalk. my 500 has a separate wiper stalk, which I love, and which the arses at ford changed back to one stalk on the taurus for 08. wiper on stalk on right is the better way to go. I like having all functions available in one place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Sign me up for one come 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkFive Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 (edited) I like having all functions available in one place. I remember in the late 70's when Ford even put the horn on the stalk. The Fairmont and Zephyr had this. Who came up with that idea? Edited January 14, 2008 by MarkFive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suv_guy_19 Posted January 14, 2008 Author Share Posted January 14, 2008 I remember in the last 70's when Ford even put the horn on the stalk. The Fairmont and Zephyr had this. Who came up with that idea? Now that is a bad idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
630land Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 (edited) The Verve is a concept showing what the next Focus and Fiesta? will resemble. Ford USA is suppsoed to get a B class car soon, will it be called Verve? Escort? When will the c346 Focus come? Also, look at the Verve sedan's taillights, look to me like 2008 Focus lenses. Hmm, maybe the '08 c170 version 2 is a transition from the New Edge to 'Verve' style. Edited January 14, 2008 by 630land Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 The Verve is a concept showing what the next Focus and Fiesta? will resemble. Ford USA is suppsoed to get a B class car soon, will it be called Verve? Escort? When will the c346 Focus come? The current concept is showing what the new B-car will look like, but I'm sure that the new Focus will have similar styling as the Verve/Fiesta will The C346 Focus should be here a year after the Verve/Fiesta/whatever they call it comes out in Mid-2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MERKURXR4Ti Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 (edited) We will be getting the sporting little number in Europe as a Fiesta, that was running around the stage is this correct? Well if Ford wants to know what Americans think of hatchbacks and this beautiful 3dr I will make sure to let every rep know at Detroit..so long as it looks like this beaut Edited January 14, 2008 by MERKURXR4Ti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcsario Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 The Verve is a concept showing what the next Focus and Fiesta? will resemble. Ford USA is suppsoed to get a B class car soon, will it be called Verve? Escort? When will the c346 Focus come? Also, look at the Verve sedan's taillights, look to me like 2008 Focus lenses. Hmm, maybe the '08 c170 version 2 is a transition from the New Edge to 'Verve' style. What is it with people acting as if this was the first time we've seen the Verve? "Is this a concept for the next Focus?" "Is this the next Focus?" etc. And here I was thinking the thing had been overexposed as a concept by now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navlys32 Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 If you hadn't been so busy downplaying everything-FOE lately, you would've noticed this is not the first time it has been done. I hope the next focus or fusion is inspired by this car, that front is stunning. Where would the production Verve be built? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchdevil Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Great looking car in 3-door and 4-door form! Bring it on! And I believe the 3-door will be favorable to the US public as well. The new grille looks great too. Get these cars in US showrooms and Ford will have the next sensation since sales of the original Taurus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30 OTT 6 Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 There's no doubt in my mind, FoE's "Kinetic Design" language is lightyears better than FNA's hodge-podge plus three bar (or two) grill design language (more like gibber-jabber). The only thing that worries me about the Verve is it's reported engine choice. It's supposed to be an SOHC 8 valve design where as the compitition (Yaris, Fit, Versa) all use a 16-valve design. If that 8 valve engine is isn't up to standards, the auto reporters are going to let everybody know about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suv_guy_19 Posted January 14, 2008 Author Share Posted January 14, 2008 There's no doubt in my mind, FoE's "Kinetic Design" language is lightyears better than FNA's hodge-podge plus three bar (or two) grill design language (more like gibber-jabber). The only thing that worries me about the Verve is it's reported engine choice. It's supposed to be an SOHC 8 valve design where as the compitition (Yaris, Fit, Versa) all use a 16-valve design. If that 8 valve engine is isn't up to standards, the auto reporters are going to let everybody know about it. And we all know, from the experience of the Edge, that that shapes peoples buying decisions..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jobu37 Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 I haven't seen any in your post. How does a company profiting from a product made oversees help the American economy and provide jobs? The profits generated by the use of foreign labor on a B segment car can be used to stabilize the balance sheet of an American company. This in turn allows the American company to continue to be able to produce other product domestically. Were the afore mentioned B-car produced domestically, it would result in losses that may have put in doubt the sustainability of all future domestic production on other vehicles. In light of the weak dollar and a more favorable labor contract it is possible that the production decision for this car may have been different were it made in today's environment. But maybe not, even now it is very unlikely that the dollar will remain weak for a long enough period of time to count on profitibility on the export sales that would be necessary to make this overall platform profitable. Short term the domestic production of this car would have resulted in more jobs for Americans and in turn helped the American economy. But at what long term cost? The loss of an American icon because they insisted on building a car at a loss to pacify an unrealistic labor union? The B-segment is going to be the most competitive segments in the industry from here on out. It seems rather idiotic to enter this segment knowing that you are going to lose money on every unit produced. Sounds like a clear cut way to run yourself out of business. Would the loss of Ford be good for the American economy? Were Ford and GM to go away, how long do you think it would take before even non-UAW production leaves this country? Not very long. Of course, this scenario may be unavoidable in the long term due to existence of cheap cheap labor all over the world combined with lack of any loyalty at all exhibited by today's American consumer. Perhaps the average American UAW member should be looking at ways that they could be more productive to postpone the inevitable migration of their jobs to foreign shores. Maybe they should be lobbying their very own union begging them to allow them to be more flexible and in turn more productive in their jobs. There will be a time in the not so distant future when the decisions for where to produce a new model won't even have North America in the conversation. Unless there is a shift in consumer decision making which makes the average consumer think about the consequences of their purchase. I wouldn't count on the self-centered me me American consumer to save my job. They are currently brainwashed and unfortunately they are showing no signs of getting it anytime soon. Long, long term as other economies grow and allow their own currencies to fluctuate with the markets it will hypothetically make North America more appealing as a manufacturer. A prolonged period of a weak dollar bodes well for the auto industry but maybe not for the country as a whole. I'm not a fan of foreign goods and make a concerted effort to buy American so a weak dollar effects me much less than the average American. I'm not a fan of government intervention but when all the competing countries have their governments protecting their industrial base it makes sense that our government should at least lobby them to minimize the unfair advantage that countries such as S. Korea have over us. Sorry for the rant. I must stop now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarShark Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 And we all know, from the experience of the Edge, that that shapes peoples buying decisions.....Why take the chance? A series of bad reviews certainly can't help sales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soupy Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Why take the chance? A series of bad reviews certainly can't help sales. Remember 500/Montego, reviews of underpowered 3.0 where first signs of trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Remember 500/Montego, reviews of underpowered 3.0 where first signs of trouble. don't think I would care that much if its this sexy....hope FOA doesn't bastardize too much...they WILL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jobu37 Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 What is it with people acting as if this was the first time we've seen the Verve? "Is this a concept for the next Focus?" "Is this the next Focus?" etc. And here I was thinking the thing had been overexposed as a concept by now. I was thinking the same thing. They introduce the thing last year, almost 3 years from production for NA. Everybody else that is currently in this segment has etnered it with half-ass product. Hopefully, the competition will count on Ford not to live up to what they present as concepts and they will in turn not step up their B car programs. But then again, Toyota and Honda may start believing that this is a new Ford and take them for their word that this is very, very close to the production car and by the time it hits NA both the Fit, and Yaris will be coming out with comparable B-cars of their own. Even the god-awful Versa may have stepped up their refresh to meet the potentially new gold-standard for the segment, the Verve. Regardless, since Ford has not been in this segment for over a decade the incremental sales volumes derived from this platform can only help their NA market share position. OTOH, Ford will benefit greatly in the markets that this will be coming out next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyPony Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Great looking car in 3-door and 4-door form! Bring it on! And I believe the 3-door will be favorable to the US public as well. The new grille looks great too. Get these cars in US showrooms and Ford will have the next sensation since sales of the original Taurus. This is one hot little ride. I think it will draw in sales from the "It's crap if it's made here" crowd. Even if it's imported, it's better that people buy our imports vs someone else's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarShark Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 (edited) I was thinking the same thing. They introduce the thing last year, almost 3 years from production for NA. Everybody else that is currently in this segment has etnered it with half-ass product.Just because they entered the segment with pre-existing vehicles doesn't mean that they were half-assed. They put the same care and thought into them as any other product. It just means that they reacted quickly to a burgeoning market segment. I know The Fit (nee Jazz), Versa (nee Tiida) and Yaris (nee Vitz) are all doing well in the segment. Full year's sales: Toyota Yaris: 86,799 Nissan Versa: 79,443 Chevy Aveo: 67,028 Honda Fit: 56,432 Suzuki Reno/Forenza: 42,113 Hyundai Accent: 36,055 Kia Rio: 33,370 I think it was Richard Jensen who wondered aloud whether the U.S. B-segment was 200,000 strong. Well, it's actually over 400,000 units strong! And I didn't even include the MINI and the Scions. EDIT-Oops. Upon further review, RJ asked if the U.S. B-segment had at least 378,000 sales this year, the same as the Fiesta in Europe. The answer's still yes, though. Edited January 15, 2008 by CarShark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford??-LOL! Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Not a bad looking car.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
630land Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Read about it and don't just look at pictures. It is 30 inches shorter than a Focus sedan, so this is a B class car. Ford needs one here badly, and then we can get the bloody Euro Focus that will 'cure common colds and flu'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford-150 Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Read about it and don't just look at pictures. It is 30 inches shorter than a Focus sedan, so this is a B class car. Ford needs one here badly, and then we can get the bloody Euro Focus that will 'cure common colds and flu'. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker16 Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Read about it and don't just look at pictures. It is 30 inches shorter than a Focus sedan, so this is a B class car. Ford needs one here badly, and then we can get the bloody Euro Focus that will 'cure common colds and flu'. exactly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Well it looks almost the same as the proposed new 100 MPG Ford Escort.http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/24/ford-es...-100mpg-hybrid/ 100 MPG Escort Latest Verve concept PS. Can we have the warm smile of a Pug at the front http://www.kewego.co.uk/video/iLyROoaftIsA.html They do look similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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