Resurrecting the ZX2

[ibinubu12]

I just bought myself a 2001 ZX2 over the weekend, which will be the third ZX2 in the family (two red, one gray). I've always loved this car, and I'm a little disappointed that Ford no longer has a compact sporty coupe on offer.

 

For those that don't remember, here's what a ZX2 (mine!) looks like:

 

Slideshow

 

Anyone think Ford should offer a new compact coupe? Maybe Fiesta based?

[mustang84isu]

I just bought myself a 2001 ZX2 over the weekend, which will be the third ZX2 in the family (two red, one gray). I've always loved this car, and I'm a little disappointed that Ford no longer has a compact sporty coupe on offer.

 

For those that don't remember, here's what a ZX2 (mine!) looks like:

 

Slideshow

 

Anyone think Ford should offer a new compact coupe? Maybe Fiesta based?

[Anthony]

He said sporty compact coupe. The Focus coupe (which I've still never seen one in person, I think Bigfoot might drive it) is far from sporty. There was not enough effort to differentiate it from the four door. While this made it much cheaper to produce, it sure did not do much for sales.

[silvrsvt]

I just bought myself a 2001 ZX2 over the weekend, which will be the third ZX2 in the family (two red, one gray). I've always loved this car, and I'm a little disappointed that Ford no longer has a compact sporty coupe on offer.

 

Um whats this:

 

 

 

Anyone think Ford should offer a new compact coupe? Maybe Fiesta based?

 

 

I'd like to see something like this:

 

Edited September 8, 2010 by silvrsvt

[silvrsvt]

He said sporty compact coupe. The Focus coupe (which I've still never seen one in person, I think Bigfoot might drive it) is far from sporty. There was not enough effort to differentiate it from the four door. While this made it much cheaper to produce, it sure did not do much for sales.

 

 

Define "sporty" To some thats just adding a spoiler to a car and to others is a serious massaging of the car etc.

 

I've seen a couple coupes out on the road, but they are rarer then hens teeth for the most part..and I don't think the styling of the current Gen Focus is excaclty endearing for the car.

 

 

 

 

 

[Anthony]

Define "sporty" To some thats just adding a spoiler to a car and to others is a serious massaging of the car etc.

 

I've seen a couple coupes out on the road, but they are rarer then hens teeth for the most part..and I don't think the styling of the current Gen Focus is excaclty endearing for the car.

 

 

They could have done plenty more with it. They admittedly kept the same roof as the sedan to cut down on costs. (I don't blame them).

 

But could more have been done? Sure, take a look at the Escort at the the time of the ZX2. It certainly was not endearing to coupe styling. Yet, we got the ZX2 (and I'm sure dramatically higher design and production costs to boot).

 

[NickF1011]

They admittedly kept the same roof as the sedan to cut down on costs.

 

Which is probably why you don't think you've ever seen one. I'm betting you just missed the lack of rear doors on many of them. They don't exactly jump out at you and say "Hey, I'm a coupe" for sure.

 

Boring, boring vehicle, and thankfully, not long for this world.

[99SVT01?]

FOMOCO Continued to build the ZX2 because all of the tooling was paid for at the end of it's life cycle. (Plus cheap labor in Mexico where it was built)

 

In between the 1998 ZX2 and the Focus being launched in1999 as a 2000 Model it was a marketing decission to make money.....

 

Just my 2 $ ...........

[PREMiERdrum]

I always liked the ZX2 for what it was, and I'd like to see a sharp looking B- or C-Segment coupe again.

 

Anyone else remember the freshening that the ZX2 got for MY2003? This was the last model year for the car, and I never understood why they changed the front end for last year. I always wondered if there were plans to keep it around longer since there was no traditional "coupe" in the Focus range.

Edited September 8, 2010 by PREMiERdrum

[ANTAUS]

Probe anyone?

[NickF1011]

Probe anyone?

 

No thanks. I just had a physical. :lol:

[ibinubu12]

Define "sporty" To some thats just adding a spoiler to a car and to others is a serious massaging of the car etc.

 

I've seen a couple coupes out on the road, but they are rarer then hens teeth for the most part..and I don't think the styling of the current Gen Focus is excaclty endearing for the car.

 

My emphasis was on "sporty".

 

The ZX2 had totally different sheet metal from the Escort sedan, and a 130 hp Zetec I4 (with VCT, unlike the Focus) instead of the old CVH engine in the sedan. The ZX2 had the sport exhaust, sport suspension, and a more aggressive gearing than the Focus and Escort at the time. It was pretty cheap as well, not a whole lot more than an Escort sedan.

Edited September 8, 2010 by ibinubu12

[ibinubu12]

Probe anyone?

 

We had a 1989 Probe LX and it was fantastic. She wanted to replace it with another Probe, but after '97 they killed it, and her '89 wasn't old enough to get rid of. The Mercury Cougar was too big, and too expensive. Finally, the ZX2 arrived, and its been her favorite car so far! We love ours, but it's a little disappointing that there is no little sport coupe from Ford to replace ours with when the time comes. Focus Coupe was tempting (especially in all black with the SES wheels), but alas, it too has been discontinued...

[NickF1011]

The Mercury Cougar was too big, and too expensive.

 

 

1999 Cougar

 

Wheelbase: 106.4 in

Length: 185 in

Width: 69.6 in

MSRP: $14,977-17,500

 

1997 Probe

 

Wheelbase: 104 in

Length: 178.7 in

Width: 69.8 in

MSRP: $14,355-16,855

 

 

About 7" longer and everything else was fundamentally identical. :shrug:

Edited September 8, 2010 by NickF1011

[PREMiERdrum]

We had a 1989 Probe LX and it was fantastic. She wanted to replace it with another Probe, but after '97 they killed it, and her '89 wasn't old enough to get rid of. The Mercury Cougar was too big, and too expensive. Finally, the ZX2 arrived, and its been her favorite car so far! We love ours, but it's a little disappointing that there is no little sport coupe from Ford to replace ours with when the time comes. Focus Coupe was tempting (especially in all black with the SES wheels), but alas, it too has been discontinued...

 

My sister-in-law has a black SES Focus coupe and she loves it. I don't get all the hate for the current-gen Focus. I think it's a much better successor to the 2000-2004 model than the horrid 2005-07 refresh.

[PREMiERdrum]

 

1999 Cougar

 

Wheelbase: 106.4 in

Length: 185 in

Width: 69.6 in

MSRP: $14,977-15,422

 

1997 Probe

 

Wheelbase: 104 in

Length: 178.7 in

Width: 69.8 in

MSRP: $14,355-16,855

 

 

About 7" longer and everything else was fundamentally identical. :shrug:

 

And most of those 7" could be found in the Cougar's rear bumper. I was a big fan of the car, but good grief, that bumper was huge.

[ibinubu12]

 

1999 Cougar

 

Wheelbase: 106.4 in

Length: 185 in

Width: 69.6 in

MSRP: $14,977-17,500

 

1997 Probe

 

Wheelbase: 104 in

Length: 178.7 in

Width: 69.8 in

MSRP: $14,355-16,855

 

 

About 7" longer and everything else was fundamentally identical. :shrug:

 

1989 Ford Probe. Compare interior specs, they're nowhere near the same. Cougar was massive, and by 2002, Cougar was very much more expensive than the ZX2.

[NickF1011]

1989 Ford Probe. Compare interior specs, they're nowhere near the same. Cougar was massive, and by 2002, Cougar was very much more expensive than the ZX2.

 

OMG! A car built in 1999 was larger and more expensive than one built in 1989?!?!

 

You said she was looking to replace it with a 1997 Probe but the '89 wasn't old enough yet, so I compared the Cougar to a vehicle she apparently liked. And really, I've had plenty of seat time in both a '96 Probe and an '01 Cougar. They're both pretty damn small inside. Certainly not cavernous by any means compared to the ZX2 (which I've also had seat time in).

[ibinubu12]

OMG! A car built in 1999 was larger and more expensive than one built in 1989?!?!

 

You said she was looking to replace it with a 1997 Probe but the '89 wasn't old enough yet, so I compared the Cougar to a vehicle she apparently liked. And really, I've had plenty of seat time in both a '96 Probe and an '01 Cougar. They're both pretty damn small inside. Certainly not cavernous by any means compared to the ZX2 (which I've also had seat time in).

 

I'm just repeating what she said. She wanted basically another 1989 Probe, but she only bought because her options were disappearing. Cougar was discontinued, ZX2 was dying, she had no other option.

 

And personally, I've driven the Cougar. It's definitely midsized. Way too large to enjoy as a daily driver.

[Critic]

I just bought myself a 2001 ZX2 over the weekend, which will be the third ZX2 in the family (two red, one gray). I've always loved this car, and I'm a little disappointed that Ford no longer has a compact sporty coupe on offer.

 

[OAC_Sparky]

The ZX2 had totally different sheet metal from the Escort sedan, and a 130 hp Zetec I4 (with VCT, unlike the Focus) instead of the old CVH engine in the sedan. The ZX2 had the sport exhaust, sport suspension, and a more aggressive gearing than the Focus and Escort at the time. It was pretty cheap as well, not a whole lot more than an Escort sedan.

But I'll play Devil's Advocate here and give the normal "naysayer's response".

 

...But it's still just an Escort...

 

That's ok, I don't really feel that way, but people tend to get caught up with the name and not the capability. Same goes for the Focus. There are plenty of people that don't see the value in or appreciate a Focus RS here in North America; 325HP sport compact that can turn on a dime. The most common response it "but it's just a Focus, why pay Mustang money for a smaller car?"

 

Personally, I wanted to pick one up, got tired of waiting and am ordering a Mustang in January. But if I wasn't a Ford fan I'd be seriously considering a Subaru WRX STi

[630land]

"I just bought myself a 2001 ZX2 over the weekend"

 

You answered the question. Loyal buyers of sporty coupes get decade old ones and then wonder why there are no new ones. Even the Civic is mostly sold as a four door these days. Today's boy racers are accepting of 4 doors as sporty cars, such as the WRX and EVO. The days of offering a loss leader coupe are over.

[bzcat]

A modern day ZX2 using the Fiesta platform will get my attention... but it will be more akin to the European Ford Puma in concept than the ZX2 itself.

 

I'm sure Ford has something planned for the C2 Focus platform. The fact that they decided not to do a conventional 3 door hatch probably means we'll see some type of coupe down the road.

[silvrsvt]

And personally, I've driven the Cougar. It's definitely midsized. Way too large to enjoy as a daily driver.

 

Do you live in Manhattan or something? WTF?

[NickF1011]

The fact that they decided not to do a conventional 3 door hatch probably means we'll see some type of coupe down the road.

 

I don't see what the first part has to do with the second. I still see it to be far more likely that they'll eventually offer a 3-door. The costs of developing a 3-door would be astronomically lower than doing a coupe.

Edited September 8, 2010 by NickF1011