C1 Based Ford Focus

[mkohlman]

After recently having been in Europe on Business, I had the chance to spend some time around the C1 -based European Ford Focus and simply have to ask Ford to re-examine the short-sightedness that led to the decision to give the U.S. a warmed-over version of the current Focus Platform. While the current platform set new levels 5 years ago when it was created, Ford once again has boxed itself into a situation where it has chosen to simply refresh sheetmetal and trim while the rest of this market segment continues to advance.

 

What is really annoying is that Ford has a kick-a^%, highly competitive version of the Focus in the C1, something that is truly capable of holding its own against the Civic, Corolla, etc..., yet continues to conceed this market in the U.S. With the shift away from larger SUVs, the timing to keep the current Focus platform for nearly a decade before a platform redesign is starting to look horribly short-sighted.

 

How about getting us a C1 platform Focus in the U.S. with possibly a Fusion-look front-end that fits with the current family direction of Ford?

 

BTW, yes; I do own and typically buy Fords, currently owning a Taurus and an Escape. However we are considering a small-car choice and while the U.S. Focus is nice, it is simply not anywhere near as refined as the competition. Having seen and driven the CD3-based Fusion though at least I'm starting to get the feeling that Cars at Ford are getting attention again.

 

M Kohlman

[CPManx]

I couln't agree more. The C1 Focus is a world-class car and should be here--not indirectly, in Mazdas and Volvos, but directly under the Ford brand.

 

One concern, as I understand it, is that the C1 is somewhat more expensive to manufacture. Why not make a virtue of this? Split Ford's small cars into two lines. Restyle the current Focus hatches with Ka-like styling, keep content fairly light, and sell them as new entry-level Ford. With minimal new investment, the company would have a stopgap competitor to field against the new Yaris, Fit, etc. Then sell the C1 Focus sedan and wagon as higher-line, higher-content compacts to compete with the mid- and high-end Civics and Corollas.

 

If Ford is going to stop itsmarket-share decline, the company is going to have to start being more aggressive in product development and more creative in finding ways to do fresh, exciting things with modest expenditures. The C1 is already out there, waiting. Seems strange the company doesn't have it in U.S. showrooms right now.