Was watching WRC with a buddy and got to talking about Ford's 2nd generation Focus, of which their rally car is based...


Along with the Citroen Xsara, it's the most consistent platform in WRC. But anyways we got to talking about the 2nd generation Ford Focus and why Europe gets it and we don't. My buddy is a Ford guy and said he'd heard it was solely a decision based on exchange rates and manufacturing costs as the 2nd gen Focus is made in Europe. The bottom line is that Ford would have to price a 2nd generation base model Focus close to $25k to be profitable. Makes sense except for one thing: Mazda brought the Mazda3 to the USDM long ago. It's the same damn car. In fact Mazda sells the tweaked out and turbocharged USDM Mazdaspeed3 for the same $25k price tag Ford projected the new Focus would need to MSRP at for it to be sold in America. It doesn't all add up. What is the real reason Ford won't give Americans the new Focus?

 

If you look into what Ford had indicated, it is because Ford feels that a $25k + Focus won't sell in large enough quantities in USDM. The market for cars like MS3, STI, EVO and the European rally version Focus is really a niche market. Companies don't make the kind of money off those cars that one might think they would be getting. Sure, those cars get the manufactures a lot of press and the R&D is great, but volume sales numbers is where the real money is at, especially for a very large company like Ford. It is a shame, because that Focus would be another car to push the performance element for that market here in the US.

Funny now that both the STI and EVO( EVO hatch highly rumored in latter 1/2 of '08) are coming out with 5 door hot hatch cars. With the intent to make the chassis super rigid to be used as their car for WRC. Looks like Subaru's and Mitsu's thought is maybe it's time to dethrone Ford, and other hatch winning Rally manu's, from WRC champs. That and outside USDM, hatches are very popular.

 

Why not buy a Mazda 3?

 

I will tell you another reason that ford won't build em. It can't build the car as cheaply as Mazda can because of legacy costs. I think it cost an American car company about 2 thousand more dollars to build the same car due to the legacy costs such as heath care for workers, retirement payments, 15 buck per hour line workers.

And that is really too bad because i bet that 300hp AWD Focus ST is awesome. probably would kick a mustangs butt everywhere but the straight line

 

I'm not even talking about the Focus ST though (250hp turbocharged inline 5). I'm just wondering when we'll see a simple 2nd generation Ford Focus base model in the USDM. If Ford really wanted to do it they could have Mazda rolling them off the factory lines, badging them as a Focus, and then putting them on the same North American bound cargo ships. Identical productions costs to a Mazda3, right?

 

umm the second gen focus started in america in 2005

the platform is shared between mazda ford and volvo

dunno where you guys have been...

 

That's actually just a facelifted version of the 1st generation Focus. Here's what Europe gets right now...

 

I thought Mazda was having a hard time making enough Mazda 3s to meet demand. Retooling part of their plant to produce the differently-styled Focus would further cut into their production, which isn't anything that either company wants to do. I've seen a few of the new Euro Focuses (Foci?) in person, and I think they look a whole lot nicer than the current generation. People over there seem to really like them, too, so I think it would behoove Ford to bring it over as soon as they can for a reasonable price (i.e. switch the line in Michigan to produce the new generation).

 

I agree, although I didn't know about Mazda3 situation. Maybe that's a factor. I dunno. I have a feeling it's not just one thing but I also firmly believe that a company with strong leadership would have found a way to make it happen already. Seems to be a theme will most American car companies right now.