Official 2008 Ford Focus Pics and Information!

[goosesfocus]

I really like the front. It would look even better with a front lip. It looks like it needs some sort of mesh between the fog lamps or a front mount IC. I'm just disappointed that there is no hatch. I'm a ford guy and I always will be. When i'm due for a new car in a couple years I would consider it.

[frocus]

no hatchback is pretty dumb imo

[Osiris]

Originally Posted by focaljet-1

As I mentioned earlier, who's to say that there aren't a lot of people out there that don't like the current car but will like this new Coupe? It may bring a whole new group to FJ.

Also, I predict that once the car hits the street and people start modifying them that they will become more popular... and a lot of nay-sayers will be singing a different tune.

Unfortunately it's going to be about 9-12 months before we have the results of that prediction. So, put it in the time capsule I guess.

I was going to say the same thing.

I remember reading a ton of negative rabble about the 'MKII' redesign of the front fascia and interior we got in this country, then the modified cars started showing up and as I said back then, the thing looks GOOD when modified.

This new car is definitely different. Can we all agree on that? It also doesn't look like any other car on the market it competes against on a grand scale ( I think all cars share certain similarities, in one way or another ), it looks like a modern Ford which is exactly what set the original Focus apart from the rest.

I think this redesign will also be a success. And I do like it. I even like it more than my '03.

All it needs is some aggressive exterior work, better brakes, a bit more power and 6 gears to row through and I'd toss my SVTF in the trash for one, and I think all of that will come in time.

So consider me one of the 'few' here who like it.

[goosesfocus]

Originally Posted by frocus

no hatchback is pretty dumb imo

I strongly agree. There is no hatch or wagon. That is three(zx3,zx5 wagon) out of the 4 focuses offered and they replaced all 3 with the coupe. I like the looks of the coupe but give some more options.

[rpvitiello]

ok my thoughts on this....

This looks ALLOT like a chop i did of the origonal saturn ion to make it look better. If i dig it out of my HDD i will post it up. it is scarry how much the front looks like my chop!

The rest of the exterior i think looks better than the current 05 refresh. The design flows better.

The interior is MUCH better than the current 05 design. the parts actually fit!

now some of the tech in the car is cool, and it looks like they tried to start adding in all the options that some E spec cars had or have.
Side bags standard are a nice thing.

I am disappointed that it does not have stability control with rear disc brakes, i though ford wanted to make the standard on all models!

Also i though the C1 platform was basically a stiffened up version of the C170 platform. Ford bragging about modifying the car to stiffen it up? how was it cheaper to reengineer a chasses when they allready did that?

It seams like this is definetally an improvement over what they have now, and they need it, but i think it is not 100% of what it needs to be to. If this car is only going to be around for 2 years before the C2 focus comes out this is a VERY good step to regain market shares in the meantime without rebates like they are hitting with the current 05 redesign. even if this design does not make them any money, it is better to improve the car, than to dump money on a bad car in rebates to move it. Since ford was losing $5,000 a focus in rebates, even if this design costs them a $5,000 loss per car, but gets them away from rebates it will at least improve there image as a car company and help them out when/if C2 comes out.

no i understand it was not cost effective to redo the waggon, 3 door hatch, AND 5 door hatch, but imo they should have at least kept the 5 door hatch. allot of people that previously bought the 3 door hatch woudld get the coupe as the sporty model. and the 5 door would get everyone that bought a 3 door, 5 door, or waggon for storage or functionality.

I know for myself this alone is a deal breaker. I have only owned sedans and i have vowed "never again" I NEED something i can go to the store and actually fit stuff in the back. With all the SUV drivers downscailing there is going to be demand for cars with cargo. the CURRENT car customers may prefer sedans and coupes, but i think the current SUV drivers buying smaller cars will want a hatch.

Again if this is only for 2 years than it may be fine for the current market, but in 2 years they WILL need the hatch/waggon again!

[Honkeytonk Monkey]

There is almost nothing I like about the new car.

-Biggest surprise. As hatchbacks are sfinally gaining a foothold in the market, Ford decides people would rather have a tall coupe with a useless trunk. Sure the trunk may actually be big, but with an opening that small, you can't actually put anything in it bigger than a suitcase on it's side through the opening. I had the same complaint about the MK4 Jetta and the Cobalt Coupe.

-Gone are the trademark bumped out fenders the Focus is instantly recognizable for, in thier place are mishapen slabs which have no flow at all with the car's lines. The Focus is supposed to be edgy, this screams "non intimidating design" The headlights are borderline hideous and the big plastic looking square foglights look crooked from any angle but dead on. The chrome grille isn't bad but you can see the mesh underneath which begs the question, why the heck didn't they put in a third bar? The tail lights look like cheap APC units that if I were to install on my car then post in Rigz, I'd be told should be thrown out.


- The coupe's profile which i was hoping would resemble a slightly tall coupe looks more like a last gen Hyundai Accent coupe with a droopy Sentra ass. The creases they added to the front and rear bumpers only have the effect of making the car look narrower and taller which doen't help. I have no idea what they are doing with that wierd chrome thing on the fenders that completely breaks up the styling line on the doors of the car. It almost looks like 3 teams were designing this car at the same time, each team took 1/3 of the car and none of them ever talked to the others. This is the mess they came up with.

I think the interior is the car's only strong point, but I have problems here too. From the shots, it looks like solid plastic, which I am sure will be cheap feeling solid plastic. If the radio sucks (and all factory radios do), well that's just too bad because it's scattered all over the center console. And looking at the dark interior shot, I see panel fit and finish has not improved since the escort was released in the 80s.

Huge thumbs down from me the Focus is dead. This thing is disgusting.

[hEaT]

Blasphemy! The car does not deserve to wear sonic blue.

[nick]

Not liking it at all. Hate the radio setup, thats why im staying away from mazda. The rest of the interior is nice though. The exterior now..... Those things on the quarter panels are just god awful The grill was expected considering ford is riding that out. This just confirms that ford has nothing to offer that is the least bit attractive in the small or mid size family. Its to bad i had some hopes they would do something right for once.

[zurno]

thanks for the chops btw, I kind alike that green

[Pak]

Hideous. At least the interior looks a little more upscale, but otherwise, fugly.

[Ataru]

Originally Posted by focaljet-1

You obviously have a strong opinion about the situation. None of us can predict the future, it's something we'll have to reflect upon in retrospect at some point down the road.

I put my initial thoughts down at about post #59 and was done with it. Your comments about being disappointed in the negative reactions took me by surprise and is what started up my discussion. After that it was simply the two of us responding to each other's comments.

Agree to disagree I guess. I will say that I do hope you are more right than I am. I would like to see this Focus succeed as Ford does need it.

[zurno]

mixed opinions on FFOC http://ffoc.co.uk/modules.php?name=F...topic&t=147962

[zurno]

not too fancy, but someone elsewhere blacked out the grill already

http://www.supercars.net/Pics?vpf2=y&gID=0&fID=0&tID=113940&mID=3146333&l=d

[freekwonder]

never mind.

[infraredhb]

I actually enjoy the redesign and look forward to seeing one in person to make my final determination.

As far as not having a 2.3 under the hood, what is the power rating from the factory? I didn't see it on the spec sheet.

Hopefully, somebody will get some 'shopped pics of the new coupe on here with grill alterations and what not.

As for the future how-to sections, will the first mod be a sticky on how to black out those fugly foglight housings?? lol

[BRZX3R]

Phew, I am glad it is as nasty and ugly as I feared. Now, I won't have to rethink my idea of buying a Mini Cooper S turbo, Mazdaspeed 3, or used S60R for a replacement for my SVT.


The square fogs look like they stole them from a 82-86 Mustang GT, the wheels are horrid and too small, quarter panel is too big, decklid is awfull, interior is ok, chrome is overdone, and yes the copied the Saturn Ion.

Great Job Ford for building another car I won't buy.

[J-Rod]

Overall, I like the exterior and think Ford did a great job on the interior.

I'm perplexed as to why the studio added so many "shapes" to the front end. I'm not a fan of the hard character line on the bumper in front of the lamps. I'm also wondering why the diamond pattern grille, under the main grille? Fog lamps are extremely squared, however there is nothing on the front end that is square. Headlamps remind me of the new Suzuki XL7. From a true front view, I dig the front. From a 3/4 view those character lines pop and I'm just confused.

SV profile is awesome. I dig the little grille in the fender and the character line that runs from the fender to the quarter panel.

RV, I've NEVER been a fan of any Focus sedan rear end. This model doesn't change my mind. Lamps are a bit too small and I don't like how Ford is showing so much chrome in their lamps. They need to work on LED lamps!

Interior is just bad ass. I also dig the ambient lighting package option. Interior lighting makes a car so damn cool. One of the major things I love about the Mustang is the ability to control the color of the cluster by a switch. Major coolness!

Overall, a set of aggressive 18"s and a small drop would make this a pretty damn looking car!

For most people on here that don't like it... you're never going to like a Focus unless it's direct from Europe. If this car was a European model, you'd all be screaming at Ford to bring it here

[racerx]

I think it's okay. Nothing spectacular (except maybe the interior, which at least appears to be very nice) but solid. As with the Tibby and G6 coupe, it has big "haunches" which make even 16 or 17 inch wheels look small. I do wish the side grilles were functional, which the don't appear to be.

All in all I'd say it's a decent halfway point towards the all-new model in a couple years.

[Ataru]

http://www.supercars.net/Pics?vpf2=y...ID=3146333&l=d

So from this photo, does it mean that certain trim levels of the Focus will be without the side grill? That helps the side looks some, as does the photochopped blacked out grill.

[Hal]

I lke the coupe If I were in the market for a new car I would seriously consider it.

I lke the interior better than my 2001. The exterior has lots of potiental if you look carefully. I am sure that it won't take some aftermarket company long to figure out a way to make those fender vents functional.

I am dissapointed that 4-wheel disc brakes and the 2.3L engine are not being offered but they may show up later.

I find the comments that it looks like a (insert any car name) to be rather amusing. To me the concept of distinctive styling for different makes of cars died somewhere around 1980.

As far as the lack of a hatch goes, if I wanted to drive around in a SUV I would buy a SUV not some minature version of one. I think there are many people with the same thoughts as evidenced by comparing Sedan sales to Hatch sales. The Coupe will give these people a 2-door option now.

[zurno]

Originally Posted by Ataru

http://www.supercars.net/Pics?vpf2=y&gID=0&fID=0&tID=113940&mID=3146333&l=d

So from this photo, does it mean that certain trim levels of the Focus will be without the side grill? That helps the side looks some, as does the photochopped blacked out grill.

I didn't even notice that

looks good without that trim, maybe it will be that way on the base model (we can hope), or atleast have a decent way of getting rid of that trim

[zx3lova]

Were's the 2.3?

Why most Ford always be behind when it comes with performance?

I mean jesus christ this car better be around $15,000 cause there's no reason to pick this up over a Mazda 3 considering the mazdaspeed version starts at $22k.

Come on Ford! How can you fix Mazda and screw yourself over?!

[ZIPYSVT]

Great discussion. After following all of the preliminary threads, it is no surprise to me that people here are not ready to marry it.

I think it is a big improvement over the current model, and positions the car where it needs to be in the marketplace. Competitive pricing will seal the deal with the majority of the car buyers in this segment. I agree that in a heads up contest with similar cars from Honda, Toyota, GM, etc. that this is the most appealing car in 2008.

Love:
- Interior design
- Standard side / curtain airbags
- Sync (the concept at least)

Hate:
- No hatch
- Excess "blingage" (fog lights, tail light surrounds, SEL interior appliques)
- ABS not standard

Question: Does it have a passthrough / fold-down rear seat feature? That would help us hatch people reduce our hater percentage.