Official 2008 Ford Focus Pics and Information!

[Black331]

Originally Posted by BRZX3R

are we still going to get an all new focus in 2010?

Some people say we're getting C2 in 2010, I say that's wishful thinking, we'll be lucky if this design doesn't stay with us for the next 5-6 years.

The question should be, "will Ford still be in business in 2010"?

Between this, the hideous new Super duty, horrible looking 500, and whatever other nightmarish surprises they have in store for us who on Earth is going to run out and buy millions of these new ugly Ford's with last decades powertrains?

[Black331]

Originally Posted by focus-blue

At first I was excited to see the new focus. After I looked at it for awhile I realized, as some of you guys have said, that the euro look is gone. The focus was origanally a economy car with a bit of euro sportiness. Now it looks like a goofy bubble on wheels. The interior is pretty cool, and certain angles on the 08 are cool, but from a side view it looks like the typical 4 banger econmy car that all car companies are spitting out. Also, why the hell don't they just slap on disc's in the rear. Get rid of the drums! I guess that Ford has to appeal to the majority of America. I was hoping for more of a sports car! Maybe SVT will get a hold of it?!?!

There is no more SVT, the last thing they had their hands on was the GT500, it's dead, so is performance at Ford unless you want a Mustang.

[Black331]

Originally Posted by BUR_ZX3

You know what I mean. Its pretty easy to upgrade a D20 to a D23.




All in all, I'm dissapointed in a couple things:

lack of performance version being the key point.


But I see this as falling back to what I call the "Escort Strategy."

Take a hatchback that has sold well for us initially, watch it slump in sales after you remove the GT/SVT/performance version, redesign the car, but remove the hatchback and make it into a coupe/sedan, watch sales fall off entirely, and the death of a model.

The front end is wrong wrong wrong. That Grille needs to go quickly. I understand the point about the brand identity with the chrome bars, but it doesn't work on the Focus. Specially with that hideous black crosshatch stuff.

Memo to aftermarket: Make us a new grille, and make us a new front bumper.



But I'm glad to know my eye is as sharp as ever on calling out that rear spoiler under the camo on all the spy pics.

Good point, scary how similar it is to what they did to the Escort! Are the same idiots still at Ford?

One thing that would really improve the front end is if the inside lower corner of the headlights wasn't cut out for the grill, somebody needs to photoshop one with just that changed, I bet it would mke the front look way way better.

[Black331]

Originally Posted by BRZX3R

Lon Zaback should be fired. The entire team that worked on the car should all be removed.

Also, looking at the speedometer, it suffers from the same problem our Escape has. The needle is fat and too short, and the graduations between the numbers are too small. I like the bigger gauges of the 00-04 cars better. The large tach and speedo are great for quick glances. The new Mustang also has too small of gauges, or perhaps my eyes suck.

It also has the same gauges that started with the Escape where the text wraps around and eventually goes upside down which looks retarded. They finally designed the text on the gauge faces to look like somethig not out of the 70's yet they ruin it by giving it the bend your head 120 degrees to the side so you can read it text.
Btw, the gauge cluster is the same one used in all Ford's Lincoln's, and Mercury's with just a different font and colors.

[Fishflinger]

Looks like by the time they bring the C1 chassis over here it will have to be used for a different model because the US Focus seems to be getting away from the Euro Focus.

[goosesfocus]

Originally Posted by Black331

I just recently found out how slow the D20 is when I pulled away from one in my bone stock Zetec ZX3 with a bad DPFE..

Really. My D20 is pretty quick he probably didn't know how to drive or he wasn't racing. Anyway It could be worse the could put the SPI back in the focus.

[tallguy2.3]

I think it looks great.

Why: 99% of people dont buy a Ford Focus so they can race it, make it faster, or really change anything at all.
Most people want what Ford has changed the Focus into here. I want my sister to get one.

BUT: I think that if Ford doesnt come out with an STT or an X model or something performance oriented.......then I will be hurt......and bored

[Ataru]

Originally Posted by BlckXenonZx3

Let's face facts if the following aren't applied 75% of FJ won't like it:
98+ style Ford Focus (Verbatem)
Released in Europe first
AWD Turbo for under 20g
Another 10% won't like it just because the band wagon doesn't, even though they asked for everything the 08 Ford Focus is OR because they had their mind made up when they saw the camoed prototype. I'm so incredibly suprised by this thread....

So we should all be zombies and like it JUST because it's a Focus.......

[Angelus897]

Originally Posted by Fishflinger

Looks like by the time they bring the C1 chassis over here it will have to be used for a different model because the US Focus seems to be getting away from the Euro Focus.

They're not bringing the C1 over as a Focus. Next gen Focus will be a C2 platform.

[BlckXenonZx3]

Originally Posted by Ataru

So we should all be zombies and like it JUST because it's a Focus.......

Exactly!!!!......Now if only I could find where I said that.....

Back in a less sarcastic, real world:
I did say that alot of FocalJet won't like it because it doesn't meet the forementioned criteria. A portion of FJ (IMHO, which I hope I'm entitled too) won't like it just because they flat out don't like it or for reasons not limited to the ones I supplied (including imaging and past focus history etc).
BTW, those aren't researched percentages and I hope you didn't take personal offense for some reason

[goosesfocus]

No, like the car because you like the car. If not go buy something else. Personally it is starting to grow on me I really can't wait to see it in person.

[Ataru]

Originally Posted by BlckXenonZx3

Exactly!!!!......Now if only I could find where I said that.....

Back in the real world:
I did say that alot of FocalJet won't like it because it doesn't meet the forementioned criteria. A portion of FJ (IMHO, which I hope I'm entitled too) won't like it just because they don't like it or for reasons not limited to the ones I supplied. BTW, those aren't actual percentages

You listed reasons why FJ members won't like it and then said you were surprised by this thread. Why are you surprised by it? Are you surprised by all the negative comments about the car? Were you expecting all of us to like it just because it's a Focus?

THAT was the point I was trying to make.

[Dubzilla]

i like it a lot. except the honeycomb thing under the grill. no 2.3 sucks, but not a big deal because the d20 is the good gas mileage engine anyway, and that's what the car's designed for. i still wonder about the 5-speed auto, maybe it doesn't fit under the c170. ah well, i think they did a good job overall and this will help sales pick up, at least until c2 day.

[avengerc4]

Originally Posted by Dubzilla

i like it a lot. except the honeycomb thing under the grill. no 2.3 sucks, but not a big deal because the d20 is the good gas mileage engine anyway, and that's what the car's designed for. i still wonder about the 5-speed auto, maybe it doesn't fit under the c170. ah well, i think they did a good job overall and this will help sales pick up, at least until c2 day.

I acually like the honeycomb. what would you rather like to see?!? honeycomb or engine?!? lol

[Black331]

I like that blue color, and the fact that for once, a re-designed Ford actually lost weight, instead of gaining it!

I'm hoping the aftermarket makes a headlight that doesn't have that little cut-out for the grill, that's what ruins them.

And a turbo from Focussport would be nice.

And is it just me or does it look lower? Looks like the gap is much less on the coupe, but then that could just be for the show.

[zurno]

Originally Posted by Black331

It also has the same gauges that started with the Escape where the text wraps around and eventually goes upside down which looks retarded. They finally designed the text on the gauge faces to look like somethig not out of the 70's yet they ruin it by giving it the bend your head 120 degrees to the side so you can read it text.
Btw, the gauge cluster is the same one used in all Ford's Lincoln's, and Mercury's with just a different font and colors.

is it seriously that hard for people to read something that is not perfectly parallel to the plane you reside on? does your brain seriosly lack the capacity to translate a shape 120 degrees? is the world doomed?

[focaljet-1]

Originally Posted by Ataru

You listed reasons why FJ members won't like it and then said you were surprised by this thread. Why are you surprised by it? Are you surprised by all the negative comments about the car? Were you expecting all of us to like it just because it's a Focus?

THAT was the point I was trying to make.

I think he's on board with what I was saying. We are surprised by all the negative comments because we actually LIKE the car.

[zurno]

Originally Posted by Black331

I like that blue color, and the fact that for once, a re-designed Ford actually lost weight, instead of gaining it!

I'm hoping the aftermarket makes a headlight that doesn't have that little cut-out for the grill, that's what ruins them.

And a turbo from Focussport would be nice.

And is it just me or does it look lower? Looks like the gap is much less on the coupe, but then that could just be for the show.

personally I think the cutout that a few people have complained about is helping the style and making it unique, if you make it flat it looks more like an ion than previously

I wouldn't see why Focussport's current turbo kit wouldn't work, the engine bay is probably almost identical

[avengerc4]

I still want to get in one to HEAR the thing. I want to know if it is truley quite and has better handling. If it does you can make it look a bit better with some mods. For sure!

[hatched]

I do think the European Focus looks better, but oh well. It'll be interesting to see how this does against the Saturn Astra.

[focaljet-1]

Originally Posted by zurno

I wouldn't see why Focussport's current turbo kit wouldn't work, the engine bay is probably almost identical

I don't want to speak for FocusSport, but I would say that there will be some piping and mounting issues that may need to be tweaked.. Also, at this point I don't think anyone outside of Ford knows exactly if the ECU architecture has changed. That might pose a bit of a hurdle initially.

I hope that the issues are easily adapted to, because what the car will need is HP.

Current aftermarket suspension components, brakes, etc. are said to work. This is the UPSIDE to continuing with the C170 chassis.

[zurno]

Originally Posted by focaljet-1

I don't want to speak for FocusSport, but I would say that there will be some piping and mounting issues that may need to be tweaked.. Also, at this point I don't think anyone outside of Ford knows exactly if the ECU architecture has changed. That might pose a bit of a hurdle initially.

I hope that the issues are easily adapted to, because what the car will need is HP.

Current aftermarket suspension components, brakes, etc. are said to work. This is the UPSIDE to continuing with the C170 chassis.

sounds good, I hope it is nothing too hard to get around


now all we need is a thread for the people that plan on buying one and what color they would want to buy (I kinda like that photoshopped green, but I don't think that'll be a color)