Ford Focus ST enters final testing

Ho-hum

Doubtless it'll be a very worthy car, but I can't help thinking it'll be a lot less interesting for only having a 4 cylinder engine. Also, stylistically the rear end in particular looks awful - the previous model looked far neater, more distinctive and, dare I say, modern! (imho of course).

By roughtone on 12 May, 2011, 9:06am

The Ford Chav is dead, long live the Ford Chav...

Where is the street presence???

Love it or hate it, nobody would deny that the previous incarnation of the Focus ST was no shrinking violet. What an earth are Ford doing to their current range, especially the Focus? This new ST is Bland, Bland, Bland, and now it has lost it's characterful and wonderfully offbeat 5 cylinder powerplant one wonders what is left to pull a punter in?

I honestly believe that this car will be the death of Ford in Europe, if not the World. Talk of World Cars is all well and good, but Ford should absolutely take note of the old adage, "You can't please all of the people, all of the time".

By sgtgrash on 12 May, 2011, 11:28am

I'm sad...

I agree, something special has left with the abanon of 2.5T R5 (due to fuel economy mostly)...
I own the March '07 Focus ST and I can't cope with the look of the new model...
IMHO Ford have failed once before with "one model"-strategy for all world markets; i think here of the '93 presented Mondeo!!!
but ok... it's cost minimizing and profit maximizing (if Ford can sell...!)

By anfianfi on 12 May, 2011, 12:01pm

I'm sad...

I agree, something special has left with the abanon of 2.5T R5 (due to fuel economy mostly)...
I own the March '07 Focus ST and I can't cope with the look of the new model...
IMHO Ford have failed once before with "one model"-strategy for all world markets; i think here of the '93 presented Mondeo!!!
but ok... it's cost minimizing and profit maximizing (if Ford can sell...!)

By anfianfi on 12 May, 2011, 12:03pm

I've just noticed...

The new Focus is the same price as the new Hyundai i40 which is a class above (in every respect it would seem).

I've owned around 80 cars and bikes and though i'm no lover of Hyundais and have owned a number of wonderful Fords (including the last gen Focus), I see where the smart money would be in that comparison.

The new Focus seems perfect for the China/India/Pakistan markets (i.e. two thirds of the world's population) design-wise, so I'm sure Ford isn't too worried about the concerns of private European owners as the rest of the sales volume in Europe and rest of the world will be covered by commercial sales...basically, financially the 'global' car should shore-up Fords coffers.

What's more worrying is that so many main-stream manufacturers are going the same way. VWs approach has been well commented on for recent years (i.e. 'That's it boys...put something non-descript and A-sexual out there and gees, there's billions of people on the planet...Somebody is bound to like it!!'), but good on them, it's kept them near the top for generations and has allowed them to buy many other influential car manufacturers. I guess Ford has decided to take the same road, shame but makes perfect financial sense...

By jon_abbate on 12 May, 2011, 3:05pm

Fuel economy trumps

With fuel prices as high as they are these days design is totally revolving around fuel economy. It is a shame to lose the performance aspects but we are living in the real world where a deep line of fuel efficient vehicles leads to sales. Check out how their range is now focused: http://www.fuelmileage.co.uk/list-manufacturers/ford

By SlickZZ on 13 May, 2011, 8:31am

I'm sad...(part 2)

…..inspite of that I’m sad I can spot ONE PLUS: the whole interieur is much better in this new version of Focus; there the old 2005-2009 model, with f.x. it’s green backgroundlight is now old-fashioned and out of date in deed!!!

By anfianfi on 13 May, 2011, 12:23pm

Plug Ugly front - grumpy 'mouth', slanty headlamp eyes...yuk

I've had TWO Focus ST's and this latest design is shockingly awful. The rear looks like a bland Japanese or Korean car - Hyundai springs to mind. But that wide ugly gaping black hole at the front thoroughly ruins it for me. What on earth was Ford thinking of when they penned that front?!? Better fuel economy or not, I'm not going back to a Focus this time around...

By Dame_Edna on 14 May, 2011, 7:10pm

I'm sad....(part 3)

BTW.... where are the, in connection with xenon, mandatory headlight sprinklerwasher on the frontbumper ???

By anfianfi on 15 May, 2011, 6:35pm

i'm sad

that I ever bought a focus. My 2.0 zetec was falling apart straight out of the show room. I cannot see how a faster more powerful model would be able to hold itself together, surely the same sticky tape simply won't do the job.. Made in South Africa, but Pommy Convicts explains a lot, but it is still not acceptable in this day and age.. Sorry Ford the Model A was your best model, and you've been speeding downhill since..

By guliver_twist on 16 May, 2011, 2:37pm

im sure car magazines are sponsored by ford and vw. i am fed up of seeing reviews on boring vw's, fords and bmw's. i had a focus for a few months (loved by car magazines) as a company car and although it drove ok i have never seen such a cheap interior and it took me 3 hours to find in a supermarket car park. i drive a new vw polo (loved by car magazines) for my 2nd job ...... its slow, dull and full of cheap plastics. Where as i once had a fiat stilo jtd sporting (not loved by critics) and yeah it wasnt the best build quality but it had real character and was a brilliant motorway cruiser and the engine was fantastic...... i just wish that motoring magazines were truly impartial and not just one big advertisement.

By mauk1980 on 18 May, 2011, 11:57pm