Ford Focus 2012 News

The 59-year-old, one of the last senior executives from the tumultuous Jacques Nasser era, started as Ford's vice president of design in 1997 after working with BMW, Audi and Volkswagen.

Ford has revealed new performance-boosting tuning packages for European versions of the Focus ST and Fiesta ST hot hatches, courtesy of its semi-official tuning partner Mountune. The kits boost Focus ST’s outputs from 184kW/340Nm to 205kW/400Nm, and the Fiesta from 134kW/240Nm to 160kW/320Nm, while maintaining their full European manufacturer warranty. The upgrade drops the Focus ST’s 0-100km/h acceleration by over half a second to below 6.0, and 50-100km/h happens 0.8 seconds quicker in 4.9. The Fiesta ST makes similar performance gains, reducing its 0-100km/h figure by half a second to 6.4, and its 50-100km/h figure by 0.7 seconds to 5.7. Mountune has an established history with the Focus and Fiesta models, having fettled previous-generation high performance versions of each nameplate.  Ford Australia spokesman Neil McDonald confirmed the possibility of Mountune packages for local versions of the Focus ST and Fiesta ST in future.  “It’s something we’re looking at locally but at this stage it’s too early to put any timings on when it will be available. However, it’s clearly a great opportunity to provide something extra for some of our Ford performance hatch customers.” Mr McDonald would not be drawn on how Mountune-badged models would sit with the existing FPV performance branding, insisting that the Mountune packages would need to be assessed for local warranty and ADR compliance first. In Europe, the kits take between 60 and 90 minutes to fit to the ST models, and the Focus ST kit includes a larger intercooler, upgraded air filter, cast-alloy inlet duct, and a remapped ECU, and costs the equivalent of AU$2025. The Fiesta ST kit is simpler, comprising just an aluminium high-flow airbox with cold-air intake, air filter upgrade and an ECU remap. Fittingly, it’s cheaper too, at the equivalent of AU$990. This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn  

Getting a straight answer out of Ford on the next Focus RS is likely getting a concise and clearly-worded response from a politician: no matter how you phrase the question, the reply will be in the form of a non-answer. While that may frustrate potential customers and Focus RS fans, we understand the realities of the global automotive business. To justify a niche-specific performance car, you need to sell a whole lot of crossovers and family sedans first. That makes Ford reluctant to commit to a car as specialized as the Focus RS. Britain's Autocar is now reporting that the Ford Focus RS will go on sale (in Europe, anyway) sometime in 2015. That means that Ford has built a business case for its highest-performing hot hatch, justifying it against the likes of the more accessible Focus ST and the brand’s iconic rear-drive pony car, the Mustang. Thanks to the automaker’s “One Ford” policy, that may mean that overseas customers will have a shot at sampling the Focus RS’ wares, unless Ford decides the car is simply too expensive to export to these shores. Unlike the Focus ST, which blends equal parts performance and practicality, the Focus RS makes few concessions to things beyond acceleration and handling. It’s priced accordingly, which raises the issue of whether or not Americans will spend that kind of money on a hot hatch, no matter how fast it is. Under the hood of the next Focus RS will be a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine, also expected to appear in the next Mustang. In Mustang guise, it will be longitudinally mounted, and is expected to make some 243 kW. For Focus RS duty, the engine will be spun sideways and transversely mounted, with power going to the front wheels. Final output remains a mystery, but it’s a safe bet that the Focus RS will make more thrust from the 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine than the Mustang will. The once-rumored all-wheel drive is reportedly off the table, too. An electric-drive system for the rear wheels was considered, but deemed to be too expensive. The Escape’s AWD system was also looked at, but it was found to be too bulky for use in the Focus RS. Instead, torque steer will be addressed by a revised version of the Revoknuckle front suspension that appeared on the last Focus RS. Like the Focus ST, the new Focus RS is expected to come in five-door flavor only, and the car will use the same “Sound Symposer” found in the ST to deliver the engine’s beautiful noise to the cabin. Assuming Autocar has the right information, expect the Focus RS to debut in Europe sometime in 2015. We’d call U.S. sales “possible,” though a timetable for a U.S. launch is impossible to predict. www.motorauthority.com  

The Focus is expected to hit about a million sales globally for 2012, with the Corolla sitting at around 966,000 for the year.The Focus has become very popular in emerging markets such as China – and was also helped there by a consumer boycott of Japanese cars for nearly the final half of 2012.The boycott – part of a public backlash in a long standing dispute between the two countries – cost Toyota an estimated 25 per cent of its sales in China. Volkswagen’s Jetta is in number three spot, followed by the Hyundai Elantra in fourth and Ford’s Fiesta in fifth.Sitting in sixth place is the Volkswagen Golf, followed by the Toyota Camry – the only car in the top 10 that isn’t an economy-focused compact – Volkswagen’s Polo, the Chevrolet Cruze and the Honda Civic.However Toyota is likely to win back its title of the world’s biggest carmaker, after losing it to General Motors last year.GM and Volkswagen are in the race for number two spot in a record year that looks set to see global sales go past the 80 million notch – despite the slump in Europe and the slowing Chinese economy.

That's twice the number Ford predicted would try out its "Smart Drive" program and has prompted the carmaker to already book the sole outdoor venue for next year's Melbourne Motor Show.Sydney showgoers could take a 10-minute drive of the Focus Titanium, Kuga and Ranger Wildtrak around a specially constructed course that highlighted key technologies and capabilities of the vehicles."The outdoor 'Smart Drive' has been a smash hit with showgoers. Even foot traffic walking past the Darling Harbour Convention Centre are stopping in to drive the cars on display," Ford Australia CEO Bob Graziano says."We had anticipated completing 3000 test drives across the entire motor show but we hit that number after the first weekend." The active park assist was the most popular feature in the Focus, closely followed by the automated emergency braking system dubbed Active City Stop. The Ford Kuga compact crossover's touch-free tailgate opening system also copped a pounding. Ford spokesman Neil McDonald says the same car was used throughout the show and cycled through more than 3000 displays of opening and closing its tailgate in response to a foot-wave under the rear bumper. The Ranger Wildtrak's hill ascent/decent software was also showcased, using a short but steep hill.The outdoor track was marked out by shipping containers and up to seven vehicles at a time could be put through the course. "We're rapt. It definitely exceeded our projections and we're already thinking about the next one," McDonald says. That has included booking the outdoor venue at the Melbourne event for 2013, effectively locking its rivals out of what has instantly become one of the highlights of the show. 

These cars are operating in one of the toughest of all market segments and buyers are being wooed from all directions. Ford has revised the specifications of the entry level model, the Focus Ambiente sedan by introducing the choice of a manual gearbox. The manual option was previously offered only on the hatchback. Ambiente is now on sale with a recommended driveaway price of just $19,990. An excellent price for a fully imported Euro styled car that sits a fair way up in the image stakes. Ford Australia is also offering driveaway pricing, at $27,490, on the Focus Sport and Focus Trend manual for $22,890. To further increase value, the Ford Sync system is now standard across the entire Focus range. Sync synchronises hands-free, voice-activated in-car connectivity, this consists of USB and Bluetooth connectivity including music streaming; access to contacts stored in a connected phone via voice commands. It also lets you access music from a connected USB or iPod device via voice commands, as well as by way of steering wheel controls. You can view music and call information on Ford Sync’s in-dash display. The multifunction trip computer used by the Sync system also give economy-minded drivers information by way of the Ford EcoMode system. Passive safety features on the Focus include ABS brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist; Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and Torque Vectoring Control and Hill Launch Assist. Secondary safety is provided by driver and passenger front and side thorax airbags, and side curtain airbags that aid front and rear passengers. Focus Ambiente is powered by a Duratec 1.6-litre petrol engine with 92 kW of power and 159 Nm of torque. Performance is good without being exactly exciting and our tests show it can get fuel consumption in the six to seven litres per hundred kilometres range on the open road, and seldom used more than nine litres around town even in heavy traffic. Further assisting the low price of buying a Ford Focus is the MyFord capped price service plan where Ford will publish the maximum price you will pay for its standard services at a participating authorised Ford dealer. As an example, the maximum amount the owner of a new Focus 1.6-litre petrol would pay at a participating dealer for the first 15,000 km service is just $320. The new prices of the Ford Focus range, with the previous prices in brackets: Ambiente 1.6-litre manual five-door hatch: $20,290 ($21,990) Ambiente 1.6-litre automatic five-door hatch: $22,590 ($24,290) Trend 2.0-litre manual five-door hatch: $22,290 ($24,490) Trend 2.0-litre automatic five-door hatch: $24,950 ($26,790) Trend 2.0-litre turbo-diesel five-door hatch: $28,090 ($30,500) Sport 2.0-litre manual five-door hatch: $25,890 ($27,890) Sport 2.0-litre automatic five-door hatch: $28,190 ($30,190) Sport 2.0-litre turbo-diesel five-door hatch: $31,690 ($33,690) Titanium 2.0-litre automatic five-door hatch: $32,990 ($33,840) Titanium 2.0-litre turbo-diesel five-door hatch: $36,490 ($37,340) Ambiente 1.6-litre manual four-door sedan: $20,290 (n/a) Ambiente 1.6-litre automatic four-door sedan: $22,590 ($24,290) Trend 2.0-litre automatic four-door sedan: $24,950 ($26,790) Trend 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-door sedan: $28,090 ($30,500) Titanium 2.0-litre automatic four-door sedan: $32,990 ($33,840)  

It was smiles all round at Central Coast Ford when homegrown singing sensation Karise Eden dropped by the West Gosford dealership. The winner of The Voice met staff at the popular car dealership last Friday when she stopped by to pick up the Ford Focus Titanium she won on the Channel 9 show earlier this year.  For general manager Tony Kutlucan, handing over the keys of the popular 2012 vehicle, which was imported from Germany, to the coast's favourite daughter was a proud moment. “My family and I watched The Voice and we were cheering for Karise to win because she was just such an amazing woman and representative for the Central Coast,” he said. “So when she won the show earlier this year we contacted Ford immediately and asked if we could be the ones to hand over the keys to her new car to her.” Despite being one of the biggest artists in the country, Eden hasn't forgotten where she came from and continues to live on the Central Coast. “It was really nice to know that when she heard we asked to be the ones to give her the car she said she was more than happy to come along and support a fellow coastie, which was a bit of a buzz for staff at Central Coast Ford,” Mr Kutlucan said.

India will be a major supplier to Ford's Asian plants, including making engines for the Australian-bound Fiesta and Focus. Engines will also go to Europe. Ford executive of manufacturing for Asia Pacific, Gary Johnson, overnight says: “From an engine perspective, we'll be exporting not just to Europe but also to Thailand”. Thailand makes the Ford Fiesta and Focus passenger cars, as well as the Ranger ute. If somewhere needs more engines and we've got the capability, then we're going to ship them,'' Mr Johnson says. India has three manufacturing plants in India. One makes the small Fiesta-based EcoSport SUV - in Australia early next year - and another is an engine plant that now makes a 1.2-litre petrol and 1.4-litre diesel.A 1-litre turbo-petrol engine - to be used in the EcoSport, Fiesta and Focus - is being added to production. Mr Johnson says Ford has the capacity in India to build 600,000 engines by 2015. It will also be capable of building 450,000 small cars. Ford boss Alan Mullaly, speaking to Carsguide in Delhi in February this year, says that in Asia, India would be a centre for light to small cars while “other Asian” centres would make small to mid-size cars (for example, Focus in Thailand).Ford has invested more than $2 billion to build factories in India. It is rated eighth in terms of sales in India, behind market leaders Hyundai - which makes the i20 for Australia in India - and Maruti Suzuki and Mahindra-Ssangyong. Ford India currently exports 40 per cent of its engine production and 25 per cent of its car production to 35 countries, primarily in Asia and Africa. 

Autonomous braking systems could save 250 lives and around $5 billion a year, according to Australia’s vehicle crash-testing body.Australian New Car Assessment Program chief executive Nicholas Clarke said automated emergency braking systems are the “next big thing” for vehicle safety.“AEB can probably be considered the next seat belt or electronic stability control equivalent in terms of saving lives,” Clarke said. “Advanced safety assist technology can help remove the weakest link when it comes to car crashes; the driver. “If every car on the road was equipped with AEB, the toll would fall by around 25 per cent.”Many carmakers already offer models with automated braking systems. The cheapest is the Volvo V50 wagon, which is priced from $42,990. Ford’s $33,840 Focus Titanium and the $38,950 Mercedes-Benz B-Class can both be optioned with the technology, costing $2300 and $2500 respectively.AEB systems use video cameras, radars or lasers to scan the road and determine the distance to the vehicle ahead and its relative speed. When the AEB-equipped vehicle gets too close, the software sounds a warning and then actively engages the brakes if the driver fails to respond.Australia was the first country to legislate compulsory seat belt use in 1970-’72. Global motoring body, the FIA, says wearing seat belts has reduced fatalities by 20 per cent in Australia since that date. Federal Department of Infrastructure and Transport figures state the economic impact of the 1288 deaths last year was around $27 billion.ANCAP’s “road map” of technologies required in future cars lists AEB as an optional system for five-star certification by 2017. Clarke expects to have that date revised down _ and predicts it will be mandatory, rather than optional. “We’re already talking to carmakers and lobbying the federal government to introduce these systems as soon as possible,” he said.Pedestrian Council of Australia head Harold Scruby is an enthusiastic supporter of the safety technology but doesn’t expect to see any quick action from the government. “I’ve actually been to see Catherine King pleading with her to mandate rear-vision cameras, which would cost about $100 a vehicle,” he said.“Unfortunately, this seemed to fall on deaf ears. If we can’t get reversing cameras mandated, what hope have we got getting this technology into the Australian Design Rules?” Drivers who buy cars with the technology should also benefit from lower insurance premiums, with some companies offering up to 20 per cent off the regular premium for AEB-equipped models.AEB EXPLAINEDAutonomous emergency braking systems use video cameras, radar or lasers to scan the road ahead and assess the vehicle’s speed as well as the speed of the car in front. Most warn the driver in the approach speed is too high and then automatically apply the brakes if an impending nose-to-tail crash is detected.Depending on the situation, the systems can either prevent an accident outright or dramatically cut the severity of the impact - and therefore the damage to the vehicles and occupants. There is no industry standard for the software. As a result, three differing versions are now sold. The first works at typical city speeds of below 30km/h; others operate at highway speeds. Finally, some systems also detect and react to pedestrians walking out into the vehicle’s path. 

So anyone shopping for a Volkswagen Golf GTi has again got a reason to include a feisty Ford on their list of potential rivals. It's not a white-hot Focus RS, which was a sellout success last year despite a $59,990 pricetag, but a new ST turbo that takes the place of the retired-from-duty XR5 that did well during its run down under. Don't let the new name confuse you, for the ST is almost a straight update for the XR5 - with a $38,290 pricetag and a 184 kiloWatt EcoBoost 2.0-litre engine - and a new headline body colour called Tangerine Scream. There are sure to be other ST models, and Ford has already shown a Fiesta tease wearing the Sport Technologies tag as it migrates the name around the world of blue oval vehicles. It says the Focus ST is the first "global performance cars" and plans to sell the Focus ST in more than 40 countries. Ford is trumpeting everything from more power and a six-speed manual gearbox to equipment that runs to sports steering, multi-layer ESP stability control, bi-xenon headlamps and predictable body upgrades. There is also fuel economy of 7.4 litres/100km and CO2 emissions of 172 grams/kilometre, plus a capped-price service plan. Just like the Toyota 86, Ford has added a 'sound symposer' that pipes induction noise from the engine into the cabin. "The price is up a little bit, but there is a lot more equipment. The price puts the car right into Golf GTi territory, and also the Mazda3 MPS," says Neil McDonald of Ford Australia. "This is the replacement for the XR5. The name change is a global one and we're aligning with those vehicles." Ford has cleverly timed the local announcement of the Focus ST for the same day when Opel is revealing its launch program for Australia, including its own warmed-over hatch. It's the Astra GTC, available with both 1.4 and 1.6-litre turbocharged engines from $28,990. But Opel, which is setting up for the first time as an independent brand and not just supplying cars to Holden, believes there will be no comparison with the new Ford. "It's a different buyer and a different car," the product marketing manager at Opel Australia, Min-Sean Chew, tells Carsguide. "Our car is a stylish coupe with brilliant dynamics. Theirs is just a hatch." The Focus ST continues down a road pioneered by the XR5 in April, 2006 when the fast rod arrived with a $35,990 bottom line. It went away towards the end of last year as Ford switched its focus on Focus to the value models and supply from Thailand. McDonald is hinting, but not confirming, more hot hatch action for both the Focus and Fiesta. "I would imagine there will be more on ST," he says. "There has been speculation about the Focus RS but we haven't announced anything." The first Focus ST deliveries will be in October. And, while there is no Fiesta ST yet, Ford Australia is just about to begin sales of a limited-edition Fiesta Metal, with a tuned 1.6-litre Duratec engine that delivers 98 kiloWatts. It also has 17-inch alloys, sports suspension and special black paint with a price of $22,990 for the 250 cars in the run.