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Ford Readies its Next C-Segment World Car Platform


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The outer styling looks great but where they failed was inside...it just looks cheap compared to the competition....we have 2 foci in the family..both have been great...wifes fiesta has been great...time marched on..it is time for new fiesta and foci...my only concern is that darn auto transmission..hopefully they dump that piece of junk

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2017 Escape. New front and rear styling and major changes to the center console. Also added Sport package with interior and exterior styling changes. Also got the 1.5L engine.

 

Yeah, I don't have a problem with Escape's refresh.

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Small car sales are down for all the reasons we've discussed. But Focus is down much more than other similar vehicles.

 

Civic and Corolla are only down 8%. Focus is down 24%! That is not due strictly to folks switching to CUVs. It's lack of updates and the DCT tranny.

Yep....like i have alluded to before..dont go to the guy that is the ford and mazda dealer...you will not go back to the ford lot next door....ford let the foci go too long on the inside....if the new foci has the same dct junk...mazda will be in our driveway Edited by snooter
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Small car sales are down for all the reasons we've discussed. But Focus is down much more than other similar vehicles.

 

Civic and Corolla are only down 8%. Focus is down 24%! That is not due strictly to folks switching to CUVs. It's lack of updates and the DCT tranny.

and yet you don't believe me when I say Ford is abandoning small cars
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and yet you don't believe me when I say Ford is abandoning small cars

 

Abandoning means they're not going to build them at all any more and I don't see that happening. Cutting back, yes. If gas prices go back to $4 they'll be needing them again.

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and yet you don't believe me when I say Ford is abandoning small cars

 

Define abandoning... they haven't quit making a small car like Chrysler and Dodge have.

 

Seems like they are spending $$$ where they make $$$. The Focus has done ok, but due to market shifts they aren't making big changes to the power train like swapping out the DCT for an automatic because its not a huge profit center. I guess the math supports keeping the DCT at this time.

 

If they keep the current Focus around without giving it the new update that everyone else is geting ala the C170 vs C1 Focus, you may have a point.

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All they've done since the current model was launched in 2012 is take away from the Focus, never add anything meaningful. That's what I mean by abandon.

 

I would argue that the RS qualifies as a definite add, but I get your point. Given current market conditions (movement towards CUV's), Ford is somewhat behind the curve and probably is having to put more development $$ towards those vehicles to catch up. I sincerely hope they don't give up on cars, it would be a mistake.

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Ford isn't defending the Focus, in other regions the cars don't

use the 2,0 DI & Powershift, they use 1.5 EB with 6F AT OR 6MT.

Those two changes would have given buyers reason to look more

closely at the Focus.

 

(Sorry, fat finger syndrome and auto text )

Edited by jpd80
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Ford isn't defending the Focus, in other regions the cars don't

use the 2,0 DI & Powershift, they use 1.5 EB with 6F AT OR 6MT.

Those two changes would have given buyers reason to look more

closely at the Focus.

 

(Sorry, fat finger syndrome and auto text )

Yep. My employer (with many locations nationwide) is officially done with that horrid transaxle. Aside from a few Transit Connects, there will be no more Fords purchased for the company.

 

The hatred for the Powershift is immense, coast to coast, with my employer and co-employees. It's expensive, it's crappy to drive (I hate driving the things), and it's benched several of our cars, now. To hell with it.

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Sad, because the Focus and Fiesta have many good attributes (particularly the styling, in my opinion).

And this is the thing, the ROW vehicles now have better powertrain options than their Nth American cousins, Focus in particular.

I think the roots to that lie with the location of production at MAP and the insistence by Mulally that the car be built at a profit.

The main casualty from that was undoubtedly the planned lock step evoluton of the power trains outside of Nth America.

 

The decision to go with a low cost 2.0 DI versus a 1.6/1.5 EB is understandable given cost constraints but to then use that

untried dry clutch DCT transmission in a quality sensitive market expecting a fault free automatic transmission was ludicrous

especially when a lightweight 6F transmission was being built virtually on MAP's back doorstep...

Edited by jpd80
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And this is the thing, the ROW vehicles now have better powertrain options than their Nth American cousins, Focus in particular.

I think the roots to that lie with the location of production at MAP and the insistence by Mulally that the car be built at a profit.

The main casualty from that was undoubtedly the planned lock step evoluton of the power trains outside of Nth America.

 

The decision to go with a low cost 2.0 DI versus a 1.6/1.5 EB is understandable given cost constraints but to then use that

untried dry clutch DCT transmission in a quality sensitive market expecting a fault free automatic transmission was ludicrous

especially when a lightweight 6F transmission was being built virtually on MAP's back doorstep...

 

Yep..world cars my butt..we got shafted again...i think ford knows focus is mostly a break even proposition..moving it to mexico kinda solidifies that...one thing i would like to see is a fiesta coupe and a fusion coupe...but that market must be really small anymore...the hatchs's are able to pull off the 5 doors...the sedans look like grandmas car...but i have hope the new models will give us some good changes..no way i am buying that crap auto though

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Yep..world cars my butt..we got shafted again...i think ford knows focus is mostly a break even proposition..moving it to mexico kinda solidifies that...

Perceptions and buyer preferences change, decisions made at kick off in 206 for a re-visioned Focus for Nth America

didn't take into account regional differences and as you mentioned, the elimination of the Focus coupe was disappointing

as was the non inclusion of Fusion's base 2.5 I-4 and 6AT / 6MT transmissions.

 

The funny part was that the Base S Focus is one of the lowest selling models and right next to it sits the most popular - SE.

I'm betting that Ford did not envision that product or the response to the Titanium. Traditionally, Ford NA never really considered

high series compacts being good sellers...I mean they're only just introducing an SEL on the death of the MAP Focus.

 

I'll give you a link to the Focus sold in Australia, a market that previously used to have the 2.0 DI and Power stroke.

The new 1.5 EB and 6AT/6MT have done much to restore buyer confidence in the Focus - sales now begin at Trend (SE)

My personal favorite / value for money is the Focus Sport with 1.5 EB and 6MT... lovely car to drive.

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SEL name didn't last into 2013, but the optional equipment did. There's been Luxury Equipment and Sport packages between 2013-16.

SEL came back for simplicity, I guess, not too many stand alone options or packages now.

 

"we got shafted again" ? We have the ST and RS, used to never get these models.

 

"S is lowest seller" Of course it is. It's the 'dealer advertising' model, same with Corolla L and Cruze L. Come in for cheap price, drive out in more profitable car/truck. Dates back to the Escort/Pinto Pony models.

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SEL name didn't last into 2013, but the optional equipment did. There's been Luxury Equipment and Sport packages between 2013-16.

SEL came back for simplicity, I guess, not too many stand alone options or packages

Not everything, the rain sensing windshield wipers and auto dimming mirror disappeared all together after the first year.

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