New Focus at Melbourne Motor Show 2005

zetec · 03-03-2005, 12:40 AM

Website's out, Car's announced!!! Finally!!!!!!! I can stop holding my breath!!!http://www.ford.com.au/newfocus/

Well, I guess it's up to me to take the photos and be the poor sod who has to scour the models and jump in and out. What a terrible task to have to undertake!! I'm working on Motorshow for a few of the days, if anyone drops by, I'm on the Focus stand (no surprises there!!). I'll spend more time drooling than everyone else methinks!

Promise I'll take photos of each model and post them each here and shot shots of their interiors, something we're all dying to find out about.

I'll post links to my photos here by Monday night! Stay tuned.

mitch_lx · 03-03-2005, 06:12 PM

Awesome !!! cant wait to see some good pics of the car.

zetec · 03-03-2005, 06:17 PM

Zetec now gets standard 17's (5 spokes XR style) with body coloured mouldings, handles and bodykit.

LX now gets full power windows, side airbags, cruise, 16inch alloys

CL gets passenger bag, air, front power windows (I can hear Tim whingeing about having to retrofit some manual windows!!) and is a great package.

Ghia gets standard leather now too, amongst other things. About time!!

Auto now gets Sequential Sports Shift, holds onto each gear no matter what (even if you hit the limiter) and changes up and down in the proper direction too (pull for up, push for down). Spot on.

lincoln · 04-03-2005, 12:47 AM

According ot the pics, the sequential is still backwards, Matt.

brother · 04-03-2005, 11:56 AM

No, Matt is right. Pull (backwards) for up (+) and push (forwards) for down (-). The pic shows it that way.

zetec · 04-03-2005, 07:41 PM

Lincoln the pic I saw is definitely pull for gear up and push for gear down which is the correct, BMW style direction and the logical direction.

Timmeh · 04-03-2005, 08:27 PM

I guess you'd just have to get used to it either way, but if the auto still loses as much power as the current one, I wouldn't consider it, no matter what.

The new Focus does look good, and I am all for the increase in power, but how much of a weight increase does it have to get over, before it really gains any performance?

The new Focus site is great, but as always with Ford's sites, really tells you sweet nothing. Anyone know about weights? I had a breif look thru the site but couldn't find any weights listed.

Tim

chevaps · 04-03-2005, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zetec

Lincoln the pic I saw is definitely pull for gear up and push for gear down which is the correct, BMW style direction and the logical direction.

Yep, thats the way it should be. I remember my yr12 physics teacher, i have never seen him drive a car before and he always used to catch the train, then the bus and then walk to school from the bus station, but he made a good point about car designs. When we were studying motion, he made an exampe of how stupid the design of current sports shift autos are. + push forward, but when you're accelerating, your being pulled back.... rediculous he would say.

Its like the car engineers heard his cries from our school and finally put some sense in their designs

zetec · 06-03-2005, 08:24 PM

IT makes sense, slowing down, you push forwards. Backwards is also a naturally more controlled movement, using the fingers, where as downshifting you can tap it with the palm of your hand between corners.

The Show was fantastic, plenty of hot girls there... nice cars too!!! I manned the New Focus section of the Ford stand, I am in love with te car, the sedan looks seriously PHAT. Zetec hatch looks tops and the interiors are fantastic too. Don't believe me? Well this thread would be worthless without pics, so I decided to chuck some in. I was thinking of my bruddas and sistas in the club in taking these pics, wondering what you all wanted to see. Anything else you wanna see, just let me know, I'll take my camera next shift. Hatch boot and Engine bay cannot be seen, they are both locked. Anything else I can take for you, although I think I pretty much covered all bases.

Enjoy!

http://members.iinet.com.au/~fordboys/Matt/MMS2005

The MaDDeSTMaN · 06-03-2005, 08:52 PM

Cool! Like Tim asked, can you tell us how much the new model weighs compared to the old model?

zetec · 06-03-2005, 09:06 PM

Weight/Fuel consumption figures aren't yet published in Oz, I imagine they'll come out closer to the June on sale date I think it is. Info isn't even available on the UK Ford website, so I imagine we need to wait until it is on the roads over there before it is published.

For info on the just released ST at the Geneva Motorshow, check out the following links too!! I sure hope we get it here!!!

Focus ST info from Ford.co.uk
http://www.ford.co.uk/ie/vehicle_new...cusst/-/-/-/-#

Focus ST screensaver from Geneva... enjoy
http://www.ford.co.uk/ie/vehicle_new...screen/-/-/-/-

lincoln · 07-03-2005, 02:05 AM

Yeah, oops. Brain not working too good. Now betterer.

07-03-2005, 11:04 AM

Matt do you have any more pics if the CL?

zetec · 07-03-2005, 01:32 PM

Will take more for you. Next shift Wed nite.

Dark Horse · 07-03-2005, 01:45 PM

I had a good look at the Foci on display at the MMS, and I must say the interior is a tremendous improvement over the older models. Quite impressed with all the upgrades thrown in overall. Zetec are you able to give them a fang around the stands after the MMS is all over?

zetec · 07-03-2005, 01:57 PM

Ha ha a I wish. No I'll be driving them when they're released like the rest of us.

MAGPIE · 07-03-2005, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zetec

Info isn't even available on the UK Ford website, so I imagine we need to wait until it is on the roads over there before it is published.

Focus Weights (small sample)

2.0L Zetec 3dr = Kerbweight 1326 kg

2.0L Zetec 5dr = Kerbweight 1345 kg

Lightest: 1.4L Studio 3dr = Kerbweight 1229 kg

Heaviest: TDCi Ghia Estate = Kerbweight 1474 kg

Compare that to a Mondeo ST220 (3.0L V6) which is 1495 kg & they are looking very lardy.

Timmeh · 07-03-2005, 09:45 PM

Doing some quick calculations, the new Focus in general is going to be even slower than the old one, going by power to weight ratios. Great, just what it needs.

Tim

chevaps · 08-03-2005, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fireman Sam

Focus Weights (small sample)

2.0L Zetec 3dr = Kerbweight 1326 kg

2.0L Zetec 5dr = Kerbweight 1345 kg

Lightest: 1.4L Studio 3dr = Kerbweight 1229 kg

Heaviest: TDCi Ghia Estate = Kerbweight 1474 kg

Compare that to a Mondeo ST220 (3.0L V6) which is 1495 kg & they are looking very lardy.

Man, the new focus is a lard compared to current. Like Tim already scraped upon, any power increases would just be wasted in pulling the extra weight around and then some....
Also, there goes the agility around corners too....

MAGPIE · 08-03-2005, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zetec

I imagine we need to wait until it is on the roads over there before it is published.

It is on the roads over there & has been for some weeks.

**Polyal** · 08-03-2005, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chevaps

Man, the new focus is a lard compared to current. Like Tim already scraped upon, any power increases would just be wasted in pulling the extra weight around and then some....
Also, there goes the agility around corners too....

So leaving the engines is better? Show me one modern car that has decreased in most of its proportions?

I was working on the focus stand last friday..its a great car! I would love a CL sedan with a body kit and wheels!

Im working on the falcon part wednesday night, should be good, and then back on the focus stand for the 14th..see ya's there! You to Zetec!

SSbaby · 08-03-2005, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zetec

Lincoln the pic I saw is definitely pull for gear up and push for gear down which is the correct, BMW style direction and the logical direction.

Yeah, I think the correct terminology is 'biomechanically correct'... because if you said forward-up and backwards-down, that sounds more logical.

:

Sorry for being pedantic. ;)

Cheers

Timmeh · 08-03-2005, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

So leaving the engines is better? Show me one modern car that has decreased in most of its proportions?

I think you misunderstood what was being said - we were at first excited by the increase in engine performance, but are now disappointed that the increase will be more than wasted on the extra weight the car has.

We are not saying the engine should stay the same, we are saying give it more power already!

What we would like to see is an increase in the power to weight ratio, as that is what the current car was criticised for, not a worse one!

Tim

**Polyal** · 08-03-2005, 07:34 PM

fair enough tim, but I think the days of companies worring about power to weight are long gone; atleast in regards to common production vehilces.

Its a shame because that means you have to fork out some hardcore dosh if you want to get something thats been slimmed down. ie- lotus or bmw's csi.....Ford is certainly not interested in it.

Wait for the ST if you are worried about p/w, its just not going to happen in bog stock form unfortuntaly. Unless you strip the thing of course.

09-03-2005, 01:38 PM

But the problem lies in the OEM's mentality. Even the ST is porky, considering the relative size of the vehicle. I'd kill to have the ST weigh less than a tonne, without having to drastically overhaul the chassis, interior and glass. 1.2ton is porky considering theres 127kW to drag it all around with. The ST could be far far quicker.

So sure, the ST has a better power to weight ratio than the "pleb foci" (please, no offence intended guys) but even so, it's nothing special. Ford have GOT to stop making whales.

**Polyal** · 09-03-2005, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferris

But the problem lies in the OEM's mentality. Even the ST is porky, considering the relative size of the vehicle. I'd kill to have the ST weigh less than a tonne, without having to drastically overhaul the chassis, interior and glass. 1.2ton is porky considering theres 127kW to drag it all around with. The ST could be far far quicker.

So sure, the ST has a better power to weight ratio than the "pleb foci" (please, no offence intended guys) but even so, it's nothing special. Ford have GOT to stop making whales.

Ah yes the current ST suffer that problem, as far as I am aware the next one shouldn't. From what ive read its running volvos T5.

09-03-2005, 02:16 PM

Yeah, the T5 turbo'ed, at 220HP... That equates to 161.81kW. So sure, it'll be quicker, but how much heavier will it be? Anyone got any solid specs on kerb weight?

Timmeh · 09-03-2005, 07:22 PM

Exactly the reason why my go fast car is my RS2000 - Just under 900kgs without any weight mods yet, and soon will be packing twice the power output of my Focus and more...

I have already come to the conclusion the Focus is never going to be fast, but if they want to sell the car, it needs to match up to its rivals at least.

Tim

09-03-2005, 09:33 PM

Aww man, don't be like that. You can spend money on it to make it fast.

I'm going to. It's got the looks, and the potential. Just needs some polishing man, diamond in the rough, so to speak. It's not like the old saying, "you can't polish a turd.." cos its not a turd. It's a 1/2 decent car that needs to go to Jenny Craig....

MAGPIE · 10-03-2005, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferris

Yeah, the T5 turbo'ed, at 220HP... That equates to 161.81kW. So sure, it'll be quicker, but how much heavier will it be? Anyone got any solid specs on kerb weight?

Just go by the weight as shown above of a 3dr Zetec(1326 kg), add 50, 60 or 70 kg for the ST & it will still have a better power to weight ratio than the current ST, assuming the power figures are on the money.