LW Focus - any info? - Page 3

**Professor Farnsworth** · 19-10-2011, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by In Focus

Anything bar the Mustard yellow...

disagree, i think it's one of the best (least boring) in the range

i like ink blue or the grey

ConradP · 19-10-2011, 08:11 PM

isn't the trend a 1.6 where the sport is a 2.0? or is the trend the start of the 2.0s?

**Professor Farnsworth** · 19-10-2011, 08:36 PM

the only model with the 1.6 is the entry level Ambiente

**Professor Farnsworth** · 19-10-2011, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sysh

Yea, the Mustard Olive is a hit and miss for me. Okay, will compare both Silver/White again this weekend.

.. and mind me for asking, is the additional $3k worth plonking in to get the Sport over the Trend. I don't mind the specs of the latter, but I'm a little cheesed that they couldn't have the arm-rest across all models. Feels empty.

yes it is, it gives things like 17's, dual zone climate, 9 speaker sony sound system, sports seats, among many other things

In Focus · 19-10-2011, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor Farnsworth

disagree, i think it's one of the best (least boring) in the range

i like ink blue or the grey

I'm for anything but boring, too (I have a red car, after all), but that mustard is sure to date, and definitely won't be available on the next model update. Resale value will also be affected IMO. But, hey, everyone should drive the colour they want.

If it were up to me, I'd go for the metallic red (Candy red?) or the midnight sky (metallic dark grey) or maybe the black (if someone was to wash it for me every second day). Silver and white are the safe options, but will always look reasonably good whether they're washed regularly or not. They'll also be the easiest to resell, if that's a worry at all.

warpsp33d · 19-10-2011, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor Farnsworth

doesn't like the indicator wand & wipers swapped position (coming from a BA) but i told him he'll get used to it quick enough. I personally prefer the indicators on the left.

This is so annoying. There should be a law against this to stop the manufacturers from cheaping out.

I might buy a Titanium TDCi next year, really hoping that when they shift manufacturing to Thailand that they flip these around.

I've read thus far that apparently from September build onward, they've changed something to fix the sucky turning circle in the Titanium.

Also that next year we should get a touch screen in the centre console similar to what's already available overseas (hate that tiny little screen).

And that apparently when production shifts to Thailand, rear air vents will be included too.

sysh · 19-10-2011, 11:29 PM

Hmm.. now I'm considering the Sports, probably work off a few extra shifts to make up that $3k..heh!

I've seen all the colors, but the Midnight Sky is a queer color...no exactly metallic dark grey, it's more like dark-purplish-grey, a little dull to be honest.

And on the Thailand production, I heard it's gonna be only up and running in 12 months time as mentioned by the dudes at the Ford dealer

**Professor Farnsworth** · 19-10-2011, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warpsp33d

I've read thus far that apparently from September build onward, they've changed something to fix the sucky turning circle in the Titanium.

Also that next year we should get a touch screen in the centre console similar to what's already available overseas (hate that tiny little screen).

And that apparently when production shifts to Thailand, rear air vents will be included too.

interesting info, got a link?

Quote:

Originally Posted by sysh

And on the Thailand production, I heard it's gonna be only up and running in 12 months time as mentioned by the dudes at the Ford dealer

i would take what Ford dealers say with a grain of salt. They'll always tell you things are further away so you'll buy now instead.

warpsp33d · 20-10-2011, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor Farnsworth

interesting info, got a link?

i would take what Ford dealers say with a grain of salt. They'll always tell you things are further away so you'll buy now instead.

I think the turning circle and the air vents I got from a Wheels article.

The touch screen I got from an article on CarAdvice, and I've also seen some other comments around the place about it.

It's also interesting to note that the "Sport Executive" pack isn't available until November this year according to the Ford site. So perhaps there are some minor revisions then.

I've read that the turning circle in the Titanium is pretty bad, worse than a Falcon even. I very much dislike that, my current car has a sucky turning circle, and I'm sick of it.

I can't stand the stalks being reversed, I hope they change that, but it's not a deal breaker.

I want to hold out at least until they bring the touch screen in. Then I think I'm going to order a White Titanium TDCi Sedan with the Sport Exec. pack. That said, I haven't taken one for a test drive yet, but from what I've read online, I suspect I'm not going to be disappointed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snippet from the CarAdvice article:

Ford Australia’s Sinead McAlary confirmed Australia would get its first taste of SYNC in the new Focus, although she admitted it would not arrive until 12-18 months after the small car’s local launch.
With the Focus due Down Under in the third quarter of 2011, Ms McAlary said Ford Australia was hopeful SYNC-equipped vehicles would arrive in local showrooms in the second half of 2012.

sysh · 20-10-2011, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor Farnsworth

i would take what Ford dealers say with a grain of salt. They'll always tell you things are further away so you'll buy now instead.

http://media.ford.com/article_displa...ticle_id=32842

BANGKOK, Thailand, June 24, 2010 – Ford Motor Company today announced it is investing US$450 million (THB 15 billion) in a new state-of-the-art passenger vehicle manufacturing plant in Rayong, Thailand, scheduled for completion in 2012.

The facility will begin building the next-generation Ford Focus in 2012 for Thailand and other markets in the Asia-Pacific region. The highly flexible plant will be capable of building a diverse range of vehicles in the future.

Judging from the news, that's a good 1+ yrs ago, so I guess it'll be completed in 2012.. question is when exactly will they be shipping it over here.

**Professor Farnsworth** · 20-10-2011, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sysh

Judging from the news, that's a good 1+ yrs ago, so I guess it'll be completed in 2012.. question is when exactly will they be shipping it over here.

word was mid next year, but i have no link to back that up

good info guys.

dannyhilton · 20-10-2011, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warpsp33d

It's also interesting to note that the "Sport Executive" pack isn't available until November this year according to the Ford site. So perhaps there are some minor revisions then.

The Sport and Titanium will both receive a 5" color display with Satellite Navigation as standard from October production, so November arrivals. The RRP will also go up $500. The unit will be the same Sony Premium Audio setup found in the current cars, but with a bigger screen (current is 4.2" IIRC) and the Sat Nav. Dealer confirmed this info for me and I've asked for this on my contract.

Quote:

Originally Posted by warpsp33d

I want to hold out at least until they bring the touch screen in.

Thought about this too. But MyFord Touch seems horrible to me, some of the videos on YouTube show it to be slow, and very unreliable. But with time hopefully it'll get better. Personally, I'm happy with the 5" display and German build quality :-)

sysh · 20-10-2011, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannyhilton

The Sport and Titanium will both receive a 5" color display with Satellite Navigation as standard from October production, so November arrivals. The RRP will also go up $500. The unit will be the same Sony Premium Audio setup found in the current cars, but with a bigger screen (current is 4.2" IIRC) and the Sat Nav. Dealer confirmed this info for me and I've asked for this on my contract.

For real? But isn't it a little too quick for a minor "tweak" as the car has only been on the road since August (3 months). If it's true, I'd wonder what the current owners will feel..

warpsp33d · 20-10-2011, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannyhilton

Thought about this too. But MyFord Touch seems horrible to me, some of the videos on YouTube show it to be slow, and very unreliable. But with time hopefully it'll get better. Personally, I'm happy with the 5" display and German build quality :-)

Yeah, I may very well be too. I'm in no rush to get a new car just yet though, so I'm going to ride it out as long as I can to see what happens.

I doubt they'd let the MyFord Touch into other markets without it working in a reasonable manner. Also by the time it gets here, I'd be guessing (hoping) they'd have ironed out most of those silly bugs. That's also why I'm in no rush to get one just yet... wait till all the niggly manufacturing bugs have been ironed out first.

Aussie XB12SS · 20-10-2011, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sysh

For real? But isn't it a little too quick for a minor "tweak" as the car has only been on the road since August (3 months). If it's true, I'd wonder what the current owners will feel..

Dissapointed if that happens.

dannyhilton · 20-10-2011, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sysh

For real? But isn't it a little too quick for a minor "tweak" as the car has only been on the road since August (3 months). If it's true, I'd wonder what the current owners will feel..

Guess that's life unfortunately. Many publications did make mention of this however. They couldn't bring the Sat Nav here before that date, because then it revered to the basic head unit (same that appears in the Ambiant and Trend) with six speakers and Sat Nav, so it was either premium sound, or basic sound with Sat Nav. Ford of Europe has only just got the Sat Nav hooked up to the Sony Premium Audio system. Christ only knows why it took so long.

sysh · 20-10-2011, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannyhilton

Guess that's life unfortunately. Many publications did make mention of this however. They couldn't bring the Sat Nav here before that date, because then it revered to the basic head unit (same that appears in the Ambiant and Trend) with six speakers and Sat Nav, so it was either premium sound, or basic sound with Sat Nav. Ford of Europe has only just got the Sat Nav hooked up to the Sony Premium Audio system. Christ only knows why it took so long.

Considering I'll be booking one soon (and a ready stock, probably an Aug/Sept build) I'm gonna miss out on this, which is a waste. Guess I should push for some deals from them. Any idea what freebies you could get from your dealers?

dannyhilton · 20-10-2011, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sysh

Considering I'll be booking one soon (and a ready stock, probably an Aug/Sept build) I'm gonna miss out on this, which is a waste. Guess I should push for some deals from them. Any idea what freebies you could get from your dealers?

Not sure what you could squeeze out of your dealer, but for $500, you could get a great external GPS system and hook it into your Bluetooth. That or most smart phones now offer either inbuilt satellite navigation, or at least the option to download software for this.

So the only real gain is a slightly bigger screen. As I ordered the petrol Titanium, I didn’t have the option of not getting the satellite navigation, that’s why they’ve been held back until now. Truth be told, I probably would have skipped this option for the reason stated above.

The cars fitted without the satellite navigation are branded as MY11, with the newer cars branded MK12, so you should be able to squeeze something out of them considering this is now older stock.

Good luck!

warpsp33d · 20-10-2011, 09:16 PM

According to the Ford Germany site, SYNC is coming to the Focus in Germany in 2012.

I'd dare say when it arrives in Germany, it'll be available here too.

dannyhilton · 20-10-2011, 10:55 PM

Supposedly, Europe will get SYNC by mid year, which will mean the local Focus should be shipping from Thailand by then (if rumours are correct). But Ford Australia definitely said we'd have SYNC in the Focus first, and by the end of 2012

sysh · 21-10-2011, 01:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannyhilton

Not sure what you could squeeze out of your dealer, but for $500, you could get a great external GPS system and hook it into your Bluetooth. That or most smart phones now offer either inbuilt satellite navigation, or at least the option to download software for this.

So the only real gain is a slightly bigger screen. As I ordered the petrol Titanium, I didn’t have the option of not getting the satellite navigation, that’s why they’ve been held back until now. Truth be told, I probably would have skipped this option for the reason stated above.

The cars fitted without the satellite navigation are branded as MY11, with the newer cars branded MK12, so you should be able to squeeze something out of them considering this is now older stock.

Good luck!

Yea, oh well.. I'll go around to my Ford Dealer this weekend and see what I can eek out from him. Might get my ride within a week

F6 Aimz · 22-10-2011, 08:29 PM

Ok so went with Mum to pick up her new LW TDCI Pwrshift Sport this morning and I'm quite impressed with the package. Drives and handles well, comfortable enough, plenty of gadgets on it and looks great in Frozen White. My only gripe with it is the manual gear shift buttons for the DSG are kind of in a awkward position. Doubt mum will ever use them anyway.

Martyvan · 26-10-2011, 01:22 AM

This to me looks like official Sat nav confirmation on sport and titanium!
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...25792F0021C000

Quote:

Originally Posted by goauto

Ford adds standard sat-nav to Focus Sport and Titanium, keeping price rises to $500
20 October 2011
By TERRY MARTIN
JUST eight weeks after launching its third-generation Focus in Australia, Ford has upgraded the all-important European-sourced small-car series with standard satellite-navigation on high-series Sport and Titanium model variants.

Representing a $500 increase in price, the Sport 2.0-litre GDi petrol-powered five-speed manual hatch still starts below $28,000 – at $27,890, plus on-road costs – while the petrol six-speed Powershift auto hatch (and auto-only petrol sedan) equivalent now kicks off from $30,190.

The auto-only Sport 2.0 Duratorq TDCi turbo-diesel hatch and sedan are both now priced from $33,690, while at Titanium level the auto-only petrol models – in both body styles – are priced from $33,090, while the diesels continue to top the range, now from $36,590.

The sat-nav system features a new 5.0-inch multi-function colour display screen – up from the previous 4.2-inch screen – and is fully integrated within the Sony audio and communications systems.

The latter continue to comprise an MP3-compatible, single-CD AM/FM stereo with audio streaming, an integrated audio module, nine speakers, USB/iPod port, Aux connection, Bluetooth (with voice control) and a trip computer.

All Focus models are fitted standard with remote central locking, power windows, air-conditioning, hill-start assist, ABS brakes, electronic stability control and six airbags, including side curtain airbags for front and rear passengers.

In addition to the Sony audio system, the Sport grade features sports-tuned suspension, 17-inch alloy wheels, sports front seats and dual-zone climate-control.

It also has items from the optional ‘Convenience Pack’ available on the mid-series Trend, including automatic headlights, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, auto-dimming interior mirror and ‘follow me home’ lighting.

The Titanium grade has hi-tech features such as Active Park Assist, a keyless entry system and a start button, plus partial leather seat trim, heated front seats and 18-inch alloy wheels.

As GoAuto has reported, Ford currently sources the Focus from Germany but will switch to Thailand in the third quarter of next year, a move that should free-up vehicle supplies.

Focus sales are up 27.9 per cent this year, but Ford holds just 5.4 per cent of the market (with 9313 units YTD) – well below big-volume rivals such as the Mazda3 (18.1 per cent), Holden Cruze (14.9), Toyota Corolla (14.5) and Hyundai i30 (12.7), all of which have managed more than 22,000 units YTD

dannyhilton · 01-11-2011, 03:06 PM

Ford Australia have updated their website. Satellite Navigation is now standard with a 5" display on the Sport and Titanium specifications. They retain the Sony Premium Audio sound too :-)

Brochure Link:
http://www.ford.com.au/servlet/BlobS...lob&blobkey=id

**Professor Farnsworth** · 01-11-2011, 05:36 PM

nice. I wonder if they now supply it with an auto transmission that doesn't fail?

DeKa · 02-11-2011, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warpsp33d

I've read that the turning circle in the Titanium is pretty bad, worse than a Falcon even. I very much dislike that, my current car has a sucky turning circle, and I'm sick of it.

You'd have to expect that though - front wheel drive cars always have worse turning circles than rear wheel drive cars of the same wheelbase, and front wheel drive cars with large (ie 18" + wheels) have even worse turning circles.

sysh · 02-11-2011, 05:23 PM

.. just ordered myself a Trend Sedan PowerShift, resisted to go for the Sports as it's a cool $3k+ and I could do a whole lot more with that extra cash. Can't wait for it to be delivered. Hope the PowerShift doesn't fail me /shrugs

**Professor Farnsworth** · 02-11-2011, 05:48 PM

the trend is still a nice car

Aussie XB12SS · 02-11-2011, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeKa

You'd have to expect that though - front wheel drive cars always have worse turning circles than rear wheel drive cars of the same wheelbase, and front wheel drive cars with large (ie 18" + wheels) have even worse turning circles.

Turning circle makes the old Triton 4WD look good.

Nolz · 02-11-2011, 08:58 PM

Popped into the dealer this afternoon to sign the piece of paper stating that I was happy to accept the addition of SATNAV for FREE!

SCORE!...certainly makes the 8 week wait a lot more tolerable