It is no secret that Ford Motor Company is building a new plant on the Eastern Seaboard, and it will be the production base for the C-platform vehicles, of which the new Focus III will be the king pin. Currently produced in Germany, the SE Asian production is slotted for 2012.
Focus III will come in both five door hatchback and four door sedan body styles, and rides on an all-new platform that, instead of being shared with Mazda’s 3, will underpin 10 new small Ford global models with 80 percent parts commonality. Ford estimates it will produce two million C-platform vehicles a year by 2012 – double the number in 2008.
Focus III for 2012
This globalization by FoMoCo will see the vehicles being built in North America as well as Germany and soon Russia and China, followed by Thailand.
Claims for Focus III include a bodyshell that is 30 percent more rigid than before, due to the fact more than half of it (55 percent) will be made from high-strength steel. As well, 26 percent of the vehicle is made from ultra-high-strength steel, including Boron – more than any other Ford model.
The result is vastly improved noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels – including interior wind noise that Ford claims is much lower than in rivals such as the Mazda3.
The fully independent Control Blade multi-link rear suspension assembly famously pioneered by the original Focus back in 1998 is now attached to the chassis by a separate sub-frame, also reducing road noise.
The latest interpretation of Ford’s ‘kinetic’ design language not only makes both the lower, longer and wider hatch and sedan models look more up market than before, but results in an aerodynamic drag coefficient of as low as 0.297Cd for the sedan, which according to Ford makes it more slippery than the Chevrolet Cruze.
Also contributing to an alleged seven percent improvement in aero efficiency are under-body panels and a new BMW-style active grille shutter system, which blocks cooling airflow when not required to improve aerodynamics at higher speeds and reduce engine temperatures at low speeds.
Engines will include two direct-injection 2.0 liter four cylinder engines – a Duratorq turbo-diesel and a Ti-VCT petrol – matched with both five-speed manual and six-speed dual-clutch Powershift automatic transmissions.
Ford says the 2012 Focus’ chassis and suspension tune – including the new Porsche-style Active Torque Vectoring system that brakes individual driven wheels to improve traction and provide a form of electronic limited-slip differential – will be almost identical across all markets.
If there is a downside to the Focus’ new-found panache, however, it is steering. Few cars have made the transition from conventional hydraulic to electric power steering and it seems the Focus – a nameplate that has the enviable reputation of being one of the sharpest steering small cars ever – is no exception.
Overseas testers who have driven Focus III describe it as a brilliantly resolved ride/handling compromise and the super-stiff bodyshell combine to make the Focus as agile as ever and its vice-free chassis will appeal to a much broader audience than ever before.
Ford describes its first global model as the most hi-tech Ford ever and says the 2012 Focus offers more affordable technologies than the Corolla and Honda’s Civic, as well as larger models like the Camry and Accord.
Focus interior
Some of the technologies that will be available will include voice-activated audio, climate and navigation control to a new level in a small car – and also features a rear-view camera, Wi-Fi and text-to-voice capability, Bluetooth connectivity, two five-way steering wheel controls and an HD radio with iTunes tagging.
All variants offer a luxuriously soft animal skin-like dash surface, highly supportive sports seats with driver’s adjustment, and a high-end TFT info screen between the instrument dials.
The new model improves on Focus II in many respects and now offers first-class ride, refinement and technology.
Add to that an otherwise superb ride/handling package, impeccable design and build quality, class-leading petrol engine efficiency and handsome new exteriors and Ford’s newest small car is certain to attract new customers in the global marketplace.
