I found a site that has a petition to ford trying to get them to sell the European C1 focus in the States. Lets help them out and see what can be done, I know its a long shot but you never know if ford gets enough people interested they may consider it. The link to the site is :
http://www.petitiononline.com/focususa/petition.html




We the consumer would like for Ford Motor Company to provide us with a Ford Focus equal to or similar to the Ford Focus of Europe. We are still stuck in the old bland american design while Europe gets all the goodies.

We the consumer here in America also has HIGH interest in a performance model Focus such as the ST or RS Focus soon to be available in Europe. We will either wait for such a model or go elsewhere for it and NOT settle for a RWD V8 beast. Some of us consumer are wanting an FWD/AWD monster from FORD and we are not getting anything close to that resemblance.


On the same note we would also like the Focus to be switched over to the growing C1 platform...why are we still stuck on the C170 platform when the European Focus has the C1 platform. Shouldn't cars by the same name share the same redesign? Rumors have the next redesign will also be based on the C170...why would you not redesign to an already existing C1 platform? We would like to see more consistency with the European branded Focus and the American branded Focus. We feel we are being sold less of a product compared to the Europeans.

yeah I saw it... over the past week he added 6 signatures....

unfortunately the new focus is done.. C170 platform., much better looking and Sedan and coupe only..

when the MkIII Focus comes out that is when we should get world platform again

Igor

Well maybe ford will get the hint! We want more [hihi]

Those online petitions have little to no effect.

Originally posted by Egz
Those online petitions have little to no effect.

[werd]

Never know

these people are wasting their time petitioning Ford. They aren't gonna do it because it costs too much

Ford does need to look at the big picture if they would actually brows the focus fourms they would actually see there is a big market for a monster focus.

Yes, but even if they brought over the C1 focus in 2008 they are half a cycle late for that platform... the C1 will be replaced worldwide in 2011 or so...

After they dropped the ball in 2005, they just need to stick with it with significantly redesigned 2008 C170 Focus and just bring the C2 Focus in 2011 when the worldwide Focus and Mazda3 will be redesigned as well..

However given the current mindset, we will never again see a focus identical to the European one.. the platform will be and the interior might be, but the exterior styling will be "american"

Igor

Originally posted by turbozetec
Ford does need to look at the big picture if they would actually brows the focus fourms they would actually see there is a big market for a monster focus.

Ok here is the problem though. We still represent a small minority of buyers so teh market isn't as big as this website makes it. The other problem is that most people buy the Focus because it is all that they can afford. While we all want a performance Focus over here there would only be a few people who are interested in a Focus that would cost close to $27,000. If they release a Mazdaspeed 3 that will be as close as we get to getting a performance focus.

I'd never spend $27,000 on a Focus outright; there's no point; for that kinda money out-of-the-box get an STi, a 350Z..hell a used porsche!

Seeing as the high-content Vovlo S40 T5 with the AWD option MSRPs at $27710, I think that Ford could cut that down 4-5K at least by further spreading the cost of the C1 chassis. Not only could they make the ST cost about $22K here, but that would also make the other C1 cars much more profitable.

Online surveys can have an effect. I remember that when BMW brought the Mini out in North America, they had deleted the wiring for the rear fog light (it's the light in the middle of the bumper). People petitioned online and wrote letters. Within a year BMW bowed to the pressure. They pledged to wire all new Minis AND wire up current owners if they wished free of charge. That's service!

I took a look at the new Focus on the Brit website the other day. I did the little "build your own" thing. I built a 1.8L petrol Ghia (higher end model). Cost: $27000 can (or $23500 US). According to what I see a base model would translate to $19600 US!

I have to add though, I've read brit mags for years and can say from experience that cars in Europe sell for more than their US equivalents. I think a striped US/Euro Focus could be sold for $14k/15k, similar to Civic/Corolla/etc. The problem is that Ford knows they couldn't afford to slap a deep discount on top of that, but they don't think their customers are smart enough to know why they are charging the same price as Honda.

For the Euro Focus to come over it will take one of two things:

1. They bring it over as Mercury or Lincoln and sell it as a "premium" compact.

2. Ford management grows balls and decides to sell their cars based on quality over price.

Carrera's reasoning is the reason why enthusiasts would love to see a C1-chassis focus in this country. I mirror his opinion, and I know many of you do too, but we don't make up Ford's target audience. As much as parts of the Focus are oriented for us, its a car designed for mainstream consumtion. Ford's decision must have been based on a forcast statistically likely drop in overall sales due to the price increase. It could be their market analysis indicates a more "premium" Focus will not sell, that poeple seeking premium-feeling compacts are either already buying Mazda3's or lining up for an 8th gen Civic.

If thats the case we cant do spit about it, cause Ford's not selling cars specifically for 5% of the buyer base. It's sad for us, but if I'm anything near right, the numbers dont work, and its numbers that move the company.

I will repeat this... FORD KNOW THEY DROPPED THE BALL.. HOWEVER THEY CANNOT BRING OVER A 2004 PLATFORM IN 2008 AND MAKE IT PROFITABLE IN THE SHORT 2-3 BEFORE THE NEXT PLATFORM WILL BE LAUNCHED.

I can bet $5 that when MKIII Focus and MkII Mazda2 etc are launched on a new platform we will get it..however by then we will be on C170... makes perfect bussiness sense after the 2005 marck was passed...

This does not mean Ford is not aware of our complains.. this is not just us complining.. this is all moto magazines etc complaining... but there is not other way... there were some quiet rumors that Fields was pressing for C1 focus to be brought over but in the end mone will talk - it just is not economically feasible move at this point

Igor

nobody said bring the old technology over, the point of it is to get a better product to the us, they shaft us on performance when they could easly have brought the rs over to the use and now the c1, Ford should look to the furture and develope a car that has the performance and handling of the European focus in a us styled car. Look what the srt4 did it gave people a good performing car at a decent price, and that will draw people in the 25k price range to the car. They dont have to go after the evo's or sti's just give us a good bace to run with the srt4 and the aftermarket will take up the slack and allow us upgrades to run with sti's. The rs would have been a great start.

Originally posted by coleslaw
I'd never spend $27,000 on a Focus outright; there's no point

True. For that kind of money I could Get an STi or an EVO MR. Honestly the STi and the EVO MR are more worth the money than a focus. I'd never go for it. For those number I'd rather get one of those too there a better buy for those kind of numbers.

You cant get a new sti or evo for that they are like 35k, and besides if they make the focus run with an sti or evo why not.

igor: Toyota brought the hatchback Yaris to Canada about two years ago, they are replacing the model this year with an all new design. Honda is bringing out the Jazz/Fit in North America, they are planing to replace it within 2 years.

Why can't Ford?

I do not know.... I think this is a more economical decision... plus I guess it was not a planned until recently.. if the Jazz and yaris just came out to the US they have been planned for past year or two....


if Ford just got serious about Fiesta, they would have had another year to actually release it... by then they can release the brand new one...

Igor

why doesnt someone get random names from the white pages lets say and bring up the total number of signatures to like a million...that would help i think...

lol more power to you if you have that much free time lol

I was poking around Edmunds and found this article on the Focus ST.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Features/articleId=108108#4

In it they talk about it being $30,000 US, which in the UK is $4000 less than a VW GTI mk V. In the states a GTI costs $20k. Doing the math we can compute a rough figure for the Focus.

Base would be $13k. A nice 1.8L ghia with leather and stuff would be $15k. These prices would be so competitive IF and only IF Ford doesn't try to sell the thing down market as competition for Chevy Aveos.

After hearing from Igor that Ford will dump the hatches in '07, I feel it makes even more sense to bring the new Focus over as a premium hatch (like the Mazda 3 GT). Oh well...

You big babies, put away your petition, Ford is bringing the C1 over in the 09 model year. Not only that but there is rumor within the supply base that they are working on a US version of the Fiesta. So put that in your pipe and smoke it.

You must be one of those people that believe what they hear you said it was rumor so moke that.[nono]

Originally posted by bwojdyla
You big babies, put away your petition, Ford is bringing the C1 over in the 09 model year. Not only that but there is rumor within the supply base that they are working on a US version of the Fiesta. So put that in your pipe and smoke it.

OK this is a second post that I want to have clarified...

1) sources for the C1? when did the rumor start? I heard Mark Firleds was pushing for it, but that it failed... could yo ugive more infor (or at least say how much info do you have, so I can insorporate it into my database [;)]

2) Fiesta.. I though that was decided already.. Next Gen Festa, EcoSport and MAzda2 all built in Mexico.. and all coming as MY08 or 09.. am I wrong?

Please respond...

Igor