Iħjut Il-magna Ford focus

Meta Ford tiżvela l-ori ġinal il-mod ta ' ffukar lura fl-1998 bagħtet mewġ ta ' xokk mill-industrija tal-mutur Ewropea. Sa dak il-punt il-bejjieg ħ prinċipali kien l-Escort, għalkemm kien bilkemm kien rivali għall-conquering VW Golf.

Il-fowkus mal-kombinazzjoni tiegħu tal-istiling ta ' l-edgy u l-kombinazzjoni tar-rikba u ta ' l-isteering li twemmin Prinċipat biddel dak kollu. Is-sospensjoni wara ta ' kontroll indipendenti ġdid tagħha ta ' l-i żraġi pprovdiet livelli ta ' qabda u kumdità normalment assoċjati ma ' sistemi ferm aktar kumplessi u għaljin ta ' ħames links.

L-ordnijiet u l-tifħir kienu ħoxnin u rapidi: il-fokus il-ġdid kien l-ewwel karozza li ġiet innominata bħala Karozza tas-sena b ' mod simultanju fl-U. S. u l-Ewropa – dan se jagħti aktar minn 75 premjijiet oħra fis-snin li ġejjin.

Sitt snin u 4,000,000 bejgħ f ' 80 pajjiż aktar tard, it-tieni ġenerazzjoni il-fokus ġie żvelat lil medja kemmxejn entużjasta, li kienet temmen li d-disinn il-ġdid ma kienx enerġetiku jew b ' tipa grassa bħall-oriġinal. Id-disinjatur, Chris l-g Ħasfur kien unrepentant dwar il-konservattiviżmu komparattiv tal-karozzi fid-dawl tal-bidla fil-pass li kienet saret fil-kwalità, filwaqt li argumenta b ' mod ġustifikattiv li l-g ħan kien li tinżamm l-identità tal-fowkus u li jitjieb sinifikattivament l-abbilità minflok Erġa ' inventi l-karozza mill-ġdid. L-g ħan li jintlaħaq kemm fl-istess ħin kien iwassal biex l-ebda mira ma tintlaħaq. Ħaġa waħda li l-ġurnalisti kollha bil-mutur qablu dwarha, madankollu, kienet li Ford reġgħet għamlet dan biex tagħmel il-fokus il-ġdid saħansitra aktar divertenti biex issuq mill-ori ġinali.

Matul is-snin minn meta ġiet imnedija l-attenzjoni oriġinali, ir-reputazzjoni ta ' Fords għall-produzzjoni ta ' dinamiċi li jwasslu għall-klassi kienet saret aktar vijabbli. L-isfida kienet li din it-tmexxija tal-klassi ġiet moħbija permezz ta ' stiling konservattiv.

Dan huwa fejn Martin Smith jidħol fl-istampa. Ford ta ' l-Ewropa, minn issa ' l hawn, kienet immexxija minn Lewis Booth li riedet tikkombina d-dinamika tal-vettura pendenti mal-Waqg ħa tal-vetturi mejta, li tikkwota lil Smith li ngħaqdet bħala Kap tat-tim tad-disinn Ewropew ta ' Fords lejn tmiem l-2004. Tliet snin wara, it-tim tad-disinn tal-ERA Aġġorna dik il-karozza b ' sing ta ' disinn kinetiku li kien il-prin ċipju tas-sewqan wara l-kreattività tal-ERA.

L-introduzzjoni tal-focus Ford galvanizzat ir-rivali tagħha fl-i żvilupp ta ' karozzi li kienu divertenti biex isuqu u komdi u tajbin ħafna: il-GMs Astra hija aħjar b ' mod sinifikanti fl-aspetti kollha bħalma hi l-Golf għalkemm l-evoluzzjoni tal-istiling tagħha hija kważi glaċjali li għadha fuq li tasal għall-kwalità interna – jew tagħmel dan?

Jiena se niskopru lili nnifsi hekk kif Jiena nġib f ' titanium spec focus li jaħdem bl-a ħħar 148 tal-magna ta ' l-Ecospinta, li tista ' tissoda, iżda meta kkombinata ma ' 177 LB.-FT. tat-torque at1600 rpm jew 199 LB. ta ' torque għal 15-il sekonda ta ' aċċellerazzjoni iebsa de fwied ikun aċċettabbli 8. 6 sekondi għal 62 mph, l-istess ħin jieħu biex ikopri 31 sa 62 mph.

Il-kwalità tal-bini ta ' ġewwa hija interessanti u żagħżugħa fl-appro ċċ tagħha, ispirat mit-Telefowns ċellulari u gadgejuni elettroniċi oħra li aħna lkoll, irrispettivament mill-età, illum l-u żu.



L-akbar differenza li nsabx hija kemm kibret il-fokus matul is-snin. Bħal dak tal-911 theres aktar riġel, ras, kamra ta ' l-ispalla-il-karozza tħoss għal kollox daqs akbar minn dak li għamel f ' 1998. Bħall-911 – hija l-Cayman il-ġdid 911 u l-Fiesta l-fokus il-ġdid? Sib ukoll li bil-ġenerazzjoni li jmiss ġdida Mondeo, jiena suspettat.

Fuq iċ-ċaqliqa tagħha, minbarra s-si ġilli tar-ri ħ ta ' qabel il-produzzjoni tas-soltu li l-informat fil-widna tiegħi hekk kif I jsuqu fuq Spains Pool ta ' toroq lixxi. Il-bdil tal-gerijiet huwa roqgħa u l-magna tipproduċi l-istess nota ta ' l-exhaust. Iżda hemm xi ħaġa li niggwida fuq in-na ħa ta ' wara tal-mo ħħ tiegħi: l-istering. Għall-ewwel darba fuq il-focus Ford kienet timpjega steering assistit mill-ener ġija elettrika wara snin ta ' żvilupp tant, fil-fatt, li Ford irrifjutat dan bħala mhux tajjeb biżżejjed għall-ġenerazzjoni ta ' qabel. U huwa mhux pjuttost bħala sharp jew responsivi kif kien. L-isfida Ford għandha bil-fowkus hija li, u jiġri f ' kull karozza – aħseb kif il-litesoma l-ori ġinali tal-GTi 16-valv kienet imqabbla mal-karozza ta ' jiem – hija li bħala leġiżlazzjoni, l-i żvilupp tal-prodotti u s-swieq li qed jikbru jaffettwaw id-daqs, il-PI ż w: dawn isiru akbar u itqal.

Dan ma jfissirx li jgħidu l-fokus huwa drajv ħażin. Għall-kuntrarju, il-karozza għadha terrifika biex issuq. Iżda, xorta Nixtieq li karozza tkun daqsxejn ta ' daqsxejn indana fir-rispons tal-istering tagħha. Fl-Istati, ix-xerrej b ' fokus medju jista ' jkun totalment kuntent – jew fiċ-Ċina fejn ikun ukoll magħmul u mibjugħ.

Il-vanta ġġ tal-FSE huwa li dan jista ' jiġi ttunat għas-swieq lokali, għalhekk Nixtieq li l-edgier iħossu l-fokus il-ġdid. Għal dan, forsi Jiena se nkun irrid nistenna għall-verżjoni coupe. Iżda ma jwaqqafx milli tixtri l-a ħħar ħames bibien? le.

When Ford unveiled the original Focus way back in 1998 it sent shock waves through the European motor industry. Up to that point Fords mainstream seller was the Escort, though it was hardly a rival to the all-conquering VW Golf.

The Focus with its combination of edgy styling and a ride and steering combination that beggared belief changed all that. Its novel independent Control Blade rear suspension provided levels of grip and comfort normally associated with far more complex and costly five-link systems.

The orders and accolades came thick and fast: the new Focus was the first car to be nominated as Car Of The Year simultaneously in the U. S. and Europe – it would garner a further 75 awards in the years to come.

Six years and four million sales in 80 countries later, the second generation Focus was revealed to a somewhat less enthusiastic media who believed the new design was not as energetic or bold as the original. Designer, Chris Bird was unrepentant about the cars comparative conservatism in the light of the step change that had been made in quality, justifiably arguing that the goal was to maintain the Focus identity and significantly enhance craftsmanship rather than reinvent the car all over again. Trying to achieve both simultaneously would have led to neither target being achieved. One thing all motoring journalists agreed on, however, was that Ford had done it again in making the new Focus even more fun to drive than the original.

Over the years since the original Focus had been launched, Fords reputation for producing class leading dynamics had become enviable. The challenge was that this class leadership was disguised by conservative styling.

This is where Martin Smith comes into the picture. Ford of Europe, by now, was headed by Lewis Booth who wanted to combine Fords outstanding vehicle dynamics with drop dead gorgeous looks, to quote Smith who joined as head of Fords European design team in late 2004. Three years later, Smiths design team refreshed that car with a dash of kinetic design that was the driving principle behind Smiths creativity.

The introduction of the Focus Ford galvanized its rivals into developing cars that were fun to drive and comfortable and good looking: GMs Astra is markedly better in all respects as is the Golf although its styling evolution is almost glacial it still tops the charts when it comes to interior quality – or does it?

I am about to discover for myself as I get into a Titanium spec Focus powered by the latest 148 bhp EcoBoost engine, which might sound a bit measly, but when combined with 177 lb. - ft. of torque at1600 rpm or 199 lb. -ft. of torque for 15 seconds of hard acceleration delivers an acceptable 8. 6 seconds to 62 mph, the same time it takes to cover 31 to 62 mph.

Interior build quality is interesting and youthful in its approach, inspired by the mobile phones and other electronic gadgetry that we all, irrespective of age, nowadays use.



The biggest difference I detect is how much the Focus has grown over the years. Like the 911 theres more leg, head, shoulder room- the car feels altogether a size bigger than it did in 1998. Like the 911 – is the Cayman the new 911 and the Fiesta the new Focus? Well find that out with new next generation Mondeo, I suspect.

On the move its quiet, apart from the usual pre-production wind seals that whistle into my ear as I drive over Spains pool table smooth roads. The gearshift is slick and the engine produces an encouragingly go for it exhaust note. But there is something niggling at the back of my mind: the steering. For the first time on the Focus Ford has employed Electric Power-Assisted Steering after years of development so much, in fact, that Ford rejected it as not good enough for the previous generation. And its not quite as sharp or responsive as it once was. The challenge Ford has with the Focus is that, and it happens with every car – think how lithesome the original Golf GTi 16-valve was compared to todays car – is that as legislation, product development and growing markets impinge on size, weight and emissions so cars grow: they become bigger and heavier.

That doesnt mean to say the Focus is a bad drive. To the contrary, its still a terrific car to drive. But, I still want a car to be a little bit feistier in its steering response. In the States the average Focus buyer might be totally happy – or in China where it will also be made and sold.

The advantage of EPAS is that it can be tuned for local markets so I would like an edgier feel to the new Focus. For that, perhaps I will have to wait for the rumored coupe version. But would it stop me from buying the latest five-door? No.