Spotlight 2010 Ford Focus SES

After seven years of the first generation Ford Focus a overhaul was completed in 2008 to a sedan/coupe only style. For the many of the enthusiasts this was a major downturn for the once hot hatch Focus. For the average consumer it was still a eco-box on wheels, but Ford this was a initial step in bringing some pretty exclusive tech to small cars.


Exterior:
Weighing in at a 2,642 lbs and 175" long, 67.8" wide and 58.6" tall the 2010 Ford Focus SES sedan fits right into the compact category. From the first glance this car has gone through a few subtle revisions from the 2008 version. The chrome side flares are gone and a few other small things were cleaned up. When looking at it from the outside the Focus takes on Fords signature razor chrome grill with only 2 bars instead of the 3 seen on the Fusion and Edge. The headlights blend fairly well with the face of the car and the optional fog lights and heater mirrors are nice to have especially in the northern states.

Ford Focus 2010 From Fords website

Interior:

Stepping inside the Focus the first thing that stands out is that the center stack is similar to the Ford Fusion. The buttons and controls are laid out in a similar fashion except for the Focus has a little message center atop of the console that has radio information along with temperature and time. The dash was nice and clear to read and the different looking dials with a splash of color bring a welcome improvement over the previous generation which were just black with white lettering. The brushed aluminum looking materials add a nice touch to the interior even though they are plastic. For technology in the Focus, SYNC by Microsoft only available on Ford family vehicles is a awesome interface for using voice commands to call people, or play music from a compatible mp3 player. One thing I didn't care too much for on the car I tested was that the shifter seemed a little too far forward to rest your hand on while driving.

Ford Focus 2010 interior from Fords website

Powertrain:

Equip with a 2.0 liter Duratec engine that is good for 140 hp the Focus is fairly spry even with 3 adults in the car. The automatics shifts were on mark most of the time a few times it held in a gear longer than I wanted it to but overall it was a pleasant ride. It would be nice to have a select shift feature, but then again that's what a manual transmission is for.

Thoughts:

Honestly I had major doubts going into this test drive. I had driven a 2000 Focus and a 2005 Focus before driving a 2010. I liked the 2000's suspension w/ how it cornered and the design was pretty good. The 2005 was just bland all around. The 2010 was a shock to say the least. I didn't care when Ford dropped the hatchbacks with the second generation Focus, but instead they made a nice compact that handles rather well absorbs most of the bumps in the road and is very impressive in the inside with technology including SYNC.

Price Tested:

MSRP-$19,995

-DK 

Disclaimer: I signed up at the MSP auto show to receive $50 master card from Ford after completing a test drive with a Ford vehicle.

Three Test Drive's Up Soon

It's been a tad busy the last few days, but I did have a chance to go out and test drive three cars. They were limited on the amount of time, but in the next three posts I'll touch on somethings I liked and a few things I didn't. The three cars are 2010 Focus SES, 2010 Ford Taurus Limited, and 2010 Fusion Sport. All three spotlights will be up hopefully by the end of the week. A quick preview, two of the cars I liked the other didn't meet the expectations I had for it.

-DK

Images from Ford's website.

Spotlight of the Week 1988 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

After a rebirth in 1983 with a sleeker body design, the Thunderbird also took on a few new engines one of which seems taboo for the car. During the 1980's Ford was looking to rediscover the idea of the Thunderbird after a failed attempt in the early 1980's. This attempt was to expand it's performance division against the incoming Japanese competitors who were bringing over turbocharged engines that were more efficient and powerful. Enter stage right was Ford's solution known as the Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe.

Design:


Exterior:

Known as the aerobird generation the 1988 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe was the last version before a redesign in 1989. On the outside this car distinct in its design. From the shield up front to the long hood and the coupe design it was hard to mistake it for another. Features that are notable include the aero-shield up front and the functional hood scoop that flows air into the inter-cooler.

Photo courtesy of http://www.biocrawler.com/

Interior:

Climbing inside is like stepping back into the 1980's. The best word to describe the interior is plastic. Almost everything in there is plastic some good some bad. The instrument layout is quite nice but when moving over to the center stack that where it looses it. Case in point the print is too small and overall it's too busy with knobs, switches and buttons all over the place. The center arm rest has the window controls, seat controls along with mirror settings some of which are similar to the late Pontiac G8.

Powertrain:
2.3 L OHC 4 cylinder coupled with a turbo and a intercooler outputs 190 hp and 200 lbs of torque. This power was sent to the rear wheels by a 5 speed manual transmission from a Mustang SVO. In the 4 speed automatic variant of this car the output numbers drop to 150 hp because of durability issues.  Other notable items for this car include the automatic ride control suspension between comfort and sport mode and four wheel anti-lock breaks.

Thoughts:

My take on the 1988 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe is a tad bias along the lines that its one of my favorite cars from Ford. That said I do have have some issues with the car and that revolves around the interior. The body is far more futuristic than vehicles of that era and even when you see them on the road they still have a essence with them. The interior on the other hand is classic 80's that tries to be sporty, but misses during the translation between paper and assembly line.

Price:

Then: $17,146

Now: $12,000 - $500 depending on condition

-DK

CES Keynote Address by Alan Mulally

Even if your not a fan of Ford, Fords new myFord and myLincoln is something really awesome to connect driver and their car when their driving to the world around them. It's easier to watch than explain.

Watch Here

-DK