Test drive Ford Focus 4 doors 2001 - 2005 sedan

Focus without tricks

Ford Focus was born in 1998 and soon won the title of the best car in Europe and the USA. Over 6 years, 4 million people got the model. Recently, a restyled version was shown at the Paris Motor show, which many expected, but a completely different car.

The first Focus became a bestseller thanks to an unusual design, a spacious salon and excellent handling. The price that distinguished the novelty from competitors favorably played a role. Ford designers rely on the New Edge style. The pioneer of this direction was the KA model. Focus appeared, which struck not only the townsfolk, but also the specialists.

However, admiring the popular machine did not remain long. At the beginning of the year in factories in Germany, Spain and America, the release of Focus II will begin. In May, the Russian enterprise will begin to produce new items. Fans of new faces remain only winter and spring for the purchase of outdated products. True, it will be difficult to buy Focus first generation. Now the plant in the Leningrad region is collecting 3,300 cars per month. This is not enough: the number of orders exceeded 11,000. Deficit.

Presenter of the style

The defiant appearance attracts attention, but addiction to it is faster. Then irritation occurs. There are many examples of this, the world automotive is known. The paradox is that most people, on the one hand, are vividly interested in something new and unusual, and on the other, tries to be conservative and deal with well-proven things.

Recently, my good acquaintance Peter, having familiarized himself with advertising and a specialized press, decided to buy Focus. But the visit to the salon quickly changed his opinion. Sitting inside, hiding the buttons and twitching the levers, the potential buyer decided that the car was too unusual. No, he did not stop like. But a feeling of unusual caused discomfort. On the same day, Peter became the owner of a more calm and respectable Mondeo.

Apparently, such consumer moods were well studied by the Ford Motors Company marketers, who, in order to avoid a possible decline in sales, recommended that the second generation of traditional. The new Focus, which is not distinguished by something extravagant, will probably live longer than the predecessor that is leaving us. According to the chief designer Claudio Messale, in Focus II, the silhouette of the body, which has become more smooth and sports, has been changed in Focus II.

Salon

It is curious that just as 6 years ago, only two Focus three- and five-door hatchbacks were provided for the first test drive. Sedan and the station wagon will appear later. If you should take a closer look at the new product, you understand that the balanced design has not changed the internal content. In fact, we have the same Focus in new clothes. In the driver's place, as before, very spacious, especially above the head. The governing bodies, including the steering wheel, are raised by 5 cm, which affected comfort. Naturally, it became more convenient to get drunk and get out of the car. An adjustable pedal node is installed as an option. Especially for this, drivers who simply do not reach the pedals. By the way, with regard to additional equipment, with the start of the novelty in Russia, the list of options will be expanded from 22 points to 40.

Passengers feel no worse than the driver. The supply of space between the front and rear seats has become even more due to the increase in the dimensions. Yes, Focus has become 25 mm longer and 40 mm wider.

The previous version of the instrument panel sinned by an abundance of elements that unreasonably attract attention. This refers to numerous plastic buttons painted for metal. The new option is not noteworthy, which, in turn, prevents the rejection of conservatives by one hundred percent. The style of the New Edge partly resembles the thick knitting needles of the steering wheel. There were no other similar features with the old focus.

Replacing the eight

Once the owners of domestic eights, which at one time were called small Porsche, felt like tamers of sports car. Now even the restyled version of the Lada-2113 does not cause previous emotions, although the demand for dynamic 3-door hatchbacks, of course, remained. It is precisely these considerations that the decision of the American company’s management has been dictated to add a machine with three doors to the production range of the Vsevolozhsk enterprise. By the way, from the moment of launch of the Russian project, the overseas concern takes more and more customers from our manufacturers. To date, 52 % of Ford buyers previously owned domestic cars, but changed the previous addictions.

In my opinion, it is the Focus-hatchback that looks most harmonious. A 2-liter Duratec engine developing 145 liters is ideal for him. With. The weakest among power units will be a 1.4-liter gasoline engine with a capacity of 80 liters. With. The completely new Duratec Ti-VCT volume of 1.6 liters (115 hp) with a double independent gas distribution phase control system deserves attention.

Another news: in the Russian market, the debut of not only gasoline engines is expected, but also one diesel Duratorq 1.8 with a capacity of 115 liters. s., Equipped with the Common Rail system.

On the mountain serpentine

The test of the new Focus, unlike the previous option, was held not in France, but in the mountains of Northern Italy. The route was laid on a serpentine, which allowed it to be better to evaluate handling and overclocking dynamics.

We get driving a three -door hatchback equipped with the most powerful two -liter engine.

The sporting nature of the novelty is emphasized by the front seats with pronounced side support and the gear lever with a very short course. At the beginning of the movement, you understand that the ecological norms of Euro-4, which meets Focus, still affect the dynamics of acceleration. The car, as it were, reluctantly begins the run at the first speed. Then the character of the hatchback changes dramatically, and it turns into a clever and fast beast.

There is a feeling that Focus has become better to keep the road. Later, technical specialists confirmed this. Firstly, the rear multi-link suspension was modernized. As for the front, it will begin to install a more durable subframe and silent blocks of the lower levers. Secondly, an increase in the length and width of the machine contributed to the improvement of controllability and smoothness. Thirdly, it has become even easier to drive a new car thanks to the use of an electro-hydraulic steering wheel.

Russian prospects

According to developers, cars will be adapted to Russia's conditions. Focus will be installed on the engine protection, tires with reinforced sidewalls, wheel drives with a diameter of fifteen inches, an enlarged glass -shaped tank. In this case, the manufacturer guarantees the launch of the motor at a temperature of -35 Celsius. And one more thing: the Russian version can overcome fords with a depth of 450 mm.

Now in Vsevolozhsk in full swing is modernization and re -enforcement of equipment. In January, we will find out how much Focus has risen in price. I think that no one has doubts that he will rise in price. In May, the first cars will get off the conveyor of the plant, and in June they will go to dealers.

President CJSC Ford Motor Company Henrik Nenzen

The new Ford Focus will almost simultaneously release in the USA, Europe and Russia. This serves as a recognition that Russian buyers are important for our concern in the same way as customers of leading markets. Some suggested continuing the release of the old model, but this option was rejected. The plant in Vsevolozhsk will begin production Focus II three months after the start in Europe. I note that Ford Motor Company specialists regularly compare the quality of products at various enterprises. And we have something to boast. We go on a par with German colleagues, sometimes surpassing them. This refutes the myth of reducing the quality of machines in connection with the localization of production. Today, 14 Russian suppliers make 30 parts that fully comply with corporate standards. With the launch of the new Focus, we expand the number of bodies produced. Soon, a dynamic three -door hatchback will be added to the sedan, a five -door hatchback and the station wagon, which, first of all, is suitable for young people. Another novelty is not so noticeable. I mean a 1.8 liter diesel diesel, 115 liters. With. We believe that due to the rise in price of gasoline, it is diesel versions that will be in high demand in Russia.

Technical characteristics Ford Focus II

Body 3-door hatchback
The number of places 5
Equipped mass, kg 1229
Full mass, kg 1690
Dimensions, mm:
- length 4342
- Width 1840
- Height 1447
Base, mm 2640
Trunk volume, l 385/1245
Maximum speed, km/h 206
Acceleration time to 100 km/h, from 9.2
Control consumption of fuel, l/100 km:
- City cycle 9.8
- Zagorodov 5.4
- Mixed 7.1
Fuel tank volume, l 55
Engine:
- Type Duratec 2.0
- working volume, cm3 1999
- Power, L.S. at MIN-1 145
- Torque, NM at MIN-1 185/4500
Transmission front wheel drive
Tire size 195/65R15, 205/55R16, 205/50R17
Wheel suspension:
- Front Independent, Mcphereson
- The rear is independent
Brakes:
- front disk, ventilated
- rear drum/disk
Steering adjustable steering column, with ESU

Text: Stanislav Pavlov

Source: Magazine 5 wheel [12/2004]