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| This is the first time Ford has done a two-door Coupe with the Focus. It's also the first time in a long time that there hasn't been a wagon in Ford's compact car lineup. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
With a rapid spike in interest for small and compact cars, there was undoubtedly some long, hard deliberation at the Ford table regarding what to with its only compact North American model, the Focus. Ford, though internationally in tune with the small car scene, hasn't been having the easiest of times with its domestic product range. Certainly it's on the ball with crossovers, SUVs and trucks, but it has neglected the bottom end of the market. With no change in its stance against bringing the European Focus here due to prohibitive costs, it was decided that the first generation platform, which has been in service for just about a decade now, would carry on for the third-generation 2008 North American Focus.
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| New cars often assume new identities. The Focus is a very different vehicle than the one it replaces despite carrying over many components. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
What once started out as a world car has now been transformed into a vehicle that's been specialized for the North American market place and shares little to nothing in common with the Focus sold in Europe. It's been completely reworked to the tastes of North American buyers, which is evident in the sort of changes made. For instance, Ford has effectively slashed the number of body styles available from four to two, removing the three and five-door hatchbacks, plus the wagon, in favour of a simplified sedan and notchback coupe lineup. Remarkably, this is the first time in nearly twenty years that Ford hasn't had a compact station wagon in its North American lineup; since the days of the Pinto (arguably the first of the compact/subcompact Fords). It also is worth noting that hatchbacks are gaining market share, another body style that Ford has pulled.
