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| No three-bar grille due to space limitations, but you won't mistake it for anything but a Ford. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
Visually, the '08 Focus is a brand new car, not just a mid-life update akin to the Taurus. Its frame has been altered such that its profile no longer suggests the bulbous shape of the first hatchback-rooted model, while the ratios of metal and glass have been shifted giving the tall and skinny look of the original more depth and a sturdier stance, especially athletic looking
in two-door guise. The new coupe brings the Focus offering more in line with what Chevrolet and Honda are doing with their Cobalt and Civic models, respectively. This all has to do with the fact that the new Focus was designed to be a notchback from the start with two or four doors. This better allowed Ford to integrate the trunk properly for a cleaner look.
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| By shaving weight in key areas (such as new front calipers that are lighter), Ford was able to increase the car's insulation to make it quieter. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
The detailing of the body polarizes people; you either really like it or you don't. I think it features a nice balance between boxiness and curves, and a nice proportionality due to the shortened overhangs. I quite like the fact that it's lower than the usual too-tall, top-heavy profile of many new compact cars. I also like the character lines that run parallel to the vehicle's beltline. Make what you will of the fake fender vents. Even though the third bar on the grille just wouldn't fit (according to Ford's head of design, Peter Horbury) and the headlamps ooze into the fenders and up the hood, this is very much recognizable as a "Red, White and Bold" Ford product. The tail is quite simple, and the trunk lid like the sides is chiseled, adorned by the italicized Focus badge.
