Focus Saloon - futureshite?

[M'coli]

Judging by my local auctions yes indeed...here's a 4 door with roughly half the mileage, a year younger and a bigger engine than a 5 door at last month's local auction:FORD FOCUS 2.0 GHIA 4DR APR 2001 38K Y £1500FORD FOCUS 1.6 GHIA 5DR MAY 2000 66K W £1500It's enough to get me reaching for my wallet...

[trigger]

I agree, Bloody ugly cars but bound to be future shite as nobody wants them.

 

Although i wouldn't be surprised if there still a few about in years to come as most them ones i seen are driven by the elderly.

 

Was the 4 door version built mainly for the American market? You see lots of them on ebay.com.

 

[pogweasel]

SOLID GOLD FUTURE GROT.Though for Autoshite points you would have to look out for an ultra-pov 'CL' spec one, in a solid colour possibly with only 2 wheeltrims left. And none of this 2.0 nonsense either. 1.8DI diesel ftw.

[Mr Lobster]

SOLID GOLD FUTURE GROT.Though for Autoshite points you would have to look out for an ultra-pov 'CL' spec one.

Almost certain that the Focus saloon was only sold in higher specs - possibly only as a Ghia I think. Basically, Ford new exactly who would be buying them and that those buyers would want it in a high spec.

[r.welfare]

Certainly started off as a Ghia-only, but I believe you could get an LX (if not a CL) version by the end of Mk1 production.So ugly it hurts - but the Mk2 version is the best-looking of all the Mk2 derivatives, IMHO.

[seth]

I think I first saw one in the US. I imagine it was primarily aimed at that market?How about booted Pug 306s?

[pogweasel]

Or why not the Astra "J-LO" edition?

[r.welfare]

You look at one of those Mk4 Ashtray saloons dead-on from the rear and you can't tell the difference from the hatch, same rear lights and everything...at least the Belmont and Mk3 looked a little different (I quite like the Mk3 saloon for perverse reasons, make mine a 1.4 HiTorq Merit in doom blue pls).306 "sedans" (as they were known) don't look too bad to me, bonus points for a high-spec early one with a rear wiper.

[Volksy]

but the Mk2 version is the best-looking of all the Mk2 derivatives, IMHO.

I quite agree, although there is a bit of badge engineering going on, with the Volvo S40 and Mazda 3, The 3 looks a bit different but the Volvo is pretty much the same car.

[Owain-328i]

I was lucky enough to be driving a brand new mk1 Focus on a 98 S reg on a regular basis just after passing my test! although it was a 1.8 LX hatch, i assume they drive like the saloon. To this day its one of the best all round cars ive ever driven.Its still a far superior drive to the BMW 1 Series, Ford got it spot on with the mk1 Focus.

[Pillock]

Agreed, I don't know what Ford were feeding their chassis designers but it worked - the Focus, both Mk1 and 2 and the Mondeo Mk3 all drive superbly. Even my mum's 56-plate Fiesta feels like it would stick to the road up to and beyond the limits of my bravery.But the saloons are definately futureshite. Purely for the reason there's no sensible reason to choose one new, when they're within spitting distance in price and have the same trim and engine.I remember Ford dropping the Granada hatch, explaining that it was a luxury car and 'important people do not want draughts around them when their driver opens the boot' or words to that effect. Doesn't really work like that when you've got two snotty-faced kids in the back though. I guess it stops them reaching into the Lidl bags in the boot and stealing sweets?More Futureshite.... the obscure Megane derivatives! Sadly unable to find photos but the original Megane Saloon (badged Sedan?) was pig-ugly and equally useless, but there's a polish guy moved into town and bought over a Mk1 Megane Estate which I believe we never got over here. Looks like a kit-car lashup from the back, just like a hastily-designed estate should.

[Guest]

I will never understand the baffling contempt this country has for intermediate-sized 4-door saloons, I would rather have a Focus saloon than a hatch any day. The Astra MK4 saloon looks ace too.

[fordpoplier]

Focus saloon/sedan absolutley common as much over here, fugly as sin and generally driven by wrinklies. Booted Fiesta still to come next year although I asked recently at Ford dealership and they had no brochures.

[andrew e]

You need an ex-Essex Police booted Focus LX - solid gold shite

[Guest]

If its ungainly hatch-derived saloons youre after...

 

 

Ladies and germs I present you the booted Skoda Fabia.

 

 

My eyes hurt.

 

More Futureshite.... the obscure Megane derivatives! Sadly unable to find photos but the original Megane Saloon (badged Sedan?) was pig-ugly and equally useless, but there's a polish guy moved into town and bought over a Mk1 Megane Estate which I believe we never got over here. Looks like a kit-car lashup from the back, just like a hastily-designed estate should.

Ah yes, the Megane Classic that looked a bit Chrysler Neon-ish from certain angles.

 

One of my Edinburgh neighbours had a UK-reg, lhd Megane estate in Jewish Racing Gold around 2001, I think it was on a V-plate. It had a stoved-in front wing that looked as if it would remain unrepaired for the rest of the cars life (or at least until it had to go thru an MOT).

[Station]

Vauxhall Astra Saloon - not very popular:

 

 

Corsa Saloon!!!!

 

 

 

Only available in Brazil (thankfully).

 

One more on the same subject - a Corsa pickup - I actually like these:

 

 

 

[pogweasel]

One of my elderly neighbours had an Astra mk3 saloon, I don't think it'd ever been above 3rd gear Now he's got a hatchback Corolla as presumably it's harder to crash into the front wall of his house.....

[carlo]

I've always quite liked the Corsa's styling, inside and out. Saloon looks pretty good too. Pity it's a Vauxhall so drives like a heap of codshit.

[Richard]

I like the Focus saloon. If my Escort hadn't put me off Fords for life I would consider buying one, especially if they are cheaper. Uncool cars are often better looked after too.

[pogweasel]

A focus is a million miles from the Escort that preceeded it. Very well put together, very capable, and as stated very very nice to drive.

[Station]

I also hated the Escort. I remember being able to hear wind blowing through the gaps in the doors. Fiestas were like smaller versions. Suposedely cheaper Malaysian cars were better built.I've driven a Focus and they feel very solid.

[trigger]

A focus is a million miles from the Escort that preceeded it. Very well put together, very capable, and as stated very very nice to drive.

Must be a matter of opinion, I had a 63000 mile'd 04 reg Focus TDCi and i hated it, Uncomfortable, Slow (It was the 115bhp as well), Sloppy gearbox, had to rev to lots pull away or it would stool and would cut out and die if you put the air con on.Wish i never traded my Audi in for it, and lost over a grand in the year i had it.On another note i learned to drive in a K reg Astra TD saloon back in 1997, Was great as everyone else was learning in Fiesta's and Corsa's but i had a man's car!.

[pogweasel]

Must be a matter of opinion, I had a 63000 mile'd 04 reg Focus TDCi and i hated it, Uncomfortable, Slow (It was the 115bhp as well), Sloppy gearbox, had to rev to lots pull away or it would stool and would cut out and die if you put the air con on.

You must have had a rare pup!The first one we had we bought ex-water board, so FSH. Gerabox always really tight, and as for revving it, well it would pull away at tick-over with a ton on the a-frame behind it. As for slow, it was the 90hp DI version, and it always went alright for the power output I thought. The new one we've got is pretty much the same, again ex-water authority, similar miles, same engine etc, just newer and a slightly higher spec (zetec as opposed to LX so adds alloys, roofbars, jazzy dash & seats, heated screen etc). First one is now well beyond 200k and still plugging away.

[trigger]

Sounds like it was a pup, I could never in a month of sundays pull away in 2nd, I could only pull away in 1 st when i revved it.

 

It was a privately owned car from new brought from a local main stealer.

 

I made the biggest mistake eva of taking it for a test drive then after i got back whist in the showroom talking to the salesman about it someone else turned up and took it out for a spin and came back saying how they might buy it.

 

These two salesman played me off like a right muppet until i said yes.

 

Still can't believe i done it even now, I'm sure it was just a scam and that the other guy was just a worker from round the back.

 

He's a picture of the shitter, just for the hell of it!.

 

[Richard]

It was the way the Escort went through expensive, often dealer-only, bits that bothered me. It was also an absolute nightmare to work on. I've been driving 100% French chod since then and they are a breeze to work on in comparison.I never had any complaints about driving the thing.

[Negative Creep]

The Focus is a genuinely good car, quite why anyone would choose an Astra over one is beyond me. There is a black bodykitted saloon around these parts which I have to say looks rather smart. If we're talking shite saloons then surely the winner is

 

 

I don't think I've eve actually seen one on the road. Would love to have seen the board meeting that signed it off

[Pillock]

What the ferk is that? Is that even a saloon?Looks like a shrunken Avantime!

[Mr Lobster]

The new (05 on) Toledo is a bit of an eyesore. I've got the slightly older shape (99 - 04) and I absolutely love it.

 

A bit like this one -

 

 

Being a saloon its a lot more discrete than a Leon Cupra but has the same power and a massive boot which is useful. Plus, it was usefully cheaper being that its a saloon so less popular.

[Pete-M]

Focus is by far and away the best thing in its class and has been since the day it was introduced. If a TDCi wouldn't pull away at idle there was something very wrong with it - ditto if the AC made it die.The Escort was one of the least enjoyable things in its class from the day they made FWD ones. I can't abide Escorts (says the man who's just sold an Escort van. That was ok, cos it was a van).

[Guest]

In some ways I admire the Focus for raising the bar as it did (ok, it was hardly revolutionary on the scale of the Mini but it still shook its class up a bit).In other ways I detest it because despite the fact I have always liked its looks, it is single-handedly responsible for all the other manufacturers trying to out-ugly each other ten years on.Thanks a million, Ford