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more about #focus more comments → Schm, enjoying his first desert winter. .: Wow, this just got significantly more interesting. Leno (probably) knew that if it were a US spec Focus nobody who knew anything about cars would giv... more » KillerBee: It figures that the American version of this event would feature a car that does not require shifting. more » jbownsabmw- Koopas Beware: First, is there really a "red line" for an electric engine? A red line in a proper engine is a point beyond which the engine will likely be torn asun... more » that ain't the way to have fun, son: I am quite curious about the course. Will Mr. Leno, gearhead he is, have a replica of the TG course, or will it be something Americans have a chance ... more » MarywithanM™: Perhaps Ms Barrymore was chosen for the Green Car Challenge due to her short-lived marriage to Tom Green. This is one of those times when I think I sh... more » Deartháir II: Jay Leno had a fantastic quote from Monday's show. I'm paraphrasing, because unlike my friend I am unable to quote entire shows verbatim, but it was s... more » genesherman: I PROFESS MY LOVE FOR LENO! He is the MAN! So, I know there's not a rat's chance in hell that the Focus RS will come to the US. I already made the... more » Mobius: But there's a catch: if you drive fast enough to go on the leaderboard, you wil not have enough charge to finish the lap, but if you finish the lap, y... more » FTGDWolverineEdition'09: One thing at a time folks...one thing at a time.. more » that ain't the way to have fun, son: Seats five normal people, or three Americans. Problem found. When do we get a Ranchero version? more » -
#ifeelgassy
Jay Leno's Reasonably Priced Electric Car A Euro-Spec Ford Focus
We knew Jay Leno would do a Top Gear-esque star in a reasonably priced electric car segment. We even knew the car would be an electric Focus. We didn't know it would be an electric-orange Euro-spec model. More » -
#frankfurtmotorshow
Ford C-Max: Not-So-US-Bound
Unlike the 2012 Grand C-Max, its smaller brother, the new five-passenger Ford Focus-based C-Max has no plans for storming the US market. This one does however look cooler, especially when dressed in this fashionable shade of Ford Fiesta green. More » -
#adwatch
Jay Leno's "Star In A Reasonably-Priced Green Car" To Use Ford's Battery Electric Focus Concept
A specially-built battery electric Ford Focus will be driven through Jay Leno's (pictured above with two Jalopnik readers) new show, premiering Sept. 14 on NBC, by celebrity guests who are competing in the "Green Car Challenge" for best track times.
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#spyphotos
2011 Ford Focus: Small Car, Big Promise
Still heavily disguised as a current-generation Euro-spec Focus, the set-for-unveil-next-year 2011 Ford Focus is the first single-platform global car from Ford. You should thank whichever deity you're partial to, because this better-in-Euro econobox is actually coming Stateside. More » -
#ringruns
Ford Focus RS Hits Nurburgring For 8:26 Lap Time
With 300 HP out of a turbocharged 5-cylinder, the Ford Focus RS is one of the most delicious of Europe's forbidden fruits, and now we know what it'll do an 8:26 on Germany's Nurburgring. Jealous. More » -
#crashtests
IIHS Crash Tests Five Budget Coupes: Ford, Volvo Earn Top Safety Picks
New crash tests released by the IIHS for five economy-sized two-doors — the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Scion tC and Volvo C30 — indicate good or acceptable ratings in frontal and side tests. See, size doesn't matter! More » -
#fifthgear
Fifth Gear Pits EVO X Against Focus RS In Epic Turbocharged Soccer Match
Fifth Gear's Tiff Needell and Jason Plato have taken it upon themselves to pit the rally-bred AWD Mitsubishi Evo X against the brand-spanking-new, touring car-inspired FWD Ford Focus RS in an epic turbocharged game of soccer. More » -
#spyphotos
2009 Euro-Spec Ford Focus RS Spied On U.S. Soil
FocusFanatics forumite 2004SVTAutoXer was out with his lady in Royal Oak, MI when he spotted this rally-ready, turbocharged, M-plated, Euro-spec 2009 Ford Focus RS. Needless to say, he was a bit excited. So are we. More » -
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#focusrs
Ford Focus RS Tops Nissan GT-R In "Real World" Test
Autocar pits the beloved Ford Focus RS against the ferocious Nissan GT-R on real world roads, where the RS would actually have a chance against Godzilla. The result? They'd rather have the RS. More » -
#lolcars
Russian Focus Owners Launch Biggest Ever Single-Model Procession
Russian Ford Focus enthusiasts decided to honor a member's nuptials by creating the largest single-model wedding procession ever. They even had a Focus police escort. Gallery of the 200 Russian Foci on parade below.
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#overthebackfence
305 HP Ford Focus RS Coming To America?
Automotive News reports Ford's contemplating bringing the Euro-only Ford Focus RS (along with the torque-steer-gasmic 305 HP turbocharged 2.5-liter five-banger Volvo powerplant) stateside. Fiesta Movement? Ha. More like a Focus Movement — in our pants! More » -
#fordfocus
Ford Focus X-Road: Another Reason To Never Trust The Dutch
The Ford Focus X-Road wears tough fender arches, special front and rear treatments, and an aluminum skid-plate. The bad news: There are only 300 for the Dutch market. Worse news: It's an appearance-only package. More » -
#2009fordfocusrs
Fifth Gear Test Drives 2009 Focus RS, We're RS Green With Envy
That other British car show, Fifth Gear, has managed to get their grubby mitts on the 2009 Focus RS and toss it at some curvy mountain roads. Not surprisingly, they kinda liked it. More » -
#pictureoftheday
Let's See Captain Sullenberger Land This
Take a rallying Ford Focus RS, add one part Mikko Hirvonen, one part Jarmo Lehtinen, toss over frozen Norwegian roads and serve cold. More » -
#fordfocusrs
New Ford Focus RS Priced From $38,000
You can have the most forbidden of Ford's fruits, the 2009 Ford Focus RS, for £24,995 in Brit money or $38,359 if you're in the US and into torturing yourself. -
#fordfocusrs
Video: Ford Focus RS Walkaround
We showed you our gallery of the 2009 Ford Focus RS in blue two days ago. Now here's a full video walkaround of the hottest li'l hatch we really need to get stateside. -
#2009fordfocusrs
2009 Ford Focus RS: I'm Blue!
The 2009 Ford Focus RS was first seen as a concept in London earlier this year wearing an arresting green skin. Now the not-for-American-consumption production version shows off some blue metal in the gallery below. -
#sema
SEMA Getting Hit With Tsunami Of Custom Fords
The pictures are tiny, but Ford is apparently bringing quite a load of customs to the SEMA show in Vegas next week. There's a trio of Lincoln MKS's on the way, a couple of Foci and custom Escapes, a sinister looking Lincoln MKX, and our favorite, a tarted up Ford Transit Connect. Seriously, that thing can't hit the market soon enough; we'll take one with a set of those snazzy racing stripes too. Full details on all these customs in a healthy-sized press release below, and be sure to check out Jalopnik's on-the-ground SEMA coverage next week. More » -
#focusrs
2009 Ford Focus RS Nets 1,000 Preorders, 40% In Hulk Green
Ford looks to have a winner on its hands with the 2009 Focus RS, as the company has taken approximately 1,000 orders for the 275 HP Matchbox car. No matter whether you're a fan of the scooptastic SEMA-style bodywork or not, you can't argue with 295 lb-ft of torque flowing through a 6-speed stick in a little rocket like this. Don't like it in green? Well, you're among the majority...but just barely. Ford reports that 40% of the preorders have opted for the eye-scorching emerald hue. More » -
#industrynews
BREAKING! Ford Reports $8.7 Billion Net Loss For Second Quarter 2008, Bringing Six European Small Vehicles Stateside
Ford's just released two press releases detailing an OMFG $8.7 billion net loss for the second quarter of 2008 (which includes a pre-tax special charge of $8 billion, $5.3 billion of which is for Ford North America). But more importantly to the enthusiast is news they'll be bringing to North America six European small vehicles built off the global B-car and C-car platforms and converting three large truck and SUV plants to building small cars. It's part of something the company's calling "One Ford" which we think has something to do with making every product in every marketplace the same and it looks like the European products are winning out. Dear god, there is yet hope for this company. Full press releases after the jump. Give us a few minutes while we digest this. Also, our Cheerios.
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#2009fordfocusrs
2009 Ford Focus RS Details Officially Official, Green Machine Lives
Turns out the Electric Green Ford Focus RS we saw last week is more than just a show car. Ford has admitted the little green hulk is essentially the finished vehicle, minus some fine tuning. Now, depending on which side of the fencepost you sit on, an inline-five with 275 HP and 295 lb-ft of torque mated to a six-speed in a car the size of a Focus RS, along with all kinds of fancy suspension trickery, is either a magical, amazing thing OR the obnoxious boy-racer bodywork rubs you the wrong way and totally ruins whatever genius lies underneath. Either way, our Euro brethren will soon have another magnificent compact car to dangle in our faces. Damned forbidden fruit. Full details below. More » -
#fordfocusrsconcept
2009 Ford Focus RS Concept; Don't Make It Angry
We finally have some leaked shots of the Ford Focus RS ahead of the London Motor Show, and we're green with envy at any Europeans lucky enough to get the real version when it comes out. Unless it's in the same weirdo neon green as the concept. We know the new RS Focus will generate more than 275 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque from the 2.5-liter Duratec inline five, which should be good for a 0-60 mph time in under six seconds. And that's only the start. More » -
#overthebackfence
Could Ford Retool Truck Plants To Produce Euro Fords?
We hear many car-related rumors on a daily basis, but there's one that came across our desk today that's quite the whopper. Website Autosavant is claiming their sources within Ford are saying that three of the four plants shuttered after Ford's dramatic reorganization will be retooled to produce popular European models like the Ford Kuga and C-Max. From the Autosavant piece:Our sources at Ford say that Mr. Mulally has already made the decision to convert at least three truck/SUV production facilities in North America as soon as possible to produce Ford models currently sold in Europe, where Ford is renowned for its small cars. The timeline Mulally prefers, according to insiders, is "yesterday". He has made up his mind and is pushing forward.
Why we're taking this rumor with an Expedition-sized grain of salt below the jump. More » -
#2009fordfocusrs
Ford Reveals Focus RS Details, Photos Ahead Of London Debut
Ford's ripped a page from the Opel playbook, releasing some spy-like photos and early details today on the a new Ford Focus RS. The shots are of a lightly camo'ed prototype undergoing performance and durability testing at Germany's famed Nürburgring. The RS is set for its European market launch in early 2009, Ford confirms the Focus RS will be getting front-wheel-drive with a limited slip diff and feature the same turbocharged Duratec 2.5-liter, five-cylinder engine found in the Focus ST, however the RS's Duratec will be optimized to generate over 276 HP and more than 295 lb-ft of torque. We'll be seeing the new Focus RS at the London Motor Show in late July where we're expecting to hear all the details we could ever want about the Ford Focus we don't get over here across the pond — no matter how much we beg for it. Full press release below the jump. More » -
#2009fordfocusrs
2009 Ford Focus RS: Body By Photoshop?
As Americans, one of our favorite pastimes is complaining about all the cool Ford products the rest of the world gets that we don't. So, ever since rumors started swirling of a Euro-market Ford Focus RS that would be even hotter than the Focus ST, we've been waiting in anticipation to see the forbidden fruit. Suddenly these images have surfaced online, looking quite promising. More » -
#novelties
Google Street View Captures Automotive Improvisation
If we've learned anything from Google Street View, it's that something is always going on in this crazy country of ours. Whether it's flashers, crashes or shootings, the roving cameras tell us that not everything interesting happens indoors. This is especially true for the automotive enthusiast that lacks a garage, like this fellow here. More » -
#2009fordfocus
2009 Ford Focus Gets Kinetic Design Update For China
Looks like the domestic market Ford Focus will remain the laughing stock of the worldwide Focus product line if these spy photos of Chinese market Foci are any indication. These images point to the integration of Ford's European "kinetic design" styling language seen on the likes of the Verve concept and current Mondeo. You can plainly see the stretched out headlights and gaping maw down below as seen from other Ford fare here on these camouflaged cars. More » -
#2009fordfocuscoupe
2009 Ford Focus Coupe Gets New Look, Lipstick...Still A Pig
We know first-hand how horrible the design of the 2008 Ford Focus coupe truly was. Having spent five days in one we can tell you the best part about the '08 model was being inside of it. Only then could you sink into that relatively comfortable interior and try to forget the horror of witnessing the terrifying design mish-mash that was the exterior of last year's model. But wait, Ford's taken another look at the sheet metal on the 2009 Ford Focus Coupe and given it what the Dearborn-based automaker calls a "sporty new look." We call it lipstick. Although Ford fixed a couple of the most egregious design flaws for the '09 — the deletion and reassignment of the rear spoiler, the new rims and (thank whatever automotive deity you pray to) the delete option on the faux chrome side vents — it only serves to show just how much of a mess the rest of the design truly is. We know Ford's trying to use this year's model to ease the 'merican public into the Fiesta's open-mouthed billy-the-bass front fascia design language, but was it really necessary to bastardize it on this monstrosity of mashed-together metal? Full press release below the jump. More » -
#2011fordfocus
European C1 Focus Bound For US, Prayers Being Answered After Five-Year Delay
Nary a week goes by where we aren't forced to look at another affordable, crisp-handling, attractive and unattainable European Ford Focus or derivative and recite that all too familiar prayer of "Ford, if you're listening, bring it over here" while trying to get excited about Bill Gates' Focus Coupe. Sure, we could have purchased a Mazda3 or Volvo S40, which are also based on the C1-platform, but that's besides the point. We wanted a cheap and toss-able blue oval hatch. Now it looks as though deliverance is nigh. More » -
#genevamotorshow
2008 Ford Focus Coupe-Cabriolet Revealed Before Geneva Motor Show
File it under "small Euro convertibles that aren't worth bringing to the states, but that further prove Ford's European division is a tight ship." That's a small file folder, no doubt. Nonetheless, Ford Europe's freshened droptop Focus will arrive in time to be fauned over by journalists named "Berndt" and the mercenary photographers they dispatch to fight elbow battles for them. That'll be at the Geneva motor show next month. But for now, we get to see how the other half cruises, and that is by way of the typical Ford C1 platform (think Volvo S40 and Mazda3), sharper Focus styling based on Fo-Europa's kinetic design language and a folding hardtop. See you on the Corniche. More » -
#gadgets
Microsoft Sync In The Ford Focus SE, The Roundup
I spent the better part of a week, tooling around in a 2008 Ford Focus SE, with one task at hand: to determine whether this newfangled Microsoft Sync system is all it's cracked up to be. I laughed, I cried, I made some calls, and in the end found Sync to be basically sweet. Not that me and Sync didn't have a few spats. At first, I approached the system the same way any average Joe would—I jumped in the car and started playing without picking up the manual or having any prior knowledge of how Sync actually works. That didn't go as smoothly as I was hoping, so I hashed through the manual and got Sync set up to my liking, in as much as I could. And for the final test, I took 'er out for a live road test. [Unboxing, Set Up, Road Test] More » -
#novelties
Ford Focus Gutted, Stripped By An... Orchestra?
No chop shops involved here. As part of a UK advertising campaign, 21 different Ford Focus parts have been transformed into 31 musical instruments. The instruments—including a door harp, clutch guitar and bass repurposed from a fender—are played by professional orchestra musicians who don't mind getting up close and person with some of the Focus' bits and pieces. The commercial is the brainchild of composer Craig Richey and sound designer Bill Milbrodt and is set for a television debut on February 4. [WCF] -
#gadgets
Microsoft Sync Setup in the 2008 Ford Focus SE: Part 2
The "unboxing" of Sync yesterday didn't go quite as well as I was hoping, but no fear, there's a trusty 80-page manual to guide me through setting up the Sync in-car entertainment system. I was able to connect my Zune to the system pretty easily yesterday, so today's setup revolved mostly around setting up my cellphone, which was quite the task. See some of my frustrations in the video above, and hit the jump for commentary about the Sync system, how I decided to approach it and setting up a cellphone. More » -
#gadgets
Microsoft Sync Gets Unboxed in the 2008 Ford Focus SE: Part 1 of 3
You've seen the commercials, but really, how easy is the Microsoft Sync in-car entertainment system to use? I decided to give Sync an unboxing, similar to the ones our brethren do. I'll give you a hint how it went: Don't get your hopes up. This is only Part One of a three-part series, in which I'll wrestle with the technological gods and attempt to achieve success with Microsoft Sync. Stay tuned later this week for my attempts to set everything up and provide a full blown review. A correction to the video: Sync DOES work with a wide variety of MP3 players and cellphones, not just the Microsoft-branded Zune. You can consult SyncMyRide.com for a list of all compatible gadgets. More » -
#offbeatnews
Rudy Giuliani Needs Parking Lessons
Apparently still traumatized by the events of that morning, or possibly just reeling from the loss of his presidential ambitions, it looks like Rudy Giuliani has gone on something of a parking rampage on the LSU campus. A minor character in the hit show Seinfeld, Giuliani rose to fame after trade marking the phrase "9/11." We actually sympathize with Giuliani, if we'd been forced to trade our Corvair in for a previous generation Focus, we'd probably go a bit crazy, too. [Via Inphiltrate Nonfiction] -
#newcars
Ford Europe Confirms High-Performance 2009 Focus RS
Along the same vein earlier of cars we're just not getting here in the United States, Ford of Europe just confirmed they plan to bring a new high-performance model of the Ford Focus to market in 2009, a Ford Focus RS. To go along with that announcement, FoMoEurope has apparently hired the same advertising team in charge of the reveals of the new Subaru WRX STI and the new Porsche Cayenne. But the car itself will be based on the new Focus ST and as we've already seen some pretty good spy photos of the new high-po Focus, we're not overly concerned about this new shot. Although Ford of Europe isn't revealing any technical details other than the car being "rally-inspired", one thing's for certain — it'll be better than what we've got on these shores bearing the same model name. Full press release after the jump. More » -
#foundoncraigslist
Pay $278,000 for New Home, Get Free 2008 Ford Focus
We knew someone trying to give away an '08 Ford Focus was an all but certain eventuality. But with all the offers out there in the Metro Detroit area for free leases on Land Rovers with a condo purchase, we never thought a seller wouldsyncsink this low. That's right, buy a new all-sports waterfront home for $278,000 and get a free 2008 Ford Focus. Yup, all that lakefront property, Huron Valley schools and now even theFord with synckitchen sink. Yes folks, sometimes the easy joke is just that. [via craigslist]
