I guess the closest think to this car currently available in the USA is the Volvo C30. Same basic 5 cylinder engine, same basic platform. With some after market parts one might get pretty close (from a driving dynamics point of view, not exterior looks).
That car is badass! It would look even hotter with some gold or white wheels to boot, but I bet it's a hell of a drivers' car. Only downside is the 45K price...While I'm sure it eats up the twisties, spending 45K on a car that can barely outrun a honda accord in a drag race is sort of pointless.
@leavethegun-takethecannoli: How could they not sell a Ford in the US? I've never heard of this before. It sounds completely counter-intuitive and frankly, fucking stupid. I hope this isn't really the case.
@wrx-tyrannosaurusWrx: Mondeo? RWD Escort? There are PLENTY of Fords that we never see in the US. There are plenty of Chevys we don't see either, but they are rebadged Daewoos like the Matiz, so it's no great loss.
@wrx-tyrannosaurusWrx: Not to try to start a political discussion, but unless the car is manufactured here, Obama's new tax plan will probably hammer it.
He plans to double tax American companies doing business abroad. He is including this in his proposal to stamp out tax cheats. So under the pretense of doing a good thing, he is also damaging U.S. businesses.
Also the cap and trade program, although a great idea, will crush U.S. manufacturing unless all of the other major producers (Japan, Great Britain, China, India, Russia, etc.) join in.
Why is it that Ford seems to be the only American car maker that makes things I could actually conceive of wanting? Could it have something to do with it being a corporation owned by share holders and not Emperor Obama and his minions?
As much as I'd like to see it here, it's still effectively just a Mazdaspeed 3 with less practicality and a higher price. IIRC, the performance stats are about the same.
I still think it'd be good for the Ford Brand, but they've already positioned the Focus as the econocar. Even the SVT went away after, what, two years?
Ford has the existing bland Focus, so it'd be a big stretch to double the price and try to suddenly foist a performance version on the US...otherwise, Mazda remains the performance brand for FoMoCo in the US. I wish they hadn't arranged it this way, frankly. It's shallow, but I'd much rather drive a Blue Oval, everything else being the same.
@Ash78: Yes, I agree that this may be too big a leap given the current US market Focus. On the other hand, with the impending introduction of the Fiesta and the globalized next-gen Focus, Ford is looking to move their small car lineup in a much more upscale direction.
A limited run of the Focus RS, if it could be federalized for a reasonable cost, might be a very good way of retaining interest in the Focus nameplate as it goes through its end of life build-out, and building buzz in anticipation of the introduction of the next, more upmarket Focus in the US.
Unfortunately, at this point the real question is not whether the Focus RS could make money, but rather whether it could make enough money (or be a big enough image/marketing boost) to justify using the company's dwindling cash on the investment. I'm not sure it could, but I hope it can.
@FormerlyPreferredCustomer: But it COULD one day be the halo car for a bunch of small, sporty Fords. Say, Fiesta RS, Focus RS, maybe even (in my dreams) an S-Max RS. Yes, I want a sporty minivan/MPV. I guess because I keep cars a long time and need to think about everything I'd use it for.
Because one day I'll retire and go nuts with cars. But until then, practicality carries a lot of water.
@Ash78: "Mazda remains the performance brand for FoMoCo in the US." And who were the geniuses that figured out this arrangement? (As I pull away in my Mazda...)
@Ash78: I'd be quite happy with that. I've always been disappointed with the rather half-assed way that Ford has approached its SVT portfolio. I'd like to see them build a real catalog of sporty cars, and the EU RS cars are perfect for that.
Funnily enough, I was just thinking about the S-Max this morning. That's a car (?) I'd absolutely love to own.
@FormerlyPreferredCustomer: I really hate the S-Max... Its too oxymoronic if you catch my drift and I think if it was available to you guys it would immediately become about as desirable as desirable as a pig in a sombrero.
Also doesn't help some dick in one wouldn't change lanes to let me pass earlier... just started braking and putting his hazards on... I hate that
That is so awesome. It kinda has an ugly-beautiful thing going on.
The first time I ever saw an awesome car was not available in the US was the first time I went to the drag strip. A girl brought her freshly imported (less than 2 weeks) R34 Skyline, and was letting her boyfriend drive her 11 second Grand National. The Skyline did a best of 12.3, but she admitted she was still learning the car.
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Now, both of us would rather have a car that can corner a bit more crisply, and neither of us are wealthy. So the C30's right out.
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But then the Ford reliability problems come into play and that queers the deal.
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He plans to double tax American companies doing business abroad. He is including this in his proposal to stamp out tax cheats. So under the pretense of doing a good thing, he is also damaging U.S. businesses.
Also the cap and trade program, although a great idea, will crush U.S. manufacturing unless all of the other major producers (Japan, Great Britain, China, India, Russia, etc.) join in.
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All the performance cars from GM are drool-worthy.
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Did FTF hijack your profile?
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I still think it'd be good for the Ford Brand, but they've already positioned the Focus as the econocar. Even the SVT went away after, what, two years?
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Jeez. U r lyk atarded.
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Ford has the existing bland Focus, so it'd be a big stretch to double the price and try to suddenly foist a performance version on the US...otherwise, Mazda remains the performance brand for FoMoCo in the US. I wish they hadn't arranged it this way, frankly. It's shallow, but I'd much rather drive a Blue Oval, everything else being the same.
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No really..
Never understood why the COTD was in 99% of the cases some smartass comment..
Besides everything Ash78 says is COTD material.
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A limited run of the Focus RS, if it could be federalized for a reasonable cost, might be a very good way of retaining interest in the Focus nameplate as it goes through its end of life build-out, and building buzz in anticipation of the introduction of the next, more upmarket Focus in the US.
Unfortunately, at this point the real question is not whether the Focus RS could make money, but rather whether it could make enough money (or be a big enough image/marketing boost) to justify using the company's dwindling cash on the investment. I'm not sure it could, but I hope it can.
I'd like to buy a Ford again, someday.
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Because one day I'll retire and go nuts with cars. But until then, practicality carries a lot of water.
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Funnily enough, I was just thinking about the S-Max this morning. That's a car (?) I'd absolutely love to own.
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Also doesn't help some dick in one wouldn't change lanes to let me pass earlier... just started braking and putting his hazards on... I hate that
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Here's my summary of today's Jalopnik.
+
= My head:
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The first time I ever saw an awesome car was not available in the US was the first time I went to the drag strip. A girl brought her freshly imported (less than 2 weeks) R34 Skyline, and was letting her boyfriend drive her 11 second Grand National. The Skyline did a best of 12.3, but she admitted she was still learning the car.
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Clean up on aisle 4...
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Find us one. I dare ya.