@Gridlock: So that's 340bhp via a very dated drivetrain of a fwd car from the 80's,sounds fun but technology has moved on from then. What engine/spec is it? Always liked the idea of a Golf Rallye. My Focus is running 285bhp,will find the rolling road printout for the torque if interested
@Gridlock: Like the sound of your Golf,i bet you catch a few people out. Any chance you live near Gloucestershire in the U.K. so i can keep an eye out ;)
Any pics etc or is the car on any forums? Something very cool about street sleepers.
I agree with others and I'm sure there are plenty of twenty-something professionals out there who would buy this car. I would have considered it instead of my GTI when I was that age. Ford should bring it over. They are already looking the best of the U.S. automakers. Even if they use it as a halo hatch like VW did with the R32, it would generate a lot of interest.
They can say all they want about "not needing" AWD, but in the hypothetical world where I would buy this car, the lack of a driven rear-wheel would be a deal breaker.
Few (if any) foreign automakers do direct currency conversion when sending their wares here. Usually it seems like they just change the currency symbol and leave the numbers more or less alone.
The Focus RS is a Mini killer. It may not have Mini's strong branding, but if they priced it right (e.g.: less than the John Cooper Works package), it would sell very well. Hell, I think it lays down better performance numbers than the JCW Cooper S. I love the Mini, but this RS has me drooling.
@Futrell: ....because they hate our freedom.......and they don't sell the Mk2 Focus here.....and it would cannibalize Mustang sales.....and they hate our freedom.
@Futrell: Pretty sure it's got something to do with the UAW, legacy costs, and the economic downturn. It's certainly NOT poor management and product planning.
@Futrell: The market for the Euro Focus is completely different from what Ford here would like to have it as. Euro Focus is a Golf alternative, and as you know, Golf is pricey here compared to every other small hatch. That and the production cost for the Euro Focus means that they can't afford to sell it at what the current US Focus costs. Don't worry though. There will be only one Focus and everyone will get it. Production will also be spread out so that it would make local pricing much more viable. I heard that Ford Australia's already working on it.
Cue the "it would never sell for $38k LOL Ford would be crazy to bring it here!"
£25k. Doesn't the GTI sell in the low 20s over there? Therefore, Ford would price this similar to the GTI if they bring it here. Which would be a good, logical price.
have to say, I would've expected better from Jalopnik. the GTI in the UK is £19,921, and sells for $22k here in the US. By those numbers, Ford could bring this over and sell it for $27.5k. please please PLEASE stop doing straight currency - currency conversions.
The BIGGEST problem is that if Ford brought this over it would be the same price as the Mustang GT, and it would be faster, lighter, AWD, have the same same HP and a more useful interior.
@The Name's Ash78, Housewares: I've noticed while watching Top Gear that the prices in UK pounds is usually pretty close to what the equivalent car sells for in US dollars, ie a Merc they say sells for 75k pounds sells for ~$75k US.
@IH_kumicho: We all know it's not a direct currency conversion, but how do you propose we determine a price on a car that'll never make it to the United States and won't be optioned for US market tastes. If you plan on seeing Ford import it, we'd like to know the approximate import and federalization costs, if not, what are the costs associated with parts built under US currency, US labor rates, US steel prices, and program profit on each car for whatever production volumes we can expect to see.
If you have this conversion rate determined, please send it along to our tips line as it would be most helpful in the future, and we'll be happy to price any future Ford of Europe product in appropriate US dollars.
Ben, the only way to figure on what this car would cost here would be to find exact cars (like the GTI I mentioned above) and compare the cost in £ to the cost in $. Then you do a ratio and extrapolate the cost from there. For instance:
The GTI costs £19,921 in the UK
The GTI costs $23,000 here in the US
Do the math, and there is a 1.15 multiplier in this case.
Therefore, based on this the Focus RS could theoretically cost $28,800.
Obviously as you move to different vehicles the prices vary, and therefore the multiplier varies, but that's a better predictor than doing a straight-up conversion rate which includes the VAT (15%? 17?) and any importing duty specific to that country.
Also see the Volvo C30 T5, starts at £19,800 in the UK, and $23,800 here in the US. Based on those numbers, the multiplier would be 1.2, meaning that this Focus would cost an even $30,000.
@IH_kumicho: It doesn't, I was being sarcastic. The point is there are too many variables to hazard a guess at a realistic price for a car that will never be sold in the US.
12/15/08
Can someone explain this to me? Do British people often have trouble putting gas in their cars?
12/15/08
Unless you are a secret minion of Evil Bunny.
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....V10....... ooh..........transverse...........v10....
....hatch
Head asplode.
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Ported/polished/flowed VR6 with cams and pistons, and a light sprinkle of supercharger. Stock 5 door GTi - AMG drivers are my favourite toys :D
Drove a Focus RS once, standard apart from an exhaust and moderate chippage I think - fun car.
12/15/08
Any pics etc or is the car on any forums? Something very cool about street sleepers.
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And there you have another point: Will America tolerate a 3-door that gets V8 fuel economy?
I know I'd tolerate the hell out of it.
12/15/08
WTF. First you give Madonna back, and now no Focus RS? Uncool.
-b'wagon
12/15/08
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Few (if any) foreign automakers do direct currency conversion when sending their wares here. Usually it seems like they just change the currency symbol and leave the numbers more or less alone.
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Oh, wait...
12/16/08
The Focus RS is a Mini killer. It may not have Mini's strong branding, but if they priced it right (e.g.: less than the John Cooper Works package), it would sell very well. Hell, I think it lays down better performance numbers than the JCW Cooper S. I love the Mini, but this RS has me drooling.
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$25-30k is a lot for poop.
12/15/08
Damn you, Ford of Europe!
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£25k. Doesn't the GTI sell in the low 20s over there? Therefore, Ford would price this similar to the GTI if they bring it here. Which would be a good, logical price.
12/15/08
have to say, I would've expected better from Jalopnik. the GTI in the UK is £19,921, and sells for $22k here in the US. By those numbers, Ford could bring this over and sell it for $27.5k. please please PLEASE stop doing straight currency - currency conversions.
The BIGGEST problem is that if Ford brought this over it would be the same price as the Mustang GT, and it would be faster, lighter, AWD, have the same same HP and a more useful interior.
12/15/08
Before i bought my mk1 RS Focus i tried a mk1 R32 & the RS was far better to drive.
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12/15/08
If you have this conversion rate determined, please send it along to our tips line as it would be most helpful in the future, and we'll be happy to price any future Ford of Europe product in appropriate US dollars.
12/16/08
Ben, the only way to figure on what this car would cost here would be to find exact cars (like the GTI I mentioned above) and compare the cost in £ to the cost in $. Then you do a ratio and extrapolate the cost from there. For instance:
The GTI costs £19,921 in the UK
The GTI costs $23,000 here in the US
Do the math, and there is a 1.15 multiplier in this case.
Therefore, based on this the Focus RS could theoretically cost $28,800.
Obviously as you move to different vehicles the prices vary, and therefore the multiplier varies, but that's a better predictor than doing a straight-up conversion rate which includes the VAT (15%? 17?) and any importing duty specific to that country.
12/16/08
Also see the Volvo C30 T5, starts at £19,800 in the UK, and $23,800 here in the US. Based on those numbers, the multiplier would be 1.2, meaning that this Focus would cost an even $30,000.
Hope this helps...
12/16/08