No Coupe For You
by Darren Sillett
on February 07, 2008
Even though we are firmly in the twenty first century and living in a global economy there are still new cars being released for the European market that will never see the light of day in the United States.
The latest addition to this long list is Ford Focus Coupe Cabriolet (or CC for short). With the Geneva Motor Show starting next month, Ford of Europe is getting ready to unveil its new hard-top convertible edition of the sweet European Focus. Available in multiple trim levels and engine options, this version joins its three, four and five door sedan siblings but brings an extra dash of Italian chic with its Pininfarina styling.
Come on, Ford, how about treating your American customers to a new ride.
-- Darren
Matthew Wanderer on February 08, 2008 at 06:43 AM
"new cars being released for the European market that will never see the light of day in the United States"
This fact baffles millions-of US consumer-to no end. And as such, many of us have no sympathy for these businesses (Ford in particular), nor any interest in their domestic offerings. Why, Ford?!
Frank Black on February 08, 2008 at 08:13 AM
I thought the 500 was basically a European model that they brought over here.
My gut feeling is that there are cost issues that allow them to build and sell these things profitably over there but not here.
Steaming Pile on February 08, 2008 at 03:55 PM
Actually, the 500 was designed by the same engineer who designed the VW Passat of a few years earlier. Hence the similarities. It's still a Taurus, and Ford has since dropped the pretense that it's something else.
Mochi Mochi on February 08, 2008 at 10:02 PM
I seriously think the problem of Euro and US models originates in a combined effort of marketing groups within auto companies and the market place itself colluding to deliver only "mainstream" design concepts. Europe has traditionally had a completely different relationship with design than that of the US which has a much younger (and some would say energetic) view of technology and design. There is a reason, beyond size, that the late 70's Lincolns would never have sold in Europe during the 1970s. It boils down to a communal sense of taste, aesthetics, and functionality. There is a reason why hatchbacks are hugely popular in Europe and low selling in the US market. Marketing and a lack of vision are part of this. The other part is how willingly the majority of the buying populace gravitates towards limited or expected options. In the end the real problem is that we the US consumers really just don't get the wide range of opportunities that we really deserve.
mike d on February 10, 2008 at 12:35 PM
I suspect this would sell like hotcakes if it were ever offered in the USA.
The current American cabriolet market is populated by
several well-engineered cars from quality companies, so no lack of competition. But this model would move out the door fast if it is half-way decently constructed.
Floyd on February 10, 2008 at 12:44 PM
It won't touch my 1947 Clinton-Willard straight 8 any way you cut it.
Fred on February 10, 2008 at 12:59 PM
Why does Ford hate America?
I know why I hate Ford; They sold me a car that rusted through - from the inside - in two years.
Bedrock Guy on February 10, 2008 at 01:28 PM
This is a great car. They are all over Germany. The perfect, AFFORDABLE, convertible. The Focus is a great car in general. I miss it when I visit America and am subjected to GMC rental vehicles. r/ Bedrock Guy
Tom on February 10, 2008 at 01:39 PM
Two words: government regulation. No way that little thing passes US crash and safety ratings. Our loss.
Paul from Florida on February 10, 2008 at 02:02 PM
I think Ford is still busy putting lawns on top of their factorys and funding gay pride parades. They're too busy to worry about cars.
Anyways, Kia will provide it in a year or two.
Ian on February 10, 2008 at 03:16 PM
They are most likely worried that it would cannibalize sales from their other, more profitable models.
Jim Breed on February 10, 2008 at 03:17 PM
The best car I ever owned was a 1976 Ford Fiesta. No maintenance, nice performance. It was competing with the Ford Pinto.
I just bought a Passat. I love it. However, I would gladly buy American if they made the equivalent of the Passat or Golf, even. Sell me a Modeo, please.
CCMCornell on February 10, 2008 at 03:43 PM
My friend had a Ford Fiesta that wouldn't die. I don't know the year but I'm guessing no newer than early 80's. It didn't appear to be very American in styling and on the edge of the door panel it said Kia. I think around the same time there were some Toyota econo-cars with Dodge badges. I guess it's more confusing now with lots of cars designed in one place, manufactured or assembled elsewhere, and badged with a company traditionally tied to maybe yet another place. What's foreign or domestic anymore and does it matter?
JEM on February 10, 2008 at 03:58 PM
The Five Hundred is a fattened-up, cheapened last-gen Volvo S80, it wasn't engineered by any VW guy, it was styled by the guy who Ford bought from VW/Audi as head of design. Ford wanted something super-conservative after completely screwing up the '96 Tuna Taurus, so he just pulled out some old Passat/A6 reject shape.
I'd pay real money for an Australian Falcon, or a Euro Fiesta. The Mondeo and Focus are okay, but nothing that everyone else doesn't already do as well (why do you need a good Focus when Ford already sells the Mazda3?)
mochi mochi on February 10, 2008 at 07:37 PM
One of the things that made the Fiesta such a great car was that it was a euro ford imported during a time when the only great cars that Ford made were made outside the US.
JohnAnnArbor on February 10, 2008 at 08:15 PM
Tom hit it first. Remember: American emissions and crash standards are much more stringent than Europe's. My guess, offhand, is that this one would not fare well enough in a rollover to satisfy American regulations.
AntiCitizenOne on February 11, 2008 at 05:20 AM
FORD
Fix
OR
Repair
Daily.
tx car guy on February 11, 2008 at 05:59 AM
Fiesta = German Ford of great design, fun, cheap.
Festiva = replacement of Fiesta, Korean, Kia, not-so-good
Focus = best of the Euro Fords that have been allowed here and best of those that aren't, lots of models, all have been pretty great. Original Foci sold here were/are very Euro, kept a lot of their Euro flavor, great buys now for fun and reliability.
Don't forget the abominable (reliability-wise) Merkurs, Euro Fords brought to the US that are probably the primary reason that we see so few new Euro Fords brought here today. (Institutional memory can be pretty long.) Ford thought they'd be popular here, but they weren't...the idea was dropped pretty quickly.
Virtually any of Ford's Euro models could be adapted for the US market if the Big Bucks necessary were available, but that decision needs to be made pretty early in the product cycle. Our emissions are not far off, it is the crash design, frontal and side, that must be in the design work to begin with, that is so different from Euro requirements.
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater on February 11, 2008 at 06:15 AM
How do higher levels of Euro NCAP compare with federal mandates or IIHS? Have they been compared?
I think at this point, except for the Chinese junk (Brilliance, Landwind, etc) that the higher-NCAP-cars could pass muster here, yes?
David on February 11, 2008 at 09:25 AM
Never will buy a Ford again, no matter how nice the style.
on my last Ford I had to
1) Replace motor mounts
2) Replace rack&pinion
3) Replace heat shield
4) Replace transmission twice
5) Replace starter motor and alternator
6) And it had loads of rust
All of this before the master cylinder busted....All before 100,000 miles.
F you, Ford.
Chris Hafner on February 11, 2008 at 10:43 AM
I've been moaning about this for a long time. I actually don't mind the US Focus - or at least I didn't when it was new, which was a remarkably long time ago. But the Euro focus is a much better car, with some really nice performance versions.
What's especially puzzling is that the platform is already here in the form of the Mazda 3 and Volvo S40 (both of which are nice cars). In this era, where small cars are re-emerging in importance, you'd think Ford would want a modern world-class small car with which to compete.
Darren Sillett on February 11, 2008 at 04:33 PM
The crash test/emissions argument doesn't hold a lot of water. A company as resourceful as Ford should have no problem overcoming that hurdle if necessary.
What I find interesting is that some of the cars this model competes with directly in Europe are already being sold here, for example, the VW Eos.
May be Ford should take a leaf out of the General's handbook and use one of it's other brands to bring the Focus over - let's all wish for the Mercury Mocus!
kim on February 12, 2008 at 12:58 AM
Found
On
Road
Dead.
Mopar forever.
=========
sillypickle on July 28, 2008 at 04:28 PM
Someone up top said that the Euro Focus isn't brought here because it would cannibalize sales from more profitable models. I hear this reason cited a lot, and it just seems like really dumb management strategy. If the car that would supposedly cannibalize sales is really more popular than the one it would steal sales from, you're better off just making it instead and increasing the price to make it more profitable.
On a more post-related level, the car we're looking at here is a small convertible. What other car does Ford have like it at this price point? If they bring over the rest of the Focus line, it will replace the aging (and ugly in its awkward new skin) Focus that is sold here. If the convertible makes it here, it's not replacing or fighting with anything Ford currently sells. The closest thing you can find is a Volvo, and it costs a lot more than a Focus. If Volvo sales drop too much, jack up the price on the Focus convertible because it's obviously more desirable than expected.