"Cé hé sin" (michael-m-mouse)
12/15/2016 at 12:50 • Filed to: Ford, Focus, Decontented
2
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"Cé hé sin" (michael-m-mouse)
12/15/2016 at 12:50 • Filed to: Ford, Focus, Decontented | 2
| 17 |
to decontent: Verb, to take stuff out so that the result is cheaper and meaner and makes it clear to you what a cheapskate you are.
Take the Focus. This is the current one:
It’s pretty much the same wherever you buy it, in so far as the one you could buy in America won’t actually share many parts with this one - it’ll have spark plugs and will probably change gear for you and will have extra lights at each corner and so on and on. But except for all that it’ll be the same.
Not for the future though. The next Focus will be decontented for the Americans because it attracts a different clientèle there. So nice things that cost money will be left out and it can be really cheap and if you buy one you’ll be reminded that you’re cheap too.
Isn’t that good news?
interstate366, now In The Industry
> Cé hé sin
12/15/2016 at 12:56 |
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I read this in Clarkson’s voice.
Klaus Schmoll
> Cé hé sin
12/15/2016 at 12:57 |
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Hm, so they are using VW’s trick. Why not just let the old car linger on like they did before with the pig with lipstick.
jimz
> Klaus Schmoll
12/15/2016 at 12:59 |
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because it costs more to maintain two separate architectures for the same class of car.
RallyWrench
> Cé hé sin
12/15/2016 at 13:24 |
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to decontent: Verb, to take stuff out so that the result is cheaper and meaner a more focused driver’s machine and makes it clear to you what a cheapskate purist you are.
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Cé hé sin
> RallyWrench
12/15/2016 at 14:05 |
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Not in this case!
Carbon Fiber Sasquatch
> Cé hé sin
12/15/2016 at 14:05 |
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So, we’re not getting a Focus Vignale here in the states? Damn... Bamboozled again
Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> RallyWrench
12/15/2016 at 14:11 |
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The number 1 characteristic I care about in any car is weight. Everything else is secondary!
duurtlang
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
12/15/2016 at 14:29 |
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Low weight does have its advantages.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> duurtlang
12/15/2016 at 14:53 |
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Jeremy looks so young and thin!
Pyrochazm
> Cé hé sin
12/15/2016 at 15:07 |
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Does that mean it will be more focused?
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Cé hé sin
> Pyrochazm
12/15/2016 at 15:08 |
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If you live in North America, quite possibly the opposite!
The Powershift in Steve's '12 Ford Focus killed it's TCM (under warranty!)
> Cé hé sin
12/15/2016 at 15:36 |
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I’m glad I bought one when I did - my SEL has plenty of features (sunroof, leather, auto climate control, auto headlights, autodimming mirror, parking sensors, and the mediocre SYNC system) and drives like a much more expensive car. Well, not so much now that it has 87500 miles on it, but it’s still pretty solid and secure to drive.
Maybe I’ll go for a VW GSW for my next car. They’re pretty nice since they’re branded as Golfs instead of Jettas.
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duurtlang
> The Powershift in Steve's '12 Ford Focus killed it's TCM (under warranty!)
12/15/2016 at 16:19 |
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The Golf is its main competitor in Europe. The Focus competitors in the US are not as nice I gather? That would explain the diversification.
From what I’ve read the Mondeo (Fusion) has lost significant market share in Europe after they Americanized it. 1 mass-market non-luxury car for multiple continents with different requirements doesn’t work that well.
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The Powershift in Steve's '12 Ford Focus killed it's TCM (under warranty!)
> duurtlang
12/16/2016 at 08:06 |
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Most American market compacts are built to a price point, much like the American market Jetta. While they offer higher trim levels with lots of luxury goodies, they’re still cheap cars. The Focus was definitely a cut above in 2012, though the rest of the market has caught up a bit. The GSW (and the regular Golf it’s derived from) are still nicer cars than most of the segment. It’s also a wagon, which is a win in my book.
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duurtlang
> The Powershift in Steve's '12 Ford Focus killed it's TCM (under warranty!)
12/16/2016 at 08:24 |
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That’s a clear difference between the markets. Because fuel is a lot more expensive here and because in many countries large cars are taxed higher (emissions, weight, displacement, whatever) people prefer smaller cars, but do like them to be nice. And with nice I’m talking about build quality and ride quality, not quantity of features or something that wallows. It’s one of the reasons the Chevy Cruze flopped here. Our ‘regular’ Opels are sold as ‘luxury’ Buicks in the US.
Almost every compact and midsize car here is available as a wagon. Among compacts it’s a
far
more popular body style than the sedan (10:1 or maybe even 100:1). I’m counting 13 available compact 2017 wagons, versus just the Golf in the US if I’m not mistaken. Only 2 available compact non-luxury sedans available though, the Focus and Mazda 3. While the Golf is the best selling car in the country the Jetta has been discontinued a while ago. No Corolla sedan or Civic sedan either.
Compact 2017 wagons:
Fiat Tipo
Ford Focus
Honda Civic
Hyundai i30
Kia Ceed
Mini Clubman
Opel Astra
Peugeot 308
Renault Megane
Seat Leon
Skoda Octavia
Toyota Auris
VW Golf.
You could add the Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake as well.
pip bip - choose Corrour
> Cé hé sin
12/16/2016 at 09:14 |
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i’d buy one if it had manual windows all round.
bhtooefr
> Cé hé sin
12/19/2016 at 18:54 |
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My understanding is that the Focus gets worse interior materials, even in Titanium trim (not sure about ST, and IIRC RS is Euro-spec in this regard), in the US already.
Hard plastics where soft touch would be used in Europe, that kind of thing.