Ford Focus: Specifications of Thai-built update revealed

By David Zalstein | July 02nd, 2012

FIND DEALS

Specifications for the Ford Focus MkII range, which sees the production source switch from Germany to Thailand, have been released on the Australian car maker’s website ahead of the small car’s local showroom launch on August 1.

While Ford Australia is yet to confirm full details, the new Focus will see the inclusion of Ford’s Sync voice recognition and Bluetooth connectivity system, as well as the advanced Active City Stop safety technology.

Ford’s Active City Stop is a system borrowed from Swedish safety gurus Volvo – formerly owned by Ford – that will autonomously apply the brakes and reduce engine torque to avoid low-speed collisions or lessen their impact. The system operates at speeds up to 30km/h and relies on a lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor to scan the area ahead of the vehicle for possible obstacles.

A rear-view camera and body-couloured side skirts come standard on Sport and Titanium models with full leather trim also now included in the top-of-the-range Titanium. The Sport (pictured top) also scores a new wheel design, but is now only available as a hatch, with the sedan variant of the Sport discontinued from the line-up.

Ford Australia’s decision to relocate its Focus production source from Germany’s Saarlouis plant to Rayong, Thailand, mirrors a similar move that saw production of the smaller Fiesta city car switch from Germany to Thailand in late 2010.

The Fiesta did take a step backwards in a couple of areas after its transition to Thai production, such as a soft-touch dash that was abandoned for a hard-plastic version, and a steering wheel that no longer featured reach adjustment.

Ford Australia has told CarAdvice the Focus will not have any similar negative changes as a result of the shift from German to Thai production. Ford has previously confirmed its high-performance Focus ST hot-hatch will remain German-sourced.

Ford is currently running out Focus MkI stock with offers on Ambiente and Trend models, with prices starting from $19,990 drive away.

Prices for the new Focus are expected to carry over from the existing line-up, which currently ranges from $21,990 – $36,590.

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Jimmy

Looks good with the new bumper extensions on Sport/Titanium. Doesn’t appear to be a silver colour available now? Is this a mistake?

Also no rear parking sensors on sport until September build vehicles, I am wondering whether you still get the reverse camera on its own?
Dezkun

Thai-sourced vehicles ought to be sold much cheaper due to FTA, and logistics.
This is of course assuming that Ford had sold the German-sourced vehicles with a profit.
- Jason
  
  and of course the quality goes down as well, this should please the ever twindling Ford bogans
  - Horsie
    
    why would the quality go down ?
    - Shakeel-ali
      
      Just have a look at when the fiesta made the switch. You could see a few cost cutting measures in the cabin.
      - Ray
        
        According to Ford’s website the Trend’s tyre size from Thailand will now be 205/60/16 instead of the original 215/55/16 and this should affect handling, another sign of Ford’s cost cutting? I wonder if they will still use Michellins ?
    - http://www.facebook.com/people/Jean-Michel-De-Speville/679583263 Jean-Michel
      
      Exactly.
  - Alpha101
    
    What about pleasing the rest of us Ford lovers?
    Because, of course, only a bogan would like a Ford. Is that right? That is what you are trying to say, is it not?
    Ironically, I can only think of one word that would describe someone with such a narrow mindset…………
  - K20A
    
    Perceived quality or actual quality? I hope you know how the difference between the two..
  - http://www.facebook.com/people/Jean-Michel-De-Speville/679583263 Jean-Michel
    
    The quality is exactly the same.I have tried the german made and the new Thailand made.Only difference is the petrol cap is on opposite side.
Jordan

$19,990.. Is that cheap for the Australian market or just me?
- Aliford1
  
  Yeah it is however Pacific Ford on the Sunshine Coast has been selling them out at 18,990 for the last month or so………….
- MisterZed
  
  $19,990 is expensive for a 1.6L car.
  - Noel
    
    I agree, even less impressive is the number of 1.4L cars around for the same price. These manufactures must think we’re all stupid.
    - jamezolu
      
      no comment ….
  - Lox
    
    But 21,990 for a 1.2L in a Golf isn’t?
    20k is about the entry mark for this type of vehicle.
    - MisterZed
      
      Well, at least with the Golf you get more torque and lower fuel consumption. The Ford 1.6L only produces 92 kW, less power than a Corolla 11 years ago.
  - Tee Jay
    
    no, it is not a sandwich, bigger engine is not part of the equation.
  - jamezolu
    
    is $30K expensive for a 1.4 TSi Golf?
    
    is $45K cheap for a 6.0 V8 Commodore?
    
    What’s engine displacement got to do with the price of a car?
    - MisterZed
      
      I don’t know if this is a serious question or not. Why is a 1.5L Yaris more expensive than a 1.3L Yaris? Why is a 2.0L Focus more expensive than a 1.6L Focus? Hello…. ?!?!
MisterZed

Still has the tacky 1980s-era windscreen washers stuck on the bonnet, I see. I owned a car 10 years ago that had concealed washers, and now in 2012 Ford still aren’t there yet?
- JDUB
  
  Tacky and Ford, has a nice ring to it…
  - Alpha101
    
    Haters gonna hate!
- Big Pete
  
  Wow thats a big disappointment. Id rather they worry about more important things than where the damn washers are located on the car!
  More important things like proper RHD indicator/wiper controls etc (which these thai built models now have)
  
  Also the falcon has had hidden washer nozzels since the end of 2002 BA models…. hasnt helped the falcons sales has it LOL
- Douglas9305
  
  You serious?
Guest

Is it just the sport that’s hatch only? or has the sedan been deleted totally from the line up?
JD

no myford interface system? come on Ford!
- myford touch
  
  No my ford touch still, FAIL, you only get first gen sync FAIL, its over 3 years old.
  
  Last I heard that myford touch for our region is stll 12 to 18 months away.
  by the time it comes out it will be taken over by manufactures Tech, FAIL
42 = The Answer

Is there Satellite Navigation? More importantly, have they got the rear passenger air-vents they promised?
- Bob
  
  Yes and yes on the sport and titanium models
Rocket

Will the Sport have the Ecoboost 1.6? This article is very short on details.
- johnny
  
  No it wont. Not at this stage. Engines are unchanged from the mark1 models
  - Chest Rockwell
    
    Too bad about no Ecoboost being available. I also wonder how reliable the DCT gearbox is.
    - simonsez
      
      Supposed to be fine from 9/12/2012 onwards for the dry clutch auto petrol models.Diesels all still use the previous wet clutch setup which (I understand) is also used on Volvo diesels fwiw.
JamesB

Will the telescoping steering wheel be retained unlike the Fiesta?
- Lox
  
  It says it above. It will remain.
filippo

Any word on a 6-speed manual? A 5-speed in the current petrol and none at all in the diesel (WTF?) must be hurting sales.
- Zandit75
  
  Why? The current trend is going away from manuals, so why build a vehicle no-one buys in great numbers?
  - Blair Waldorf
    
    because some people aren’t P*ssies and want to drive a manual?
    - Zandit75
      
      So just because some people prefer an automatic(The Majority) they are p*ssies? Grow up!
      Why should an international manufacturer build a car that will not sell? They are aiming their low priced product to the masses so they will sell in quantity and gain their profits from high volume, low cost sales.
      Manuals are going the way of the Dodo, even Lamborghini are ditching them cause the majority buy the Autos.
      - Blair Waldorf
        
        Go to Europe, autos don’t sell there, the Focus is only available in auto on one variant. Saying manuals are dying out? haha! In almost all non Japanese, American and Aus markets manuals still greatly outsell autos. Have fun in your slushbox
      - http://www.facebook.com/people/Jean-Michel-De-Speville/679583263 Jean-Michel
        
        Go to Europe, autos don’t sell there !!!! Because the Europeans cannot the extra price for the automatic. American and Aus markets manuals still greatly outsell autos because they are at least $2,500 cheaper
    - Sydlocal
      
      So are you saying that basically all Ferrari, McLaren, Bugatti, Mercedes Benz AMG (you get the picture) drivers are all P*ssies?
      - James S
        
        Just because someone drives a “Ferrari” or ”AMG” doesn’t make them a good driver…. Just means they have extra money to throw around
      - Sydlocal
        
        I never said that they were a good or bad driver.The original comment was about people driving autos being p*ssies. Nothing was mentioned about whether they are good/bad drivers or not. Try reading the thread again!
        BTW, I totally agree with your comment, even though it has nothing to do with what we were talking about!!
    - jamezolu
      
      or maybe some people are stuck in the 70′s …
  - filippo
    
    So then should all makers stop building manuals completely? Should they also stop making cars in any other colour than silver?
    
    A Mazda dealer friend told me once that the difference between Mazda 6 and Mondeo sales is roughly the amount of manual Mazda 6s that they sell. It’s interesting that a company would willingly choose to ignore 20% of the market.
Pirate Post Office

The Sport looks good. I hope that hard plastics don’t find their way into the cabin. Also, can anyone tell me what the hatches boot capacity is? I understand it is only 330 ltrs, way smaller than the new Civic hatch.
- Ben1
  
  Even smaller – 316l.
  
  Would still have the focus (trend and up) every day over the new Civic hatch though…
BP

So we need a safety program to help us avoid collisions under 30km/h. What has this world come too.
- MattW
  
  Too many knobs that have to text “leaving the shops now, be home in 5 mins” while driving out of the car park instead of paying attention to actually driving
BK

Finally the Thais are become the new bogans.
- Lox
  
  Closet bogan? Check your grammar idiot.
gt86.com.au

Horrible Build Quality. Had the previous model focus, and it was the worst car ever, not to mention shocking resale values. Ford will never get my money again!
- simonsez
  
  Have you actually had a decent look at these vehicles or are you just running off at the mouth?
  - Legnab
    
    Hes babbling in his toyota dealership , trying to drum up sales for the inferior toyota coronory .
  - http://www.facebook.com/people/Jean-Michel-De-Speville/679583263 Jean-Michel
    
    He is not only running off at the mouth but has been smoking some funny tobaccos too.
Andrew

Some good improvements by ford. The new alloys on the sport look much better. Full leather on the titanium will improve the cabin look. My girlfriend has had the trend for a few months now & she’s been very happy. Has a good torquey engine for its class, but it does have a poor turning circle.
I agree they should get the ford mytouch in these models. I also think the titanium is a few grand overpriced. Ford should get this all sorted, as it’s only the golf which rivals this car for driving in this class IMHO, & the new golf isn’t too far away.
- Noel
  
  I have a Titanium hatch, I agree the turning circle is nothing short of appalling. As for price, I looked at the competitors and don’t think it’s over priced at all. The thing I love the most about the car is the technology, of particular note the adaptive cruise, should be in every car no matter what the price is.
  
  Compared to the Mazda 3 SP25 though (I’m basing this on RRP because I didn’t even try and get a deal from Mazda) the Focus with Sports Exec pack $2,600 more however I got the adaptive cruise, heated seats, front parking sensors, DCT, self parking (works great so far) and power drivers seat. Also using the official fuel figures the Focus uses 2 litres less per 100k’s. All of the extra’s were worth the $2,600 to me, they might not be to other people though.
  
  I’ve had the car about a month now and I’m loving it, of course I haven’t dealt with the Ford service department yet so my opinion could change pretty quickly
  - Jlmewburn
    
    I have a titanium diesel sedan and yes the turning circle is shocking, but I notice the Thai built ones are quoting the same turning circle across the range which backs up what the Dealer told me would be the case with Thai production as inner guards were being changed to allow 18″ rims to fit better than the German produced ones. The heated front seats appear to have disappeared for full leather trim on Thai cars.
    Overall after 10,000k I am more than happy with this car , the boot may be a bit shallow & the ride a bit harsh on back roads but the performance with diesel & the excellent economy is just superb, the soft touch plastics and overall finish shows the German build quality also the extras do really make the price understandable, but the deal we did when buying was too good to knock back
Noel

One final thing, I traded a 3 year old Honda Accord Euro and to me the build quality of the two would be about on par.
Aus_poppa

It is a shame that the transfer of production to Thailand condemns us to the previous generation engines. I know that Ford may think that it is important in marketing terms to use a 2 litre engine so as not to appear inferior alongside the competition – Mazda 3, Corolla, Civic etc. but the European engine range is based around Ecoboost turbo motors – the new 1 litre 3 cylinder (Engine of the Year award)replacing the previous highest volume seller the 1.6 litre non turbo, and 1.6 Ecoboost as the performance option.

However GM has successfully introduced a 1.4 turbo as the perfeormance option in the Cruze and the market has happily gone along with that.

Ford are either engineeringly timid, or incapable of getting their heads around that fact there is no way they can continue to build large 4 litre cars in today’s environment, let alone tomorrow.