Auto Connexion Launches New Ford Focus Hatchback and Sedan
Petaling Jaya, 5 February 2009
Awarded around the world for its quality and exciting driving character, Auto ConneXion today announces the launch of the new Ford Focus with a fresh new exterior and an upgraded interior along with impressive new features and technologies while promising improved driving dynamics and higher levels of driving refinement.
The fully-imported Ford Focus model range is attractively priced at RM112,888 for the five-door Sport hatchback and RM111,888 for the four-door Ghia sedan. All prices quoted are for Peninsular Malaysia, without road tax, insurance and registration.
The new Ford Focus Sport hatchback and Focus Ghia sedan are powered by a 145PS 2.0-litre Duratec engine matched to a four-speed automatic with the Sport Sequential Shift.
Well appointed and competitively priced, the all-new Focus is a smart choice.
The Focus Sport hatchback is ideal for the outgoing, spontaneous and socially active urbanite while the Focus Ghia sedan is perfect for the upwardly-mobile executive.
Ford 'Kinetic Design'
The most influential visual enhancement to the new Ford Focus is its dramatic new front featuring 'kinetic design' elements. Rather than just a cosmetic update, Ford designers took a 'whole vehicle' approach in applying kinetic design form language, which basically means ‘energy in motion’, to the exterior.
Kinetic design elements such as the large trapezoidal opening below the bumperline, new bonnet with defined contours, and new upper grille (with larger Ford badge) dominate the new Focus front design. It is more expressive, more athletic and more in keeping with the overall on-road character of new Focus. In all, the new Focus is visually confident and distinctive.
The bodyside profile is now slightly more muscular, the result of adding more dominance to the distinct bold wheel lips. This gives the Focus its confident and muscular stance. The bodyside styling is clean and uncluttered.
Enlarged exterior door mirrors provide the driver with excellent visibility in congested traffic flow commonly experienced in Asia's major metropolitan cities. The side mirror housings integrate the side indicators across the range, further simplifying the side profile.
The rear of new Focus includes as many design improvements as does the front. At first glance it is the long clear tail lamp lenses that identify this as the new Focus. The rear track is slightly wider – the result of a new range of alloy wheels with more offset developed specifically for new Focus. A wider track benefits new Focus aesthetically as well as dynamically.
In design terms, the new rear is far more advanced and interesting. For example, the rear design incorporates a pronounced horizontal contour line where the larger rear windscreen meets metal. The Ford badge is positioned lower and is incorporated into a liftgate moulding. A new roof spoiler – body coloured for Sport series – enhances the look.
"We wanted to ensure that the new model was still recognisably a Focus, but was also identifiable as a new-generation Ford," said Martin Smith, Ford of Europe's Executive Director for Design. "I'm very happy with the results, as the new car has greater presence and stronger lines which reinforce its driving dynamics credentials."
A Quality Experience
Inside Ford's new Focus, the emphasis is on improving the quality of materials and enhancing comfort levels. The evidence is clear to see and feel. Either in black or dark dusk grey, the soft-touch dash pad as well as soft-touch upper door trims contrast beautifully against a tan coloured inner roof lining to lighten visually the Focus interior. The dark dash greatly reduces windscreen reflection in bright sun conditions common in South East Asia.
The driver now sees large-face tachometer and speedometer set deeply into individual binnacles. Positioned above are small-face water temperature and fuel gauges. Each surrounded by a silver bezel. Between the two large gauges is an LCD information screen displaying time, outside temperature, tripmeter and odometer. The LCD screen also displays menu options for distance to empty, average speed, and average fuel consumption.
A revised centre stack and redesigned window and mirror switches accompany new intuitive controls for air-conditioning, heater and ventilation system. At night, the centre stack controls are illuminated in soft red light which is more soothing (versus the stark white of the previous generation Focus).
A new premium centre console has been designed with an emphasis on improved comfort and function. It features a moveable soft armrest which slides forward 80mm, two cup holders with butterfly lids, a coin holder and a card holder.
The Focus Ghia sedan and Sport hatchback continue to impress with a host of comfort features such as dual-zone air conditioning, 6-way power adjustable driver's seat, unique 16x6.5-inch alloy wheels and premium leather interior.
Enhanced Safety – Ford Intelligent Protection System
The new Focus maintains a robust list of standard active and passive safety features, including its rigid, reinforced passenger cell.
To enhance the overall Focus safety package, larger exterior side mirrors improve driver's side visibility, and Focus Ghia and Sport series are equipped with reverse Parking Aid sensors.
All new Focus series variants are fitted with a clever automatic hazard warning light activation system which warns following drivers of emergency braking manoeuvres.
The Focus Driving Experience
The Ford Focus has always been acclaimed for its driving quality, particularly its precise steering control and chassis balance, and the new range remains true to this heritage.
Detailed changes have been made to make the Focus quieter and more refined while excellent chassis control and steering precision give the Focus unmatched on-road agility.
The new Ford Focus is available at all 26 Ford showrooms nationwide. For more information, please call Auto ConneXion Voice hotline at 1 800 88 3181.