Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Hot News: 2011 Ford Focus Coupe


If the 2011 Ford Focus Coupe is to look anything like these renderings, supplied to us by a knowledgeable source, then sign us up. The images shown are the closest thus far to showing what the new three-door Focus will look like when it eventually hits U.S. soil, likely sometime in either late 2010 or early 2011.
Sporty and aggressive, these renderings show how mean the three-door coupe version of the new Focus could look. A chopped-down roofline, large trapezoidal front grille, swept-back headlamps, and large-diameter wheels conspire to show that this grocery-getter means business. Looking at the new car from the front, there are even some Volvo C30 cues, especially towards the rear roofline and quarter panel.Of course, that shouldn't be surprising. Ford's C346 architecture -- an evolution of the current European Focus platform shared with the Mazda3 and Volvo C30 -- is the basis for the 2011 Focus. As the new platform will be global, the U.S. will no longer get a different version of the Focus than the rest of the world. Three- (pictured), four-, and five-door versions will be available (though not all will be sold in every market) and a range of engines will be offered -- from small diesels, to direct-injection gas engines, and ultimately EcoBoost turbo engines. A six-speed dual-clutch gearbox is also being developed for the car by Borg-Warner.The current European Focus is vastly refined over relative to its U.S. counterpart. With a single platform for 2011, we could even see the coveted ST and RS coupe performance versions hit our shores, although the standard four-door sedan is still expected to be the volume leader. Regardless, it's fairly clear at this point that U.S. consumers can expect to be surprised by this future Focus -- a car that should be miles ahead of its contemporary counterpart.
Thanks to: Motor Trend