WTF? Ford will increase Focus production by 30% to meet demand

[TinmanMS6]

http://www.egmcartech.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/2008_ford_focus_official_image_main.jpg

Yes, you read that right. FoMoCo announced today that it will increase production of the Ford Focus by 30 percent in 2008 in order to meet the strong demand for the redesigned model.

Ford sold 49,070 Focus units in the first three months of 2008, which translate to a 23 percent increase from the same period in 2007. Ford Focus now claims 7.6 percent of the U.S. small car market, an increase of 1.2 percentage points from a year ago.

Ford now plans on building 245,000 Focus units in 2008, up from 191,000 in 2007. Employees at the Wayne Stamping and Assembly’s plant will have to put in some extra hours and Saturday shifts in order to meet the goal.

[seanmcsean]

What they don't tell you is that they all went to budget, avis, and hertz.

[TinmanMS6]

LOL. I wonder if that many people are really stupid enough to buy a car just because of SYNC.

[Chibana]

What they don't tell you is that they all went to budget, avis, and hertz.

No, they didn't. Over at FocalJet, where a link to the original article is posted, it was pointed out that rental fleet sales DECREASED slightly. I expected from the beginning that the 2008 Focus would sell well. It's less of an enthusiast car than the original, but Sync, and other aspects of the car, were clearly designed to appeal to the average small car buyer. It's not a car I would ever likely buy, but I wouldn't have a problem recommending it to someone who is looking for basic transportation, especially if reasonably fun handing is desired (I would recommend my Mazda3 over it, however). A change in suspension components will improve that from reasonably fun, to very fun (for its class). Ford has also announced that we will get the same redesigned Focus as the rest of the world around 2010 or 2011. Mulally rocks, and I can't wait to see what he does with Ford in the coming years.

[TinmanMS6]

Honestly, I'd probably like it 100% more if it weren't for the chromed-out fender vents.

[Chibana]

Honestly, I'd probably like it 100% more if it weren't for the chromed-out fender vents.

I couldn't agree more. I don't know what the hell they were thinking. I thought for SURE that they would disappear after the overwhelmingly negative responses I saw after the initial design debuted at the NAIAS to get people's reaction, but mysteriously, they remained.

[evilmonkeyMSP]

i keep seeing these pop up everywhere and i dont know how people buy them, they are hideous...

[SuperStretch18]

Honestly, I'd probably like it 100% more if it weren't for the chromed-out fender vents.

Most manufacturers are guilty of this one recently. Fender vents are all the rage. Terrible IMO...

Honestly, this is why we'll never get the good stuff here. Too many people snatch up crap like it's going out of style...

[Chibana]

Yes, but the ones on the Focus are not only non-functional, but much worse and cheaper looking than just about any other I've ever seen. They draw way too much attention to themselves, and then when you do look at them, they're miserable to look at. The rest of the shape is somewhat growing on me, especially in certain colors, but that fake vent never will.

[Kymerik]

My only complaint with the new focus, other than the fact there is no hatch version and no ST-3 (cry) is those damn fender vents. I would actually buy one IF there was a hatch version with NO FENDER VENTS I like the rest of the car

[MazdaEric]

In demand because they are cheap, (cheaply made yet cheaply priced I mean) relatively speaking that is.

[Azaizai]

gas mileage car for the cowboys in missouri that cant afford to fill up their F250 every week.