Ford focus is the world's best-selling car

Paul A. Eisenstein, the Detroit Bureau - 4 days

Ford apparently will increasingly pay the focus on global small car. Make that the Ford focus overall, was the world's best-selling car last year according to new data from r.l. Polk & company.

The Detroit, the compact model of the manufacturer's more than 1 million sales last year rang, took nearly 17 percent more volume than Toyota for its traditional sales leader, the compact model Corolla. Ford has also the other extreme, its full-size F series pickup, which list come together in the third quarter global sales get. All in all landed Ford three different models in the top 10, including the sixth Fiesta subcompact.

Toyota and Honda had two models in the diagram each Polk, while Volkswagen and General brand one had Motors Chevrolet each. But the top 10 list probably for most Westerners not recognizable containing a new name: China's Wuling Zhiguang the 768.870 revenue generated landing directly behind the F-series in fourth place.

"Focus and Fiesta are the culmination of our global product strategy by a Ford," said Jim Farley, Ford executive Vice President for global marketing, sales and service and the Director of the Lincoln brand.

During focus, a jump of 40 percent of demand in the United States saw last year Ford's focus helped late surge in China rise to the top of the sales charts last year with sales of 1.020.410. It was only on sale in the today's largest automotive market in the world in March 2012. However, that 300,000 of the Ford bought market compressed last year - where is it sold in both the current version and previous generation model known as the focus of "Classic".

I am looking forward to Ford's aggressive expansion plans in China, said Farley, "With additional production capacity added in the last year, we have an enormous opportunity now on our global small car sales in the year 2013, with sales off to a very strong start already strengthen."

Toyota's second place, with sales of 872.774, yet the power of its model corolla, especially since it's for a complete redesign this year underlines set. A prototype called the Furia was in January at the Detroit Auto show presented and Toyota officials recently indicated that the version prior to the Los Angeles Auto show will be introduced in autumn next year.

The fact the the Ford F-series only came third could surprise some Americans in the face of his continued strength in the United States, where it has for decades routinely heads the sales charts as the top-selling truck and overall best-selling vehicle. But the United States was responsible for the vast majority of full-size pickup volume of 785.630 in the past year.

A real outstanding sales is the F-series Polk top 10 chart for only classic truck on the list. In fact, the vast majority of the top-selling products minis and compact cars with the Toyota Camry seat are fifth the only medium-sized range.

What the Wuling Zhiguang is a pintsized people mover barely the size of some of the sedans and hatchbacks in the top 10 charts. Wuling is part of a joint venture between General Motors and its Chinese partner SAIC, based in Shanghai. '

Here is the full top 10 list:

Ford focus - 1.020, 410Toyota Corolla - 872, 774Ford F-series - 785, 630Wuling Zhiguang - 768, 870Toyota Camry - 729, 793Ford Fiesta - 723, 130VW Golf - 699, 148Chevrolet Cruze - 661, 325Honda civil - 651, 159Honda CR-V - 624.982
Copyright © 2009-2013, the Detroit Bureau

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Stop, daydreaming and focus on driving!

Paul A. Eisenstein, the Detroit Bureau - 5 days

Keep your mind on the road and your hands on the wheel. At least, that's the warning that we should take heart from a new study on the causes of many traffic deaths: daydreaming.

Apparently are you be five times more frequently involved in a fatal accident, because you "" were lost in thought as if you were distracted by the use of an electronic device, according to new research by the Erie Insurance Group.

"Were to interfere with the results," said Erie Senior Vice President Doug Smith.

The study focused on the 65,000 fatal accidents that have occurred in the United States 10 percent in the past two years as the result of some kind of distracted driving - in accordance with federal and other insurance industry estimates identified.

But what was the research next came as a huge surprise. It identified 62 percent of falls as a result of simply as "lost in thought." That could mean, failed on the back of another vehicle, rolling through a red light or another driver error recognize a dangerous curve in the road, running. In contrast, only 12 percent of fatal accidents were blamed, the collected data on some form of the use of mobile phones.

Other forms of distractions, which include:

««Rubbernecking, 7 percent;
Children or other passengers, 5 percent;
For an object elsewhere in the car, reach 2 per cent;
Eat or drink, 2 percent.

Contain other, lighter factors to achieve operating vehicle controls, such as the heating or the radio, and even an ashtray. Pets were also a problem for incidents that 1 percent of all deadly distracted driving blamed.

"Distracted driving any activity, which takes your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel or your thoughts your primary task of driving is safe", Smith said. "We looked at what law enforcement officers across the country reported, if they filled reports of fatal crashes and the results were disturbing." "We hope that the data will encourage the people who avoid these risky behaviors that unnecessarily involved increase their risk of a fatal accident."

The study was released just in time for what the U.S. Department of transportation distracted driving national awareness month has declared.

The Detroit Bureau: Ford reveals secret concepts behind the next F-series pickup

While Erie could find many other distractions that can lead to fatal crashes, it continues to emphasize the need to pull a driver over to send texts, and avoid the use of mobile phones while driving.

Recent studies support the concern that this has become a serious problem. In November last year as TheDetroitBureau.com reported, a State Farm study found almost half of drivers under 29 while using the Internet at least once in the month behind the wheel.

Copyright © 2009-2013, the Detroit Bureau

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Ford Focus may top Toyota Corolla as No. 1 car

The Detroit Bureau

The Ford Focus could topple the current global best-seller, the Toyota Corolla, if it maintains its current sales pace.

The automotive global order could be in for a major shake-up.

Ford Motor Co. reports it sold 489,616 of its Focus sedans and hatchbacks worldwide during the first half of this year. That’s 27,000 units, or about 5.5%, more than the perennial global sales leader the Toyota Corolla – and it could mark the first time in years that an American maker produced the world’s best-selling passenger car if that pace holds for the second half of 2012.

Not that Toyota won’t try to cover that gap. The giant maker has picked up plenty of momentum this year as it recovers from severe product shortages caused by the March 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami. In July, Toyota’s U.S. sales surged 37%, about twice the overall pace of the rebounding American market.

The Corolla lagged behind Focus this time last year, as well, but not only caught up by the end of 2011 but actually finished the year with 100,000 more sales than its Ford rival.

But the Corolla is one of the oldest models in the Toyota line-up – with a replacement not due for another year – and it is facing an assault by newer models including not only the Ford Focus but the Hyundai Elantra. The latter has proved so popular the Korean maker is struggling to find more capacity.

The new Focus has seen its own sales surge 31% in the U.S. so far this year. But helping push Ford into the top spot, the new Focus is now being sold in over 100 countries. And it is being produced on a number of Ford’s global assembly lines, including one in Rayong, Thailand.

In fact, a red Focus sedan that rolled out of that plant earlier today became the 350 millionth vehicle produced by Ford in its nearly 110-year history.

The Focus is one of the latest models developed under the One Ford strategy conceived by Ford CEO Alan Mulally. In years past, the maker operated a largely regional network of subsidiaries and the small cars produced in the U.S., Europe and Latin America often were very, very different in design and construction.

More than three-quarters of the parts used in the Focus sedan sold around the world are common between them. The compact nameplate is one of nine core products that anchor the One Ford strategy – though the maker continues to offer some regional models, notably including the big F-Series pickups that have been the number-one sellers in the U.S. for more than a quarter-century.

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950 horses! Mustang puts focus on muscle cars

The Detroit Bureau

The Shelby 1000 boasts 950 horsepower on the street, 1,100 hp in the track edition.

By Paul A. Eisenstein, msnbc.com contributor

Carroll Shelby has never shied away from a challenge – especially one he’s set for himself.  And ever since teaming up with one-time Ford President Lee Iacocca back in the mid-1960s, Shelby continually has found ways to pump more power out of the back wheels of a Mustang. 

His latest effort, on display at the NY Auto Show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, is the Shelby 1000, which makes a cool 950 horsepower on the street, 1,100 hp in the track edition.

Shelby isn’t alone. The halls of the Javits Center are filled with an array of high-performance models, including the new Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG, at 621 hp, and the 593 hp McLaren MP4-12C. Barely two decades ago, a top-line performer such as the Porsche 911 could barely squeeze out 200 ponies. Today, there are more than 70 models making at least 500, and a baker’s dozen top 600 hp.

While the spotlight is on high-mileage products, especially those using alternative propulsion systems, a sizable number of American buyers remain fixated on cars that can go fast, faster, fastest. And while many makers now offer high-mileage “eco” versions of their mainstream products, just as many are introducing performance variants, such as the 2013 Ford Focus ST.

But today’s high-performance cars have some significant differences from those of decades past. Significantly, they’re delivering not only more power but also substantially better mileage. And a new generation of advanced, battery-based propulsion systems could yield a line-up of cars that might best be described as mean and green.

“Even people who can afford today’s performance cars don’t like to admit they’re just getting 12 miles a gallon,” says Jess Toprak, the senior automotive analyst with TrueCar.com.

That’s driving luxury and performance automakers into a frantic search for ways to deliver more power, lower emissions and improved mileage all at the same time. 

The new Porsche 911 Carrera S, the seventh generation of the iconic German sports car, boosted its power from 385 to 400 horsepower – even while the new model delivers about 19 percent better fuel economy than the old 911.

Porsche has taken a number of steps to get there. Among other things, the new model is about 100 pounds lighter than the Gen-six 911. 

“Lightweighting” has become a mantra in today’s auto industry because it not only can yield better mileage but improved performance and handling, as well.

Of course, some of the biggest changes can be found under the hood, where manufacturers have discovered an assortment of ways to improve the time-tested internal combustion engine. That includes direct injection – where the air-fuel mixture is squirted right into each individual cylinder, resulting in a cleaner and more efficient ignition process. 

Then there’s turbocharging, a system that forces more of the air fuel mixture into the engine when the driver’s foot is pressing the floorboards but minimizes fuel consumption when cruising. That permits a maker to switch to a smaller displacement engine.

The old Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG used a 6.3-liter naturally aspirated V-8. The new model delivers substantially more power out of a 5.5-liter, twin-turbo V-8 that also makes about 30 percent better mileage.

The latest-generation Bentley Continental GT is delivering nearly the same level of performance as its classic V-12 out of a smaller, far more efficient V-8.

And then there are the diesels.  Porsche is pushing well into 30 mpg territory with the new Cayenne diesel also debuting at this month’s NY Auto Show.  Yet the “oil burner” has enough torque to launch the big SUV from 0 to 60 in just 7.4 seconds.

German manufacturers have been big proponents of diesel power. BMW introduced a line-up of high-performance models, including the M550d, which is only an eye-blink slower than the gas-powered 2013 M5, at about 4.5 seconds 0 to 60.  For the moment, unfortunately, there are no plans to bring the super-diesel to the U.S.

Vehicles like that, suggests analyst Toprak, “You don’t feel guilty about it.”

And the next generation of performance cars might make one feel downright proud. Among the most notable debuts in New York City this month, was the Infiniti LE Concept.  That’s “LE,” as in “Luxury Electric.” 

Based on the same underlying platform as the Nissan Leaf, the prototype features a decidedly more sleek body and its electric drive system has been re-tuned to deliver substantially better performance, declared Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Infiniti’s parent, Nissan Motor Co.

As a result, driving a car like the LE – which will go into production by early 2013, said Ghosn – “Will be both desirable and sustainable.”

Nissan is not alone.  Audi is developing a plug-in hybrid version of its R8 supercar, which will be the first in a line of battery-based performance models to go by the designation etron. BMW has a new brand-within-a-brand that will market products like the plug-in i9 sports car – which Tom Cruise drove in the most recent installment of the Mission Impossible movie franchise.  And Mercedes is finishing development of a battery-electric version of its gull-winged SLS supercar.

While performance cars might not rule the road the way they did in the days of the classic ‘60s muscle cars, there still are plenty of drivers with a need for speed. For them – and perhaps the rest of us – the good news is that today’s performance cars can deliver a lot more power while sucking down a lot less fuel.

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Ford recalls more than 140,000 Focus cars

Ford Motor Co is recalling 140,310 Focus cars from model year 2012 in the United States to repair a potential problem with the passenger-side windshield wiper motor, according to U.S. safety regulators.

A seal plug in the wiper motor electrical connector may be missing, allowing water into the motor's electrical connection, according to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That could result in an inoperative wiper on the passenger side, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.

Ford said no accidents or injuries had been reported related to the issue. Owners will be notified the week of May 21, and the wiper motor connector will be cleaned and sealed as needed, NHTSA said.

In separate NHTSA documents, Chrysler, which is controlled by Fiat, is recalling 1,689 2012 model Jeep Patriot and Compass sport utility vehicles that may have been built with a fuel tank assembly containing a damaged rollover valve. In an accident or rollover, fuel could leak and increase the risk of a fire, NHTSA said.

Chrysler said in a NHTSA filing that it was not aware of any accidents, leaks, fires or injuries related to the issue. The recall is expected to begin by June.

Copyright 2012 Thomson Reuters.

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Ford focus - a giant among small cars

Can "why do not they a corolla?"

This is the question that President Obama his economic advisers have made shortly after his election, when he asked me why the domestic automakers could sell a popular small car with the success of Toyota's long-lived model is not reported.

On the basis of the 2012 focus, Ford was able to create a corolla, but only if the Dearborn decided company to make a much worse car. This is, because the restructuring of the best small car ever sold in the United States is today's Corolla, on the other hand not only a great small car ever sold it is not even the best Corolla in the United States as a corner cut a practical once-ton car has declined.

Since the arrival of the "downsizing" cars in the 1970s we have promised small cars, which have the feeling of larger models. 2012, The first small car, this promise is keep. Grab the clunky door handle and fills your hand with a magazine that speaks of the substance. Tug is a refined it and the door that you click on the lock released, missing drums cheap, tinny, the Volkswagen Golf accompanied the store opening every other small cars on the market.

Slide in the driver's seat and the door moves with a soothing Teutonic "Whumf," revealed the trouble Ford put seals in the triple weather on each door closed. The thick, contoured leather steering wheel is nicely weighted and provides precise and feedback on the road.

Zoomy dashboard styling can ultimately focus as an artifact 2012 date, but now it looks fresh and contemporary. Two stalks view from behind the wheel, ending Ford's marriage with a single overloaded stems, used a nuisance. Now, the wiper control on the right with own stem is as it should be.

And the question of controls, the power window switches. You are above and below one - touch all four digits! This is the substance of the luxury cars.

Unlike his colleagues most are in visible areas in focus soft, car loan, a luxurious feeling from any competitor surpassed. At night, this impression is reinforced by the indirect lighting, adjustable for color depending on the preference of the rider.

The focus dynamic sheetmetal reached outside, the performance of often-touted but rarely reached by search as it moves during standstill. This is a particularly challenging task for a vehicle in the worldly five-door hatchback category, so Kudos for Ford to this excellent performance.

My favorite example of the efforts that went into the processing of the information on the focus design is the gas door, a triangular Panel at the junction of the right rear fender with the rear taillight, where visually, it disappears.

There is no rule that says a gas door one round or square cookie cutter, in the sheetmetal punched that, Ford but seems is the first company that realized since the days when gas cap under spring loaded rear registration-plate were hidden. A better surprise waits behind the door gas: Ford simply capless fuel filler fuel. Open the gas door and no upper limit to remove or replace only stick the nozzle - there are.

Finished race red ("the brightest red ever" according to my 16 year old daughter) and optional polished aluminum 17-inch wheels, realized the focus that I tested really often derided the effort to dress automakers economy cars look some more. The focus does not look like it belongs in another class, it really belongs there by any measure, but size.

Other thoughtful details typically overlooked? The hood latch, you never find, if you to check the oil? It is pale yellow, so it's easy to see in the dark under the leading edge of the hood. Focused on the exterior mirror housings, your plans clear, drivers around you. They just have outside mirror small convex mirrors that show everything on this side of the car better. Who needs lane change warning gadgets, if a better mirror does the same thing?

Directly, injection, the 160-hp four cylinder engine functions increases the performance and economy, but how diesel clatter can help engine. Ford has been able the contested injector hardware with insulation shielded, so the focus is not like a diesel idling sound.

The EPA says that with the automatically to six-speed transmission in the test car focus 27 mpg city and 37 mpg on the highway will return. I saw drive s 28 mpg in mixed. The review for the five-speed manual is a couple mpg lower more fun.

So is everything perfectly in the Ford focus country, right? Well, not quite. The focus is the best small car that ever sold in the United States, but to this day from the bar usually set was quite low. The focus is a great car and is in its broad and most of the details. But there are a few more serious problems that address should the company simply to make the car better.

A few small examples: the front seats add a lumbar adjuster. Clean the evil, sharp-edged based tracks that narrow in the rear to disrupt leg room. They interact badly with bleary-eyed, barefoot children way morning swimming practice. Where Luke the internal release for the rear? Why is there only one door unlock button in the middle of the dashboard, where no one sees the door control lock?

These are the sort of thing, let it look like no one is watching, when we see evidence on the contrary, in most of the car other details.

But now we the two serious bone of contention and sources Ford the recent j.d. power quality survey suffering. Instead of a conventional automatic transmission a computer installed Ford manual transmission shifted, works the way with the clutch. This provides backwards not the same kind of seamlessly smooth driving experience than a traditional automatic transmission, in particular with its tendency, roles at startup on hills. Ford should offer a real automatic transmission option in focus and new position of the current PowerShift as a manual transmission, which itself moves.

Ford engineers were also amok on the MyFordTouch dashboard controls for the sound system, navigation, and other accessories. The people forward email jokes about "what is, if Microsoft cars made?" and now is Ford, thinks it a good idea to put Windows in their cars? The immortal words of John McEnroe can not "Seriously be!" Seemingly every time I started up went the NAV screen blank, the display "performing scheduled system maintenance."

Fortunately, the solution in both cases is to save money and buy a cheaper model, which computer system is not blighted made with automatic transmission and Windows.

Despite this hm, improvement opportunities, the focus is an excellent small car, which is really to go fun. It real presence, the ride and comfort a larger car and not to embarrass their drivers to bring only compact car can afford. Good thing is not only as good as a Crown.

© 2011 msnbc.com.  Reprints

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Ford with a view to a lack of its best-selling focus

DETROIT - Ford keep insufficient focus cars with increasing demand as a result of systems that have caused a shortage of dashboards, two people familiar with the situation told associated press make.

Machines, which makes the skin, the dashboards in a Ford parts factory outside Detroit covers works at times. That the company move the unusual and expensive step of flying in parts of Europe, its assembly lines to keep forces, said of the people. Despite these efforts, not the focus plant near Detroit can be executed with full speed they said.

The problem comes at a time when high gas prices and lack of Japanese small car to have driven the focus up to demand. Traders say they have obviously difficult to get the redesigned compact and she have been forced to put customers on the waiting lists.

The people that wanted to not be identified, since they are not entitled, Ford worked to fix the problem of equipment at the plant parts in saline, Michigan, the company but not yet found a solution said on the matter to talk.

Ford spokesman Todd Nissen said company policy is commenting not to internal processes in their works. But he said the Saltworks factory continues to focus to make dashboards.

Despite the issue sold Ford more than 21,000 focuses last month, so that it the company's top-selling car. But its sales were 3,500 under rival General Motors Chevrolet Cruze compact. The Cruze is made in a factory in Lordstown Township, which is three shifts around the clock for use in operation. Ford plant in Wayne, Michigan, where the focus is still made, running two shifts.

GM was better able, using small car shortages of Honda and Toyota, which had caused their factories because of parts shortage to slow the March earthquake in Japan. GM and Ford were largely unaffected by earthquake problems.

It is unclear how long it will take to resolve the issue, and whether Ford focus production occurs. Mark fields, Ford President for the Americas, would not comment last week but said that the focus facility produced expected the company at a rate.

He said "For the most part, if you have a (new model) home there are always some startup problems you deal with". "I will not say it was spotless, but the good news is, there is a lot of demand for it and we'll continue these vehicles out."

Jim Gillette, analyst at IHS automotive, which advises car suppliers, said the problem could make Ford's bottom line, because it is expensive to fly in parts. He said it's relatively rare to have such a device problem, and there would be too fast to fix a lot of pressure on the device manufacturer.

The five-seat focus, which affected, can showrooms in March has a starting price of $16,500 and more than $27,000 depending on how it is equipped. With automatic transmission, most models get 28 miles per gallon (12 kilometers per liter) in the city and 38 (16) on the highway.

Sam Pack, owner of four Ford dealers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of u-Bahn, said that he has said Ford executives that he concentrated not can get full orders, because the factory was run in the absence of several parts.

"I know that they are working to treat problems 24 / 7 of which component, they have, trying" to pack. "It is a point of view problem with Ford Motor Co., and senior management is very concerned and very committed."

Copyright 2011 associated press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Focus dabbled in literature on luxury lane; will you bite customer?

11 February 2011-1: 23 pm ET Rick Kranz is product editor for automotive NewsCan Ford deduct?

Keep your eyes on the focus concentrated.

Ford's compact car was revised and preislich-- at their upper end-the Audi A3 moves into the area.

Need proof?

A loaded 2012 focus titanium offered five door hatchback sticker for $28,585, including transportation, with each option. According to the calculations on the website of focus down acquired the car for $550 per month for 60 months with $2,349.

The basis of 2011 Audi A3 2.0T counter balance, without options, has a sticker price of $26,908, including destination.

Admittedly, not apples to apples is compared, if it comes options, but it no doubt that a loaded focus luxury touches.

Ford gave no buyers on a tight budget. The basis for $16,995, with destination focus S sticker. Ford is the most focus of course betting, buyer will review from a well-equipped model and a small percentage to go for it all.

It is an interesting marketing strategy, taking into account that a compact pricing areas, often on good equipped mainstream medium sedan and some low end luxury cars found.

The focus starts trickling in dealerships later this month. We will be vigilant to see sales and the average transaction price if this strategy succeeds.

Rick Kranz reach at rkranz@crain.com.

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