All-new 2012 Ford Focus launched in Malaysia
Having steadily built up interest over the last couple of months, local Ford distributor Sime Darby Auto Connexion has officially launched the latest third generation for the Malaysian market yesterday. Following the Ranger T6, the Focus is the second of six models that Ford has pledged for launch in Malaysia in an 18-month period since June 2012.
Malaysia will get its supply of the Focus from the new US$450 million Ford Thailand Manufacturing (FTM) plant in Rayong, which recently had the honour of rolling out the milestone 350 millionth Ford vehicle ever built. The Focus itself accounted for 10 million units since the nameplate was launched in 1998, and the latest data from IHS automotive has verified that the Focus was the best-selling car worldwide for the first half of 2012, with 489,616 units sold.
We have extensively covered the nitty-gritty details of the new Focus in our regional test drive report story published two months ago, and to recap, our market receives only one powertrain option – a naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre direct injection engine making 168hp and 202Nm. Although not as powerful as the much-vaunted EcoBoost mills, this engine is pretty advanced in its own right, and is not a carry over from its predecessor.
Standard transmission is the 6-speed PowerShift dual clutch transmission from Getrag. Drivers have the option of letting the machine doing the work, or take control of gear changes themselves with the manual overriding function, although from our earlier reported experience, Ford’s inexplicable decision to use a rocker switch mounted on the selector lever rather than the traditional parallel gate arrangement makes for unintuitive operation.
Two body styles are available for selection, and they are each offered with two trim specifications. Inclusive of insurance, the four-door sedan Titanium and five-door hatchback Sport models are priced at RM115,888, whilst the higher-specced Plus variants go for RM128,888, with the additional RM13k paying for Active Park Assist, Active City Stop, sun-roof, bi-xenon headlamps with washers, front parking sensors, auto-dimming rear view mirror, rear curtain airbags, and cruise control.
Standard equipment is nevertheless competitive, and those who opt for the base models will still be generously catered with Active Grille Shutters, Torque Vectoring Control, Ford SYNC with Bluetooth & Voice Command, 4.2″ TFT trip computer display, four airbags, traction control, stability control, ISOFIX, and keyless entry. Curiously, Blind Spot Information System is only offered in the Titanium+ sedan model.
Also unveiled at the launch event held in Petaling Jaya yesterday was the Focus ST, priced at a competitive RM208,888 to give potential Volkswagen Golf GTI buyers something to think about. The Focus ST will be especially appealing to the hard core enthusiast who insists on the joys of a manual transmission. Other stick-shift performance alternatives currently available include the Mazda3 MPS, Renault Megane RS250, and Toyota 86.
The previous ST, which was only available in Europe, had a 2.5-litre 5-cylinder engine developed by Volvo. The current one, which will be sold worldwide, gets a downsized 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine making 247hp and 340Nm (360Nm on overboost). This is the same engine as found in the Mondeo and S-Max, though this would be its most potent application. It propels the ST to a 6.5-second century sprint with a top speed of 248kph. Fuel economy is rated at 7.2 l/100km on the combined cycle, with carbon dioxide emissions at 169 g/km.
To cope with its added performance, the Focus ST’s chassis is enhanced with an upgraded version of the standard model’s already competent setup. Ride height is lowered by 10mm, and items such as shock absorbers, springs, knuckles, and anti-roll bars are all upgraded. Mechanical enhancements are in turn complemented by the electronic, as the Focus ST also comes with a three-mode ESP system, enhanced Torque Vectoring Control, and cornering Under Steer Control.
Mindful that a good after sales is an essential element in brand building, Ford offers both the Focus and Focus ST with its 3-year / 60,000km Extended Service Plan that covers parts and labour during the period. Unlike many free service packages on offer, Ford’s plan goes as far as covering wear-and-tear items such as brake pads and clutch plates. The owner only needs to fork out for fuel, tyres, and the monthly installments.
In the aspect of warranty, the high-performance Focus ST comes with the factory’s standard 3-year / 100,000kmm coverage. The Focus 2.0, meanwhile, enjoys a 5-year / 200,000 warranty, with the added two years covered by SDAC. SDAC is also offering the five-year warranty to the Fiesta, Mondeo, and S-Max.
Pictures: Official Ford release.
