Tuesday, May 13, 2008

2009 Ford Focus Coupe: Subtlty Redesigned

Just over a year after its introduction at the 2007 Detroit Show -see here, Ford went ahead and tweaked the Coupe version of the 2008 Focus (there are no changes to the sedan version) in response to the wide criticism over the car’s mismatched looks.

Exterior updates include a revised grille, new round fog lights up front, darkened chrome accents around the headlamps, and new 17-inch alloys for the SES version along with the deletion of the trunk mounted rear spoiler and the faux side vents –thank God. However, despite these changes the 2009 Focus Coupe remains in our opinion as one of the fugliest compact cars around. -Continued

Moreover, 2009 Focus SES Coupe features more horsepower and a throatier sound, thanks to a new sport-tuned exhaust. The SES coupe with a four-speed automatic transmission will have a new 4.2 final drive ratio to deliver quicker off-the-line acceleration for a faster 0-60 mph time.

Finally, a new option for 2009 is the electronic stability control (ESC). The 2009 Focus Coupe will arrive in Ford dealerships later this summer, with a starting MSRP of $15,920.