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New car lines
publication date: Dec 16, 2010
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author/source: Robin Roberts
Ford's all-new Focus
range from £15,995 will introduce high technology smart features to the medium
car market when it goes on sale in March 2011.
Standard equipment
on all models will include Ford's Torque Vectoring Control technology which
debuted on the new Ford C-MAX. This electronic system balances the
distribution of engine torque between the driven front wheels to optimise grip
and stability irrespective of driving conditions or road surface. |  |
Also included on all
new Ford Focus models are digital radio (DAB), Bluetooth and USB connectivity,
voice control of key convenience features, Thatcham Category 1 alarm, Ford Easy
Fuel (to prevent misfuelling), front, side and curtain airbags, ESP, ABS and
Isofix child seat attachments.
The lead-in model,
the Ford Focus Edge,
is priced from £15,995 for the 1.6-litre 105PS petrol and £16,995 for the
1.6-litre 95PS TDCi.
The Zetec model,
forecast to be best seller, starts at £16,995 (1.6-litre 105PS petrol) and adds
16in alloy wheels, Quickclear heated front windscreen and door mirrors, leather
steering wheel, front fog lamps and sports-style seats.
The luxurious Titanium series,
from £18,745 (1.6-litre 125PS petrol), comes with supplementary features
including keyless start, dual electronic automatic temperature control, Hill
Start Assist (HSA), rain-sensing front wipers, automatic headlamps,
auto-dimming rear-view mirror, cruise control with speed limiter, premium
Sony audio and Ford's tyre deflation detection system.
Topping the range is
the Titanium X (from
£21,245 for the 1.6-litre 150PS EcoBoost petrol), which adds partial leather
trim, heated front seats, 17in alloy wheels, Active Park Assist, Bi-Xenon
headlamps, LED day running lights, headlamp jet wash, power driver's seat and
power-fold mirrors.
Customers can select
from three petrol engines including the new Welsh-built 1.6-litre 150PS Ford
EcoBoost engine, which debuted in the Ford C-MAX, and four diesel
engines. These are the upgraded 1.6 TDCi and 2.0 TDCi powertrains with
six speed manual transmission (and optional dual-clutch PowerShift automatic on
the 2.0-litre).
The 1.6-litre
EcoBoost and 1.6-litre TDCi come with auto start-stop as standard. All
powertrains achieve sub 140g/km CO2 emissions, with the 1.6-litre
TDCi (115PS), achieving 109g/km - the only car in its segment with CO2
emissions under 110g/km across all series. | | | | | Vauxhall's storming
VXR8 model is back with a vengeance, packing heavily revised front- and
rear-end styling, a new cabin and a raft of new technology to enhance its
appeal to drivers in search of one of the last, great rear-drive V8
super-saloons. Priced at £49,500 inc. 20 per cent VAT and available to order later this month, the new VXR8 is
now based on HSV's E3 GTS model, just launched in Australia, the previous VXR8
representing the old version of the lower-spec ClubSport R8. |  |
That means it still
undercuts full-size super saloons like the Audi RS6, Jaguar XFR and Mercedes
E63 AMG by between £13k and £29k, and even performance saloons from the class
below, such as the BMW M3 and Mercedes C63 AMG.
A new, ‘Shockwave'
grille, LED daytime running lights and sleek new wing-vents mark the new car
out from the front, while the rear features a new ‘Superflow' rear spoiler, LED
tail lamps and twin exhaust tips that mimic the shape of the front grille.
As before, the new
VXR8's race-bred chassis uses MacPherson struts/progressive rate coil springs
at the front and a multi-link independent set-up at the rear. But for the first
time on a VXR8, Vauxhall has employed Magnetic Ride Control.
The fourth generation 6.2-litre LS3 unit produces 431PS and a
massive 550Nm of torque, enough to propel the VXR8 from 0-60mph in 4.9 seconds
and on to a governed top speed of 155mph. As before, drive is delivered to the
rear axle via either a six-speed manual or auto transmission, working through a
mechanical limited slip differential.
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