Ford’s Focus Diesel Honored Yet Again in Europe… Nowhere To Be Found Here However :(

[xcel]

The best C-Segment car at the 2012 diesel car awards was none other than the Focus with the mighty 1.6L TDCi.

Wayne Gerdes - CleanMPG - May 14, 2012

2012 Ford Focus – In Europe, Ford’s diesels continue to win awards. In the US, its Direct Injected 2.0L counterpart doesn’t even garner press?

Can it have anything to do with a 66.5 mpgUS combined rating on the NEDC and maybe 53 mpgUS combined on our own EPA for the upcoming Focus ECOnetic vs. the US spec’ed Focus SFE with the 2.0L allowing an eye popping, hold onto your hats folks, blockbusting 33 mpgUS combined rating! Surely it could not have anything to do with that?

Dateline Europe: The all-new European Ford Focus is the best C-Segment diesel car available thanks to its contemporary style and refinement according to Diesel Car magazine at its 2012 awards.

According to the magazine, buyers are particularly attracted to its style and contemporary cabin. The all-new Ford Focus fought off competitors including the Hyundai i30 and Volkswagen Golf.

“Still the one to beat among mid-size family cars, the Ford Focus is simply the best in its class.”

Here in the US, lots of $’s are having to be placed on the hood to move it because there is nothing in the propulsion equation to make it stand out

The Focus has just surpassed the landmark 1,500,000 sales since its launch in 1998 and continues to dominate the segment overseas. The all-new Focus is recognized for its driver assistance technologies and refined drive, and offers a number of fuel efficient powertrains including the popular 1.6 TDCi which returns 53.6 mpgUS combined on the NEDC or about 43 mpgUS on the EPA.

It only gets better… For the Europeans

The 1.6L turbo diesel engine has been further optimized with a new injection system and turbocharger, enhanced charge-air cooling and friction-reduction technologies. It will be introduced in the UK market next month as the Focus ECOnetic that would be rated at a stupid high 53 mpgUS or so combined rating here in the US!

Andy Barratt, Ford Britain Sales Director said in a prepared statement the following:

"50 percent of Focus’ purchased today are diesels and we look forward to welcoming the Focus ECOnetic to the range shortly. This will be the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid family car currently available in all of Europe."

I can almost hear the Ford managers in Europe laughing at us because we are so wasteful

[thunderstruck]

I've been aware of the ECOnetic diesel for some time now, and have referred people to the product spec page so they can see what is denied to Americans. http://www.econetic.ford.eu/?locale=en-gb&version= It's really, really hard to take Ford seriously when they pimp the SFE that gets half the mileage the diesel version does.

[chilimac02]

Someone remind me why we.don't get those here?

[thunderstruck]

Because gas isn't $8 per gallon like Europe.

[chilimac02]

That shouldn't be the reason. Perhaps emissions or something? I guess I'm wondering if the reason is on the manufacturer side (car companies choose not to do it) or on the regulation side (gov't says those cars are not allowed here).

[herm]

cost... the engine itself is built to a different standard, plus all the emission control devices are also expensive. You really are better off with a Prius.

[seftonm]

Plus running the car through the gauntlet of EPA and safety tests just to sell a few Econetics just doesn't make sense. If we were ever to get a Ford diesel here, it will be an engine that they can put into many different vehicles.

[thunderstruck]

Given the regulatory hurdles, it's no wonder. Spend years and tens of thousands just to bring one car to market. Although if he were so inclined, I"m sure the President could use the bully pulpit to demand the regulations be changed to hasten the approval process. The auto companies need to understand these would be halo cars-imagine how good a company looks if they have cars with this kind of mileage. As a former VW owner, I can testify to the mileage potential-my 2010 Golf could exceed the rated mileage, both city and highway, by 15 MPG with a little care. Were it not for VW's failure to man up and admit to the problems of grenading HPFP's I'd still have one.

[50 mpg by 2012]

Originally Posted by herm

cost... the engine itself is built to a different standard, plus all the emission control devices are also expensive. You really are better off with a Prius.

I think you will find that a UK £20,700 47 mpg(Imp) combined 1.6 Liter Ecoboost costs the same or a little more than a £20,045 67 mpg(Imp) combined 1.6 Liter turbo diesel at the same trim level, see
http://www.autocar.co.uk/SpecsPrices...Zetec-S/64570/
http://www.autocar.co.uk/SpecsPrices...Zetec-S/64571/

Originally Posted by seftonm

Plus running the car through the gauntlet of EPA and safety tests just to sell a few Econetics just doesn't make sense. If we were ever to get a Ford diesel here, it will be an engine that they can put into many different vehicles.

There is a flaw in your logic ... the Fiesta, Focus, Transit Connect. C-Max and soon the Transit are already safety certified.

The only thing that seems to need certification is engine, controls, transmission, and emissions abatement. Restrict the choices to 1.6 Liters and 2.0 Liters with AT and MT and the certification suddenly becomes a relatively small problem.
Maybe an engine <1.6 Liters in the future for the Fiesta ... but the 1.6 Duratorq (95PS) (+DPF) (ECO) MT Fiesta is already VCA rated 78.5 mpg(Imp) combined ... what ... about 65 mpg(US) on the NEDC test cycle ... probably a US user average in mixed driving about 60 mpg(US) if consistent with VW's US diesel Jetta and Passat experience.

In fact ... over 14 months ago a Ford exec (Kuzak) said it "would be easy for Ford" because they had the technology ... BUT ... they were NOT going to do it.

[frv]

Originally Posted by 50 mpg by 2012

I think you will find that a UK £20,700 47 mpg(Imp) combined 1.6 Liter Ecoboost costs the same or a little more than a £20,045 67 mpg(Imp) combined 1.6 Liter turbo diesel at the same trim level, see
http://www.autocar.co.uk/SpecsPrices...Zetec-S/64570/
http://www.autocar.co.uk/SpecsPrices...Zetec-S/64571/

And this compares to the base spec Prius at £21,600 72.4 mpg(Imp) rising to £24,910 for the top spec.
http://www.autocar.co.uk/SpecsPrices...VT-i-T3/64950/

Jeremy Clarkson of the UK's Top Gear program tweeted this:

"I'm driving a one litre Ford Focus. And amazingly, it actually moves about"