hutru01 Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 Regarding the topic, Ford is just doing what a lot of profitable companies are doing, making more money outside the US where various laws just don't apply. (i.e., labor, minimum wage, etc). The US is no longer the land of opportunity like it once was. We are now overpopulated making it harder to find good jobs and also rising the cost of living. Welcome to another recession. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neelnug Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 While I agree with most everything you said, one thing needs to be clarified. The current Euro Focus is actually a 2nd gen car, while the US one is still the 1st gen. The Euro shares its platform with the current Mazda 3 and Volvo S40/V50 (C1 platform). It is a heck of car, that handles and steers very well, and is light years ahead of what we still have here in the states from Ford. Other than that, preach on my brother! What is sad is that the european C1 Focus has already been updated since its introduction. Its like a C1.5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerboa113 Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 if the US actually would participate in the Kyoto Treaty, I'm sure that international treaty could help coordinate emission standards around the world. Where I agree with everything else in your statement, I disagree here. If we think our CAFE standards and gas prices are bad now.. if we start letting them boss us around on our emissions and pollution we'll wind up with the $8 gas like england pays already. But I dont want to make issue with that. I am admittedly not well versed in the Kyoto Treaty. I still agree with the core statement tho, why is a jdm bumper safe in japan but in america its not? Why are domestic automakers not putting more turn signals on mirrors?? (personal pet peeve there.. I love my turn signal mirrors.) Bottom line imo.. take a look at safety emissions and other standards and see if we cant work something out so that major auto makers throughout the world can make something interchangeable. The only thing I dont think anyone would be rationally willing to change is LHD vs RHD. I mean the other changes wouldn't impact drivers at all. "The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." - Plato Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edkwon Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 If they brought a turbo Focus to the states I would consider it. It's digusting reading ads in the back of UK car mags about Ford tuners who are able to crank out 300 hp out of highly tuned Focus STs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edkwon Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 I still agree with the core statement tho, why is a jdm bumper safe in japan but in america its not? Why are domestic automakers not putting more turn signals on mirrors?? (personal pet peeve there.. I love my turn signal mirrors.) Whats interesting is that since a few years ago, all european car manufacturers in EU countries have been mandated to modify all their front bumper designs making them higher and distorted for pedestrian crash safety (almost a non-consideration in the US where the idea of walking to get to places is almost laughable, but a huge presence in europe of course) resulting in the uglifying of virtually all the german brand front ends avail in the US. This uglifying is also apparent in europe only brands like the french manufacturers peugeot, citroen, etc. Obviously brands like porsche, AM, ferrari, etc have escaped these design mandates but probably at some signficant money penalty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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