htwag

Can't beat the competition with rear drums on the Focus. At least Ford got away from the massive radio we are use to. I want to see if the interior is done in better materials. Front lights reminds me of the Contour. Did Ford build quality into the Focus? Look at what happened to the Chevy Corsica, Baretta (sp?), and Ford's Contour. Haven't seen a 'in good condition' Corsica in 8 years.

2005GTDELUXE

The focus looks way better. Glad to see the front grille on the 500. Perfect change for it.

TomServo92

This is much the same as the Escape restyle. All fluff and no real substance. However, it's my understanding that the man that led the Escape program has been shown the door. Hopefully, that's a signal that this type of "re-engineering" will stop under Mulally.

Boomer

Agreed that they are nice changes... but not super changes.

But mind you these changes are either rush jobs to make things different or were already planned... and we will YET to see the fruits of these changes for another year or 2

The Focus does look better than I expected though...
The Coupe looks interesting.

mustang_sallad

yeah, that interior of the focus looks awesome to me. Obviously its all fake metal, but what do you expect? Its a low end car... I think it looks really cool, and I actually think it'll fare pretty well. I was definitely shocked at how severe a restyling it got. I'm upset about the wagon and very upset about the hatches, i suppose they're getting ready for the B-segment hatch... but that's no excuse for me!
I'd say i'm slightly let down with the 500. We knew we were getting new face and tail with a three bar grill up front, but I think they could made it better looking. The headlights are just too rectuangular and bland looking (focus is polar opposite of that!), they coulda used a little scallop in one of the sides or something like that. But its awesome news about the engine. Its obviously what should have and what was originally meant to come in the 500 from the start, but better late than never. Great news about the PZEV certification.
That Airstream thing?? I'm with BC Shelby on that one, they coulda spent the money elsewhere.

About that Focus tail, BMWs also have that whole trunk cutting off the tail light thing.

My guess is the Focus restyling will improve sales more so than the 500, but in both cases, we should see some noticeable bumps in sales figures when these come out. How soon will that be anyway?

And will we see a similar refreshening of the Freestyle or is that actually gonna get the boot to make room for Edgexplorlain?

mustang_sallad

Okay i take it back about the Airstream.... It apparently runs on a series hybrid fuel cell set up, which is very interesting and as far as i know the first time we're seeing this from one of the major car companies. I'm on a team at school taht's building a series hybrid vehicle right now, using a little gas generator, but we already have a ballard fuel cell that'll eventually take its place. To me, whether we go towards hydrogen or electric vehicles, series hybrid's are an essential step or end product, and its cool to see Ford might recognize that as well.

Lalo

The Focus looks really bad. None of the lines go.
The whole world gets the Focus RS, and we get stuck with that.

The 500 is still bland as heck. The rear is completely the same, except for some chromed lights? That's supposed to make it better?
The front of it is ok/bland, a bit more exciting, but still not well designed

instigator311

The 500 is better, but still not that great. They should just axe the car; the money could be better spent on upgrading the Fusion.

The Focus surprised me a bit. The exterior is alright, I think the interior is pretty good though. Overall, it's still not as great as it could be, especially with the Euro Focus brought over. Better than what we've got now though.

I just hope that these cars are only being put out so that Ford can hang in there long enough for something really new and better (which they hopefully have in the bag already) to come out.

future9er24

Going back and seeing that "Airstream" deal... makes me wonder... :crazy:

WTF!!!! Not very pretty at all. I'd take that Focus over the freaking Airstream. This has been the first Ford Concemt in a while I havent liked

*sigh*

2005Stang032

I think that Focus design already looks dated and it has even come out. yet....

SyNRG

(Ford 500) -i wonder if these projectors will make it into production for the '08, found a couple of pics of it at BON/TheFusionSource.

Link: http://www.thefusionsource.com/index...7_sectionid=38

Hollywood_North GT

History teaches us...

Reminds me of that dreadful Dodge interior. What is it, the Nitro that has that humungous silver plastic center stack, or some mess like that?

Like I said, hopefully this is the last of Ford's mediocre, bland, beancounter-engineered products - and we will see some real innovation in 24 to 36 months...

V10

The updated 500 is a big improvement, but the 500 still lacks real appeal. Other than the new grille, the rest of the 500 still looks like a stodgy old person's car. Absolutely no "gotta have it" factor.

Also, I sure hope Ford moved the driver's seat tracks back to give it some leg room. I test drove a 500 and I could not fit into it as it doesn't have any leg room (yes I did adjust the pedals all the way down). The 500 is listed as having a pitiful 40.0" of driver's leg room, 3" less than a 300C and less than a Mustang.

AnotherMustangMan

BC, you can't use "history teaches us" to justify a minimally informed complaint about what we knew would be a stop-gap refresher.

By that logic, Korean automakers have improved not at all since I last drove a Hyundai eight years ago.

Moosetang

500's not bad, not great either, hopefully the gen3/replacement will be alot better.

Focus has more ***** than I was expecting. Really went aggresive! Not my particular taste, but it should be fine until the Euro and NA foci merge.

I don't know what to ake of the Airstream just yet, stay tuned.

GT40 2

Are they going to show the 08 F150?

Silver99v6

I like both the focus and 500. I think this will help fords sales a bit.

jsaylor

I like the 500, these changes make the car far more attractive and should make this the best cost for content offering in its class....by far. I like the interior of the Focus, and the profile, but the details are a bit odd. Looks too busy to me, in fact it reminds me a great deal of a Japanese car by being busy stylistically apparently for the sokle sake of adding design interest where it really isn't needed.

Hollywood_North GT

Oh yes I can.

I don't need a degree in rocket science to look at the interior pictures that have been floating around and immediately know what's going on (or not going on, as the case may be) with that interior, when we could (make that SHOULD) be getting this >>

It's also impossible to deny that this car's blend of performance, comfort and high-speed refinement would make it a great tool in the U.S. North America is missing out, and somebody should complain.

Do the Hyundais use drum brakes?

AnotherMustangMan

Yeah, we could also be paying Mustang GT price for a Focus. I don't get your point though, as the Focus's freshened interior (from what can be pictorially conveyed) is much closer to par with that of other cars in its class/price bracket than was the '07 Focus.

Now I'm not some die-hard Ford fanboy. I bash the Blue second only to you, but I'll recognize a good effort when I see one. And for something as half-assed as a stop-gap face lift, this is pretty **** whole-assed.