If people were hot for the focus, the SVT would still be around..

 

SVT gave very little extra speed for the money, it at least needed a turbo. At 170 hp it was a joke.

 

sort of a joke but the Civid Si was in the same class..or the Celica...wasnt it?
I mean I read it was supposed to handle as good or better than them..
well I dont know..I liked them but not my thing..

 

HP wasn't the point of the SVT Focus. It was the whole package which focused mostly on FUN driving. And in that department is delivered. I know that I would replace my wife's SVT Focus with a 300+ AWD Focus in a heart beat.

 

European cars are always more expensive than the U.S one.

For example. A base 911 carrerra costs 59,070 british pounds in the U.K which translates to about $104,205 U.S dollars. In reality, the 911 carrera doesn't cost 104k here. It only costs $71,300.

So in doing the conversion/exchange rate, cars overseas come off as very overpriced...even for the same exact car we get over here stateside.

So a U.K focus ST (one i posted pics of earlier) is priced at 17,495 british pounds. Conversion rate would say that is equal to $30,862 U.S dollars. In reality, actual price would be closer to $20,986 U.S. I did that by looking at the price difference of the US 911 and Uk 911 (UK version costs 32% more) and used the 32% as a basis. I'm probably off, but i'm sure actual price for the 220hp Focus ST would be around 20-22k if sold here. That would be right on for the type of car it is.

Cars prices in general seem overflated overseas. I don't know much about economics/business/worldmarkets/etc.... but it seems that way.

 

Very nice. But then so is the Vauxhaul VXR.

 

Not sure how Ford can say its too expensive to bring to North America when Mazda can with the 3 and its not exspensive at all.

I breifly thought of a Focus hatch but with only 136hp it was an easy choice to say no and buy my 171hp Cobalt SS (which beats Mazda 3, Ralliart ect)

 

Spare a thought for us poor Aussies who pay much more than our US/English friends for our cars. Our standard of living is almost even with the US ($1 for $1) yet even with the exchange rate being factored in, we still end up paying more for our Porsche 911s than any other western nation. Not just Porsches but imported goods in general.

For example, a Porsche 911 can be had for the measely sum of $AUD230,000 yet Victoria (my home state) has the highest ownership levels of 911s per capita outside of Germany. Go figure?

Just so that I'm not misunderstood, the average white collar job (10 years experience) would pay around $AUD45-60K per year. That's almost directly comparable to white collar US salaries... yet we have to save 4 times longer to own the same imported product!!!

$AUD=0.75$USD

 

Sorry mate, sounds like you need a better paying job.