08 Ford Focus with SYNC By: ALAN GELL www.CarColumns.Net The Focus has been a great seller for Ford and really hasn’t had many changes since it was introduced in 1999.  That was then.  This is now – the 2008 model Focus has been unveiled by Ford and I like it.  Ford has streamlined the choices, doing away with the hatchback and wagon.  Now, it only comes as a sedan or a coupe.

A large group of automotive journalists were invited to Seattle back in September. A roundtable discussion was held.  Walk-arounds and explanations were given.  Test-drives were conducted.  And the new Focus certainly was the attraction.  However, it wasn’t all about the Focus.   It was as much about Focus offering the new Sync, hands-free communication system, as the car itself.

Sync was debuted and is an industry-exclusive, hands-free way to use a cell phone, MP3 player, iPod, and much more.  And for now, it can only be found in the Focus. The new focus has been redesigned from the inside out.  Air conditioning comes standard on all models of the Focus.  The all-new interior features ice-blue lighting and the display is located at the top of the dashboard.  The seats have been reconfigured with more contours and more side support. 

We had time to take the new Focus out on the roadways and into the mountain areas around Seattle, driving for the better part of a day.  The suspension has been re-tuned and the car has been made 30 pounds lighter through the use of more lightweight material.   The engine is a 2.0 liter four cylinder matched with either a 5 speed
manual or a 4 speed automatic.   It’s really a fun car to drive, handles really well, has a great-looking exterior design, and a lot of inside conveniences.

The Ford Focus will have the new Sync hands-free system first, but it will expand into 12 different Ford-Lincoln-Mercury products shortly.  Ford has exclusive rights to the system until late in 2008.  At that time, Microsoft will be able to offer the system to other manufacturers.   Our group of journalists were treated to a
special visit to the main Microsoft Campus and a very detailed explanation and discussion of the Sync system.

I’m part of a generation that remembers changing tubes in radios and repairing everything. But today’s under-30 drivers don’t have any memory when instant movies, instant music, and instant telephone access wasn’t available to them on an individual basis. Their technological products identify who they are as a person.  They will embrace this new voice-activated system readily.  I had a lot of time to try it out myself. It’s extremely easy.  A simple touch of a button on the steering wheel and Sync reads your cell phone, if you have previously paired it.  I say, “Call Judy,” referring to my wife.  A voice responds, “Judy cell”, “Judy home”, “Judy work” – noting that I have three different entries in my contact list.  After my response, it rings through and connects, whereby we carry on a hands-free conversation through the  car’s audio system.  

During the test drive, I tried out the music.  I push the appropriate button on the steering wheel and say, ”Play Southern Gospel.”  The Sync system reads the music selections I have stored on my cell phone, picks the ones tagged as “Southern Gospel”, randomly sorts them, and begins the music.  I also tried saying, “Play Kelly Clarkson” and Sync found several by the first American Idol.  I even tried saying, “Play Hey Jude” and Sync found the popular Beetles’ song. 

After giving my cell phone a workout, I plugged in my iPod and tried similar tests. After that, I plugged in a simple thumb drive into a USB port on the dashboard.  Again, I tried several of my musical selections.  All of my tests worked flawlessly. The add-on cost for the Sync system is only $395.  It is easily updatable and in most cases, will come included as standard equipment on high-end Fords and Mercurys. It will be standard on all new Lincolns.

We are being told that the younger generation is “wired” and always want to be connected. If you don’t believe that, stand still for one minute in a shopping mall and watch the young folks walk by with their ears glued to a cell phone or ear buds playing music from an iPod or MP3 player.  I’m not sure about you, but I think a lot of us in the over-30 generation are also wired and want to be connected also.  Sync will appeal to all of us and make it easier and safer to stay connected while in our cars.

Ford Focus – a great design, great just to sit in, and great fun to drive.  Exceptionally priced starting less than $15,000.  The Ford PR folks occasionally use the phrase, “Small is Big at Ford”, referring to their smaller cars being big sellers.  I think they have done it again.  This new re-designed Focus has so much appeal – especially with the Sync hands-free, voice-command sound system.  Check out Sync and the new Ford Focus at your Ford dealership.