Ford Focus Performance Blog

2012 Ford Focus Eibach Springs now available

2011-09-23T18:00:00.005-04:00

Finally, some of the first performance parts available for the new, 2012 Ford Focus! Eibach has released their Pro Kit springs that will drop your new Focus .8 inches front and rear. The Eibach ride and performance you have come to know and trust now available at

2012 Ford Focus Eibach Pro Kit Lowering Springs

Improve both looks and handling by lowering your new 2012 Ford Focus. Reduce that ugly "wheel to fender" gap!

I will continue to scour the automotive aftermarket to find more performance parts and accessories for the New 2012 Ford Focus. Usually, this industry will introduce many new parts at the SEMA Trade Show in Las Vegas during the first week of November. Hopefully there will be lots more to come for the new generation of the Focus.

Want to order a "turn-key" Focus race car?

2011-09-13T21:29:00.003-04:00

Ford Racing has developed a race car for various Touring Car series. It will be sold through the Ford Racing Catalog. The Focus ST-R based on the upcoming Focus ST will be stripped down and equipped for racing with a FIA approved roll cage and safety equipment. You will have to add decals and other incidentals. This is for racing use only, not a street car. Order a "regular" Focus ST for daily driving.

Link to Autoblog article on Focus ST-R

The Focus ST is coming to the US Market!

2011-09-13T20:57:00.007-04:00

The long awaited Focus ST performance model is coming to the US market! At the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Ford unveiled the production version of the Focus ST. This is the car that the Focus Faithful have been waiting for.

Link to AutoBlog article

Link to Left Lane News article

Link to Jalopnik article

The short story on this version of the new generation of Focus is the 2.0L EcoBoost engine making approximately 247hp. Equipped with a 6 speed manual trans, big brakes, Recaro Seats, it is considered to be the "spiritual successor" to the Focus SVT. For the US Market, it will only be offered in the 5 door hatchback bodystyle (European customers can get a wagon version).

For many years after the Focus SVT was discontinued in the US Market, Focus enthusiasts were envious of the European enthusiast who were treated to the Focus ST and the Focus RS. Now Ford has taken the stance of "world cars" (didn't we hear that back in 2000 when the Focus was introduced to the US?) there shouldn't be significant product differences between all the markets. Time will tell.

On sale dates, pricing, or options info have not yet been released.

Save your deposit money so you can get yours when they arrive at your local Ford dealer. Till then, I will be searching for performance parts and accessories for the Focus ST.

New Blog Address

2011-09-13T18:11:00.005-04:00

With the introduction of the all-new 2012 Ford Focus and the excitement generated by the announcement of the high performance Focus ST coming to the US market, there has been a lot of interest in the Ford Focus aftermarket. Therefore, I have resurrected the Ford Focus Performance Blog. The FFPB (Ford Focus Performance Blog) now can be found at www.focusperformance.info

As is usually the case with a significant model upgrade like the 2012 Ford Focus, there will be increased interest in prior year Focus (Foci?)and I have and will continue to provide information that the Focus Enthusiast will find useful.

As a supplier of performance parts for the Ford Focus since August of 2000, New Edge Performance will continue to search the aftermarket performance offerings for parts and accessories for the new 2012 Focus.

Check out the New Edge Performance webstore for Ford Focus performance parts.

New Edge Performance celebrates 10 years online.

2010-08-22T12:19:00.003-04:00

Selling product on the internet is tough and many do not survive long, but......

So when a company celebrates it's 10 year anniversary of selling online, they must be doing something right. Performance auto parts sold for a narrow market niche using e-commerce is almost expected in this day and age. But 10 years ago, the internet world and it's role in our lives was very different.

Who in their "right mind" would use the above idea for their business model?

That would be me.

Do you remember the first thing that you purchased online? How long ago was that? Last year? Five years ago? Would it have been as long as 10 years ago? Has the internet been widely accepted by the general public as a viable way to purchase goods and services for 10 years?

The answer is "yes". The proof, New Edge Performance celebrates it's 10th Anniversary in August 2010. Operating 10 years online, that seems like it is not possible. Time flies when you are having fun and learning , not only a new business, but a new business model.

Back in 2000, after we all survived the "Y2K" scare, New Edge Performance was started to serve a new customer in a relatively new market niche, using a new business model. Let me explain; there was a segment of automotive enthusiasts who were looking for vehicles other than what had been traditionally modified for show, racing, etc. Around the year 2000, there were only a handful of vehicles still "available" (new or used) such as the Ford Mustang GT, Chevrolet Camaro, Pontiac (remember them?) Firebird, and a couple "high performance" versions of some mid-size and full-size pick-up trucks. Older "muscle cars" were out of reach for many younger enthusiasts due to price or the extensive renovation that many required due to the deteriorating condition of such an older vehicle.

So many younger automotive enthusiasts who were not interested in the traditional high performance platforms, turned their attention to the widely available compact cars such as Honda Civics. As the market for high performance parts grew for Hondas and other import cars, many of the traditional speed shops and automotive parts retailers chose not to service this segment of the market. Thus, car stereo shops and cell phone stores were often offering performance parts for the popular import cars to satisfy the needs of the new enthusiasts.

These new enthusiasts were quick to embrace the internet as a reference source for information instead of the traditional print medium of car magazines. These same enthusiasts would also scour the internet for performance parts and accessories that were not available elsewhere. Those retailers offering parts to this market segment by way of e-commerce found many customers ready to spend money.

As the Import/Sport Compact market segment continued to develop beyond the popular Honda Civics and Acura Integras and domestic-made Sport Compact cars became accepted, some retailers chose to cater to narrow market segments such as only serving one make and model of vehicle or only imported vehicles.

In the Summer of 1999, Ford had introduced it's then new Focus model to the North American market. Ford was making a significant effort to market the Focus to the younger "tuners" hoping to get a new customer and keep them in Ford products throughout their car-buying years. Ford worked with aftermarket and performance manufacturers to get them to offer parts and accessories for the new Focus. And the aftermarket responded with product, lots of product.

There was just one small problem. Traditional Speed Shops and other automotive parts retailers didn't know how to reach the Sport Compact "Tuner" market. Few Mustang specialists who move lots of high performance parts for Ford Products wanted anything to do with the Focus. And most Sport Compact or "Tuner" Shops wanted nothing to do with a domestic car like a Ford Focus.

This was the "window of opportunity" for which New Edge Performance was created in August of 2000. The objective was simple; offer a large selection of Ford Focus performance parts and accessories by way of e-commerce and have what the customer wanted in stock to fill orders quickly. It worked. There was plenty of competition, but you cannot be afraid of that, especially on the internet.

From this humble beginning with 10 Ford Focus items on a Yahoo Store, New Edge Performance has grown to offer over 550 items for a number of popular makes and models of Sport Compact vehicles as well as the Ford Mustang. Sure, there are larger e-commerce stores out there, some of them call New Edge Performance when they can't figure out which 2.0L engine is in their customer's Focus! ;)

As many of my customers traded-in their beloved Focus (Foci? Focuses?), they would call New Edge Performance looking for performance parts and aftermarket accessories for their new rides. This helped to fuel the growth of New Edge Performance's expansion into new market segments such as the New Mustang (2005 and newer S197), Honda Fit, 2006 and newer Honda Civic and Si, Cobalt SS, Scions, MINI Coopers, Miatas, SRT4, WRX/STi, 350Z, Mazda3, Acura Integra and RSX, and many more to come.
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So as August 2010 rolls around, I would like to thank all my customers and suppliers who took a chance on New Edge Performance and made all this possible. I also have to thank those who went out on the various message boards and made recommendations to use New Edge Performance to other like-minded automotive enthusiasts. And I also have to thank my wife and my son for putting up with the long hours, missing ball games, being late for dinner, spending way too much time online. They also made this 10 year anniversary a reality!

Link to see webstore http://www.newedgeperformance.com/

2008 2009 2010 2011 Focus lowering springs now available.

2009-02-03T17:42:00.004-05:00

I have found that Eibach does have lowering springs are available for the 2008 and 2009 Ford Focus. Eibach offers both the Sportline and ProKit springs springs for the 2008 2009 2010 and 2011 Focus. There is a separate part number for the 2012 and later Focus.

The ProKit spring set will lower your 2008 2009 2010 2011 Focus 1.1 inches in the front and the 1.2 inches in the rear.

The Sportline kit is a more aggressive drop with 1.6 inches for both the front and the rear.

Just trying to share with the Focus community an update on product availability so you can order the correct parts.

Focus lowering springs -continued

2009-01-27T12:13:00.004-05:00

By far, the largest selections of Focus lowering springs offered are for the 2000-2005 Focus sedan and hatchbacks. Eibach offered both a Sportline and ProKit, Progress offered a 1.8 in drop (that has been discontinued), Vogtland, KW Suspensions, H&R, and other companies offered spring kits as well.

Eibach offered 2 different suspension kits, H&R offered their very popular Cup Kit, KW Suspensions offered a suspension kit as did Vogtland.

I believe that only Vogtland and Eibach have 2000-2005 Focus Wagon springs. Check stock to see if any are left, because low demand for these units have moved these to the soon to be discontiued status.

For the 2006 and 2007 Focus Sedan and Hatchbacks, Vogtland and Eibach were the only companies that I found that offered a spring set.

Tokico was the only company that I found to offer struts and shocks for the 2006 and 2007 Focus Sedans and Hatchbacks.

I am currently researching the availability of parts for the 2008 and 2009 Focus Coupe and Sedan.

Want to lower your Focus? Read this first

2009-01-27T11:41:00.006-05:00

One of the most popular modifications of the Ford Focus is to lower it. This is done by installing lowering springs to reduce the ride height. Additional benefits are improved handling through the lowering of the center of gravity coupled with the higher spring rates usually associated with lowering springs. Many enthusiast believe this improves the looks of any car.

Before you go out an buy parts, you need to know a little bit about some of the changes by model year of the Focus.

First, Focus wagons use a different rear spring and shock configuration, so Focus sedan and hatchback rear suspension components will not work on the wagon. The front suspension of a Focus wagon is the same as the same model year Focus Sedan or Hatchback.

All Focus sedans and hatchbacks from 2000 to 2005 (despite the front end appearance changes made in 2005) will use the same lowering springs and shocks and struts. Shocks in the rear and struts in the front are often upgraded at the same time that lowering springs are installed. It is a good idea to get shocks and struts that are matched to the spring rates of the lowering springs. Most Focus enthusiasts accomplish this by buying a complete suspension kit comprised of springs, shocks, and struts.

For the 2006 model year, Ford made a change to the front suspension of the Focus by redesigning the knuckle assembly, front struts, and springs.

The spring was changed from a cylindrical spring to a spring with more of a conical shape. The spring seat on the front strut was also changed to accomodate this new spring shape. The diameter of the strut tube was also made larger and the corresponding mounting hole in the front knuckle assembly was also enlarged. So the 2000-2005 struts will not work on a 2006 and later Focus front knuckle. This confuguration was used for the 2006 and 2007 Focus.

At the top of the spring/strut assembly for the 2006 2007 Focus, This means that the alignment kits for the earlier cars will work on the 2006 and 2007 Focus.

As I understand, the front suspension was changed yet again for the 2008 Focus. I am currently researching availability of lowering springs and related suspension components for the 2008 and 2009 Focus. Don't count on the earlier model year suspension components working on a 2008 or 2009 Focus.

I will address parts availability, by model year groupings in the next post.

Good-bye Sport Compact Car Magazine

2009-01-22T10:17:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I received in the mail my last issue of Sport Compact Car Magazine. It appears that this magazine is just another casualty of both the current economic situation and the shift to the Internet from print that many publications are trying to weather.

This was one of the few titles that catered to the Sport Compact niche that would show some love to the domestic compacts in general and the Ford Focus and Focus SVT specifically. Over the years since the Focus was introduced, there were a few Focus project cars chronicled on the pages of Sport Compact Car Magazine.

As someone who really enjoys reading car magazines, I hate to see such a good title disappear.

To the current and past staff at Sport Compact Car Magazine, thank you for years of education and entertainment.

Ford Racing Zetec Cylinder head tensioner fix

2009-01-21T15:11:00.005-05:00

It has come to my attention that some of the Ford Racing ported cylinder heads for the Zetec engine can have an issue with the timing belt tensioner not staying tight after torquing. It seems that there are differences between the different year cylinder head castings and tensioner bolt lengths ( and quite possibly the tensioners). This keeps the tensioner from fully tightening. If you encounter a timing belt tensioner that will not stay tight, (and you have rechecked your installation and torque specs) the easy fix is to shorten the tensioner bolt so it will no longer bottom out in the corresponding bolt hole in the cylinder head.

If you do shorten the bolt, make sure that you dress the threads on the bolt so you do not damage the threads in the cylinder head.

These symptoms could also show up on your Zetec engine if you start mixing and matching parts from zetec engines of different years.

I hope this helps and once again, my customers are great when it comes to sharing solutions to problems on their Focus. (or is it Foci?)

Check out my Squidoo page for more Focus info

2009-01-20T19:42:00.004-05:00

Just published today, my Ford Focus Squidoo page

http://www.squidoo.com/Ford-Focus-Performance-parts-and-tuning

More background and tuning information about the Ford Focus. I am trying to share as much about the Focus as I can...but I can only type so fast!

Enjoy!

Used Car Review of SVT Focus by Winding Road

2009-01-19T18:18:00.003-05:00

Not sure if you are familiar with the Winding Road Ezine that is published by EbayMotors, but in Issue 41, page 194 there is a used car review of the 2002-2004 SVT Focus. The article is titled Secondhand Gems. Check it out with the link below;

http://wrmag.nextautos.com/issue/41/

If you own a SVT Focus, wish you did or are just a fan of the Focus, you will probably enjoy this article.

Focus Manual Trans short throw shifters

2009-01-19T16:43:00.006-05:00

The most popular manual transmission used in a Focus is the MTX-75. It is used with either the Zetec or Duratec engines, however this MTX-75 transmission is not used with the SPi engine or the SVT Focus.

SPi engines used an IB5 transmission. To my knowledge, the only short shifter for this IB5 transmission has been discontinued and sold out.

The Steeda shifter is still available for the SVT Focus which uses the 6 speed Getrag transmission, link below to the SVT Steeda short throw shifter;

https://www.newedgeperformance.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=209

For the Zetec and Duratec powered versions of the Ford Focus with a manual transmission, there are two different short throw shifter applications. The first is for 2000 model year to a build date of April 2002 within the 2002 model year. Steeda still makes a short shifter for this application, link below;
https://www.newedgeperformance.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=207

B&M used to make a shifter for this application, but I can no longer find it available through my suppliers.

For Focus built after the April 2002 cut-off, Steeda makes a different shifter that is referred to as the bottom-pivot shifter. Installation of this shifter will eliminate the factory reverse lock-out used from 2002-2005. The reverse lock-out feature was eliminated by Ford around the 2006 model year. Link below for this Steeda shifter;

https://www.newedgeperformance.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=208

Other companies like the now defunct Focus Central have offered Focus short throw shifters in the past, but they are no longer available.

How many SVT Focus?

2008-07-21T15:30:00.002-04:00

I often am asked about the production numbers of the SVT Focus. Of the three model years it was sold, the total was just under 15,000 units. This includes both bodystyles of the SVT offered...3 door hatchback and 5 door hatchback.

For 2002 model year, only the 3 door hatchback bodystyle was available for the SVT Focus.

In 2003 model year, the SVT Focus was offered with the European Appearance Package (EAP) which featured all the SVT options, a full leather Recaro interior, and dark charcoal gray wheels. Two new colors were available only in the EAP, Competition Orange and Screamin Yellow. Standard SVT Focus colors (Pitch Black, CD Silver, Vermillion Red) were also available with the EAP.

Also in the 2003 model year, the SVT could be purchased in the 5 door hatchback bodystyle. However, the EAP was not available on the 5 door hatchback until the 2004 model year.

For 2004, the SVT received a 6-spoke wheel instead of the 5 spokes previously used.

SVT Focus options listed below;

HID Headlights, Audiophile package with sub-woofer, Sunroof, Cold Weather package with heated seats and Traction Control.

All SVT Focus were equipped with the 6 speed, Getrag manual transaxle, power windows, power mirrors, tilt and telescoping wheel, A/C, Keyless entry, Cruise Control, Leather wrapped steering wheel and parking brake handle, Metallic with rubber pedal covers.

Focus Facelift

2008-07-21T14:38:00.003-04:00

For the 2005 model year, Ford restyled the front end of the Focus with all new headlights, hood, fenders, and front fascia (old guys like me call it a bumper). While you cannot mix and match the front end components, I am told that you can make an early Focus look like an 2005/2006/2007 by switching all the components and vice versa. Evidently, the substructure of the front end of the Focus did not change much in 2005.

Most 2005 Focus have a chrome look grill, while the Focus ST had a body colored grill which gives the ST a smoother look.

This "look" or style was used by Ford for the 2005, 2006, and 2007 model years. The previous "look" was used for the 2000 to 2004 model years.

For 2005-2007, the 3 door hatchback, 5 door hatchback, sedan and wagon were all available bodystyles.

Another model year, another engine choice!

2008-07-21T14:01:00.004-04:00

For the 2003 model year, Ford added the Duratec family of engines to the list of engine choices...sort of. The new 145hp 2.3L Duratec, also known as the PZEV (Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle status) was offered in a handful of States. California, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, and Maine as the standard engine. All other States still had the SVT, Zetec, and SPi engines available. There were many instances where the Duratec engine was sold in States bordering those mentioned above. In 2004, the Duratec engine was offered as an option in all 50 states.

So in 2003 or 2004, your Focus could have come with one of four engines ...2.0L SPi, 2.0L Zetec, 2.0L SVT, or 2.3L Duratec. Not all engine choices were available in all bodystyles and trim levels, or available in all localities.

Got it? It gets better! For 2005, Ford introduced the 2.0L Duratec as the standard engine in all Focus models with the exception of the Focus ST. So as of 2005, there were four different engines that were all 2.0L. No wonder when you go to the auto parts store, they ask a lot of questions!

Focus Communities online

2008-07-18T18:21:00.002-04:00

There are a number of online communities where the Focus faithful gather. This is by no means an exhaustive list, just a couple of the messageboards that I find helpful.

www.focaljet.com

www.focusfanatics.com

www.myfordfocus.com

Can you read?

2008-07-18T17:41:00.004-04:00

Can you read?

If so, you may be interested in some Focus literature.

Primedia published 5 free-standing issues of Focus Fanatics Magazine starting with the Fall 2003 issue. This title has been discontinued, but I have some back issues (3) available in a package

https://www.newedgeperformance.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=603

This combo deal includes Fall 04, Spring 05, and Summer 05 back issues.

You may be able to find the other 2 issues on Ebay.

Haynes Xtreme Customizing Ford Focus was a book published that showed many of the popular Focus upgrades and modifications as of 2004. There are some of my customer's cars featured in that book. This book is still available, but keep in mind that it was published in 2004 and some of the products shown are no longer available or have been surpassed by superior products introduced after this book was written. Still, it has some great information. Link below;

https://www.newedgeperformance.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=197

Another book written about Focus high performance, but is now out of print,
High Performance Ford Focus Builder's Handbook by Richard Holdener. This book was written before the Duratec engine was released and therefore offered no information on it. It does show dyno test results of many of the popular modifications of the day on both the Zetec and SVT engines. You still may be able to find it on Ebay and other places that sell out of print books.

More Soup, More Foci(?), Focuses(?), Focus'(?)

2008-07-18T16:57:00.003-04:00

For the 2002 model year, Ford brought 2 new Foci, (or is it Focuses? or should it be Focus'?) to the US market. The 5 door hatchback known as the ZX5 had been a popular selling in other markets and many buyers in the US market were quite adament about wanting this Focus variant. Initially, the ZX5 was only sold in the higher trim levels, but in later years was available with less optional equipment. The 5 door hatchback body style was quite popular with those that needed to carry more than one person in addition to the driver, and still wanted to retain the flexibility of a hatchback.

For enthusiasts, 2002 marked the addition of arguably the best, high performance Focus sold in the US market, the SVT Focus. This Focus was designed by the Special Vehicle Team at Ford. Modeled after the ST170 sold in Europe, the SVT was built to compete with the high performance compacts of the day like the Civic Si.

The SVT Focus was equipped with a 170 hp 2.0L engine based loosely on the Zetec but with a much improved cylinder head, manifolding, higher compression ratio, aggressive camshaft profiles, it made 40 more horsepower than a standard Zetec engine. The SVT engine featured a dual runner intake manifold that had long runners for low-RPM torque and switched to the short runners for high-RPM operation. This coupled with the variable camshaft timing on the intake camshaft gave the SVT Focus lots of torque all across the RPM range...made the SVT a lot of fun to drive. Horsepower peaked at 7000 RPMs...oh what fun!

Did I mention that sexy, 4-2-1 exhaust header designed by Cosworth for the SVT? While not visible from the top of the engine compartment ( it is hidden by a heatshield), you have to slide under a SVT Focus to examine Cosworth's handiwork. Large primary diameter, twist and turn into what old timers call a "Tri-Y" design. The high-flow catalytic converter is placed further downstream in the exhaust system. Speaking of exhaust, the SVT Focus uses 2.25 in tubing.

The SVT Focus was also equipped with a 6 speed Getrag transaxle. This close ratio gearbox sparkles on your favorite back road, the perfect gear is only a quick gear change away. Not too many vehicles had such a transaxle in 2002...especially in a car that started at just under $18,000.

With all that power and a great transaxle, you need something to get the power to the ground and keep you on the road. The SVT Focus has a sweet suspension set-up. It handled great and still offered an acceptable ride quality. SVT Focus had upgraded shocks, struts and springs as well as a 21mm rear sway bar. This is slightly larger than the 20mm used on many of the other Focus variants. SVT Focus rode on 17 inch wheels with 215/45R Continental Tires.

Another SVT bonus was the huge disc brakes, both front and rear. The front rotors were 300 mm (that's about 11.8 inches) and the rear rotors were 280mm (11.0 inches). I can attest to their effectiveness as they have saved me many times!

Additionally, SVT Focus had a unique front and rear fascia and came with Foglights as standard equipment. SVT Focus also had power windows, leather seats with cloth inserts and many other features that set them apart for the rest of the Focus family. For the driving enthusiast, the SVT Focus is the Focus you want to own.

Alphabet Soup

2008-07-16T23:00:00.000-04:00

ZX3, ZTW, ZTS, SE, LX....what Focus is that?

In 2000 and 2001, the Focus was offered in 3 body styles; the ZX3 3 door hatchback, the Focus sedan, and the Focus Wagon.

ZX3 hatchbacks were well equipped and marketed to a younger consumer. All US ZX3s were equipped with aluminum wheels, AM/FM radio with CD player, rear wiper and defroster. Many competing models only offered these options at extra cost. The ZX3 was a value leader for the segment at the time.

Focus sedans were offered in 3 different trim levels; LX, SE, and ZTS. The Focus Wagon pretty much mirrored the sedan's offerings.

Focus Beginings

2008-07-16T22:34:00.000-04:00

Ford brought the Focus to the North American market in the Fall of 1999 as a 2000 model year vehicle. The Focus was a success the prior 2 model years in the European market, while similar to it's European counterpart, the North American version was slightly different.

Besides differences in lighting and bumpers, to comply with local laws, the Focus as sold in North America had different choices for engines. Initially, there were two 2.0L engines to choose from. The 110 hp SPi SOHC (Single OverHead Cam) was offered in the Focus LX sedans and some of the Focus SE sedans. There were some Focus Wagons made with this engine as well. The second available engine was the 130 hp Zetec 16 valve DOHC (Double OverHead Cam), used in all ZX3s built in 2000, and 2001, as well as the Focus ZTS Sedan, some Focus SE sedans, and the ZTS Focus Wagon.

Of these two engines, the Zetec enjoyed quite a bit of aftermarket support in the form of many performance parts. This is the engine that most enthusiasts want in the early Focus. For the SPi, there were only limited amounts of performance parts offered, and many of those have been discontinued.