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Ford’s Famous
Focus - topless!
By Don Booker MBE
 Wind-in-the-hair motoring is one of the few joys left for drivers who want to have a stress-free time at the wheel.
Such forms of motoring were restricted to sports cars and a few cabriolets, but today there is a big choice of both sports cars and coupe cabriolets. How good they are, too, and gone are the days when cabriolets had hoods that looked like huge prams. There was no mechanism, just folding side hinges.
Ford can go back 50 years with cars that could go topless, and there were even Cortina and Escort versions, but now we have their Focus CC which joins a market sector that has been dominated by the Peugeot 206 CC, the first hatchback to feature a two-piece metal top. Pininfarina has designed the Focus version which costs between £16,795 for the 1.6-litre to the range-topping CC-3 at £20,270. It is lovely to look at and lovely to drive, and is Ford’s first power-operated hardtop. When I took control it was a wet day, but then the sun came out and one press of a button in the centre of the fascia released the roof and I was in another world. The two-piece top stored away in the boot with ease and when raindrops started to fall, another press of the button and the roof was tightly in place. The system offers a high degree of year-round comfort.
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These coupe-cabriolets are now making it possible to enjoy every aspect of motoring with just one vehicle. There is no need to have an open-topped car stored in the garage for half a year.
The power units are the usual high standard offered by Ford. The 1.6 develops 100bhp, the 2-litre offers 145bhp and the 2-litre diesel gives 136bhp.
The ride could not be better and with the roof down there are no body noises, which means the soundproofing and body strength can meet all the roughness and bumps that come the car’s way. The Focus CC is beautifully built car and standard on the CC-1 are alloy wheels, embossed rear chrome Focus logo, active roll over protection system that activates if such a thing is likely to happen, four seats with body-hugging sides and a sculptured rear bench seat. There are electric operated and heated mirrors, CD-player and air conditioning when the weather gets too hot or too damp. The CC-2 costs £17,795 with petrol or £19,270 with diesel and gets special alloys, leather steering wheel, quick clear windows and MP3. Move up to the CC-3 at £18,795 and £20,270 respectively, and then comes more elegance and style with leather seats, 17-inch alloys, cruise control, auto lights, wipers and mirrors, special six CD and chrome detail at the front. This special Focus will put pressure on its rivals.
Published Summer 2007. All information correct at time of print
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