2002 Focus SVT

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/07/2002 (8660 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It must be some sort of mating ritual, much like peacocks strutting, preening and showing off their fine plumage for their harem of peahens — today’s youth and their slammed and channelled import cars festooned with oversized wings, outrageous graphics, chainsaw-sounding exhausts, rubber band-like tires, etc.

Twenty-odd years ago, my prize ride was a not-quite-stock VW Scirocco, altered as budget and inclination allowed, so it would be hypocritical of me to knock these Michael Schumacher wannabes. What I don’t understand, though, if the purpose is performance, is why additional weight is being added in the form of pretty much useless body kits and batwings. The other day, I saw a Formula One-sized airfoil attached to the trunk of an otherwise box stock, 106-horsepower Civic sedan. Puh-leeze! Now, if the purpose is to draw attention to oneself, therefore catching the eye of the opposite sex, then I understand completely — and may it always be thus.

Maybe it is my ascetic approach to performance that makes Ford’s SVT Focus so appealing. That, and the fact a conservative company such as Ford would dare encroach on the youth market, giving twentysomethings a sporting car other than a Honda to look at.

While not cheap, at $27,240, the SVT Focus (for Special Vehicle Team, Ford’s performance group) is complete and potent. There is minimal gimmickry of the aural or visual kind that merely suggests speed. Different front and rear fascias, black honeycomb front grilles and rear valance, rocker panel mouldings and a rear spoiler, distinguish the SVT’s exterior from a prosaic Focus. It’s all quite subtle though, other than the car’s bright red colour, suggesting a more European approach to hatchback road rockets. While over in England a couple of weeks ago, I spied plenty of hot hatches on the motorways, but not one jukebox on wheels.

Ford claims its hi-po Focus is the most technologically advanced vehicle SVT has produced so far. It is based on the ZX3, which is powered by a 2.0-litre, DOHC four-cylinder engine that puts out 130 horsepower and 135 pound-feet of torque. The SVT motor is extensively modified, seeing its output elevated to 170 hp and 145 lb.-ft. of torque. These improvements include a dual-stage intake manifold and variable cam timing. Power is sent to the wheels through a dual-mass flywheel and a six-speed manual transmission.

Given the SVT’s 1,260-kilogram curb weight, which lends the hatchback a solid foundation, acceleration is respectable, but not blindingly quick. It is, however, progressive and the engine doesn’t seem to run out of breath. Count on a zero-to-100-kilometre-an-hour run to take a tick over eight seconds. And the engine exhaust note has a lovely, angry snarl to it, although the four-banger itself is not the latest word in quiet.

On the minus side, the modified Zetec motor has a nervous element to it, needing revs to function best. In lower-gear situations, such as in city traffic, there were minor, but noticeable, fluctuations in the power flow at lower revs, as if the engine wasn’t getting its full fuel requirement. Feed in a little more throttle or drop down a cog and things smoothed out. The downside of running at higher revs was fairly thirsty fuel economy for a small car, no better than 11.7 litres per 100 kilometres for a mix of highway and urban driving.

The six-speed Getrag gearbox is one of the better ones I have found in cars of late. The clutch actuation is smooth and there is not a huge drop-off in power between gears. Each gear is easy to slot into without hanging up. Conversely, the individual gates are not all that deep; the first few times I engaged the gears in the bottom half of the H, primarily second and fourth, it felt as if I wasn’t properly in gear. Although I eventually got used to it, a more solid indent would be appreciated.

SVT’s engineering trolls did a fine job retuning the Focus’s handling dynamics, especially suspension components. Modifications include stiffer spring rates (by 10 per cent up front, 20 per cent in the rear), slightly larger front anti-roll bar, unique bushings and shock absorber rates, and 17-inch wheels and tires. The boost curve on the power rack-and-pinion steering system was revised for better feel and control. And finally, the SVT is fitted with standard four-wheel disc brakes with ABS. The vented front rotors are 42-millimetres larger in diameter than those on the ZX3.

All of these ingredients work in relative harmony to imbue the SVT Focus with Spider-Man-like grip on the twisty bits, or, more realistically, for scooting around pokey traffic. There is no understeer at sporting speeds (which is several notches below being a jerk). The steering itself has a decent weight to it and well communicates road feel, although it gets a little too light during hard cornering to be ideal. I am quite impressed with the car’s Continental 215/45WR17 tires. In the dry, they provide a high level of stick. But I also got caught out in a sudden downpour and the Focus didn’t get all squirrelly. The brakes are simply excellent, dropping the car out of warp speeds without drama.

Inside, the SVT reasonably disguises the Focus’s budget-based roots. The seats are trimmed in black leather and have additional bolster padding for more lateral support. The seat surfaces are covered in red cloth (fortunately, not as outrageous as the lava red colour found in Nissan’s Sentra Spec V). The shift knob and handbrake lever are leather-wrapped and have leather boots. The steering wheel is leather-wrapped, and the instrument panel gauge cluster has titanium-colored faces. The tester was also equipped with optional heated seats and traction control, part of a $595 cold-weather package.

Although compact-sized, there is a surprising amount of room in the back seat once you clamber in. There is plenty of foot room, and leg room isn’t bad either. Even the 12.4-cubic-foot hatch area will stow a fair amount of stuff.

It’s good Ford has finally awakened to the obvious fact the younger generation is embracing small, four-cylinder, front-wheel-drive cars as performance cars in the same way baby boomers embraced V-8-powered muscle cars back in the ’60s. The SVT Focus is no poseur. It will, without a doubt, fully compete with the likes of Honda’s Civic Si and VW’s GTI, models today’s youth more easily gravitate to.

The only question I can’t answer is whether Ford can successfully muscle into this Japanese-and-European-car-dominated segment. Will a younger audience fork over big bucks for a turnkey, factory-built hot hatch, or would they rather build their own as time, money and creativity allow?

Type of vehicle: Front-wheel-drive compact sport-hatchback

Engine: 2.0L DOHC four-cylinder

Power: 170 hp @ 7,000 rpm, 145 lb.-ft. of torque at 5,500 rpm

Transmission: Six-speed manual

Brakes: Four-wheel disc with ABS

Tires: 215/45WR17

Base price/as tested: $27,240/$29,910

Fuel economy: L/100 km n/a

PHOTO