Photo: Ford
Because you can’t spell revolution without evolution, Ford did a pretty awesome job with facelifting the Focus. For the 2015 MY, every panel got sharper, there’s more technology onboard and, of course, there’s the Focus RS hyper hatchback and its Drift Mode button. Being a global model, the Focus needs to be tailored for each and every market, the reason the Blue Oval now makes the polyvalent compact model in Russia as well.
Let’s not beat around the bush - the third-generation Focus is the car that made the One Ford plan take off. Even though the Focus looks pretty much the same on every market around the world, production is handled by no less than seven factories. From the US to Argentina, Germany, Thailand to Taiwan, and China, the Ford Focus is true to its global car label.
Now it’s even more of a global car because it’s also made in Russia. Ford Sollers, which is the FoMoCo’s joint venture in Russia, started production of the 2015 Ford Focus facelift at a plant located in Vsevolozhsk, near St. Petersburg. Naturally, the Russian plant produces all three body styles, namely the hatchback, sedan, and wagon. According to the company, Russian-spec Ford Focus models benefit from 18 new and upgraded “innovative technologies” tailored for this market.
First of all, the locally produced Focus has been adapted to manage Russia’s cold winter climate and potholed roads by engineers from the Ford Sollers research & development skunkworks. A winter package is available, which includes electric windshield defroster, heated front seats and steering wheel. The ground clearance of the Russia-spec Focus has been raised “up to 160 mm,” which is a tell-tale sign about the bad state of the Russian road network. It’s a nice touch though.
Available with the all-new 1.5-liter EcoBoost petrol engine with 150 horsepower on tap, the 2015 Ford Focus facelift’s options list features many goodies we became accustomed to in our review of the Euro-spec model. Whatever you do, be sure to equip a Focus with the optional Aston Martin-like shark mouth chrome grille and the Bi-Xenon HID headlamps. The SYNC 2 infotainment system is a must as well, although the satellite navigation is prone to select the longer route in some cases.
Now it’s even more of a global car because it’s also made in Russia. Ford Sollers, which is the FoMoCo’s joint venture in Russia, started production of the 2015 Ford Focus facelift at a plant located in Vsevolozhsk, near St. Petersburg. Naturally, the Russian plant produces all three body styles, namely the hatchback, sedan, and wagon. According to the company, Russian-spec Ford Focus models benefit from 18 new and upgraded “innovative technologies” tailored for this market.
First of all, the locally produced Focus has been adapted to manage Russia’s cold winter climate and potholed roads by engineers from the Ford Sollers research & development skunkworks. A winter package is available, which includes electric windshield defroster, heated front seats and steering wheel. The ground clearance of the Russia-spec Focus has been raised “up to 160 mm,” which is a tell-tale sign about the bad state of the Russian road network. It’s a nice touch though.
Available with the all-new 1.5-liter EcoBoost petrol engine with 150 horsepower on tap, the 2015 Ford Focus facelift’s options list features many goodies we became accustomed to in our review of the Euro-spec model. Whatever you do, be sure to equip a Focus with the optional Aston Martin-like shark mouth chrome grille and the Bi-Xenon HID headlamps. The SYNC 2 infotainment system is a must as well, although the satellite navigation is prone to select the longer route in some cases.
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