Ford and Mini in sharp Focus

13 November 2012 - 21:40 By Motor Mania
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In the two years since its launch, the Mini Countryman has developed into the force driving the continuing growth of the brand.

The transfer of Mini qualities and values into a new vehicle segment has won over new buyers to the brand's unmistakable style.

It has also become the first Mini to offer all-wheel drive, further enhancing driving fun.

The Countryman has now been treated to detailed refinements of the car's design and the selection of materials available for the interior.

These modifications will be rolled out across all model variants from this month.

When you open one of the front doors, the newly designed rings encircling the centre speedometer and four air vents, immediately stand out.

They will now be presented across the board in carbon black and will also have an inner ring in high-gloss black or - as part of the Chrome Line Interior option - in chrome.

Newly-designed door inserts also contribute towards the car's ambience, comfort and practicality.

Remodelled door armrests offer even more comfortable support, and the controls for the electric windows are now positioned in the door trim.

A full control panel is integrated into the door armrest on the driver's side.

The switch clusters include the controls for all the windows, the deactivation facility for the rear window controls and full adjustment for the exterior mirrors.

Moving the window controls away from the centre console also optimises access to the larger storage compartment below it.

The selection of exterior paint finishes has also been refreshed. New additions ito the range nclude Brilliant Copper metallic and Blazing Red metallic.

Customers can choose from three petrol engine variants in South Africa.

Two units produce outputs stretching from 90kW to 135kW and beyond these, there is the ultra-sporty Mini John Cooper Works Countryman powered by a turbocharged 160kW engine.

The ALL4 all-wheel-drive system, fitted as standard on this variant, is also available as an option for the Mini Cooper  S Countryman.

All models can be ordered with a six-speed automatic gearbox (standard for Cooper S Countryman ALL4) as an alternative to the standard six-speed manual.

The Ford Focus

SINCE its launch last year, the Ford Focus has won over a legion of fans and that trend is set to continue with the new revised range.

The Focus made its South African debut with a line-up of eight different models and that has now been expanded to 12. Joining the line-up are:

Hatch (five-door)

2.0 TDCi Trend (six-speed manual transmission)

2.0 TDCi Trend (six-speed PowerShift auto transmission)

Sedan (four-door)

1.6 Ti-VCT Ambiente (six-speed PowerShift auto transmission)

2.0 GDi Trend (five-speed manual transmission)

The Ambiente marks the entry into the brand followed by the Trend, with the Sport featuring the highest level of features and specification.

All three models feature Ford's capless refueling system as well as new wheel designs. Despite being the entry into the range, the Ambiente models boast impressive features, including manual air conditioning, front power windows, ABS brakes with EBD, ESP, Torque Vectoring Control and dual front airbags.

The Trend models will now be offered with the SYNC in-car entertainment system. The five-door Trend is now also available with a 2.0 TDCi engine.

For those wanting to customise their Focus, a Trend option pack is available with rain sensing wipers, auto headlamps, follow-me-home lighting, and an auto dimming rear-view mirror and styling tweaks with a sporty spoiler and 17-inch alloy wheels and a full leather interior.

The Sport model tops the range with features such as sport suspension, partial leather sports seats, keyless entry with power start button, dual zone air conditioning and auto dimming rearview mirror.

New in the Sport range is the addition of the SYNC In-Car infotainment system and a sporty styling package that includes body colour side skirts, front and rear bumper extensions and a sporty ST-inspired spoiler.

The Focus lineup features a choice of petrol and diesel engines. The 1.6-litre Duratec Ti-VCT has a maximum power output of 92kW at 6000rpm and 159Nm at 4000rpm, the 2.0-litre petrol GDi engine puts out 125kW and 200Nm and the 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi develops 120kW at 3750rpm and 340Nm at 2000-3250rpm.

The 2.0-litre petrol engine in the Focus is one of the first on the market to combine the technology of gasoline direct injection (GDi) with twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT), producing 125kW and 200Nm. CO2 emissions are 154g/km with an average fuel consumption of 6.6 litres/100 km (combined) dependent on body style and transmission

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