Once we got to the track I turned the wheel over to Martin so he could follow the pace car, a Ford Mustang in this case, for a few laps. I took the opportunity to study the track while he had his fun, and I got back behind the wheel with the firm intention of setting it on fire.
The good news? There’s no way you can get lost on a racetrack. I was in my element.
I have one word to describe the experience: WOW. The 160-hp, 2.0-litre, direct injection, 4-cylinder mill and its 6-speed autobox turned in a more than adequate performance for a compact car.
The optional sport suspension, 18-inch wheels and Torque Vectoring Control worked wonders across the track, allowing me to negotiate tight corners faster than I would have thought, without ever giving me the impression that I was losing control.
I would have loved to take advantage of its irrepressible liveliness, but in the name of sparing my co-pilot a heart attack, I settled for following the pace the Mustang set, despite a gnawing need to tame the track. Ah, but the Focus astounded us by its pep as much as its handling.
Exemplary fuel economy, efficient infotainment
After that adrenaline rush, we headed to a horseback riding centre for a refreshing meal, with the goal of burning the least amount of fuel possible while using the GPS via MyFord Touch.
Programming our destination in was child’s play once we’d discovered the magic words to get the GPS’s cooperation and navigate the menus.
As we had to drive on the highway for a bit, where the eco-friendly side of the Focus emerges, we put the windows up, turned off the AC and limited ourselves to 80 km/h (in the right lane, of course). Allow me to formally apologize to the hapless drivers who were stuck behind us.
Aided by the Eco mode, which informed us if we were accelerating adequately and correctly anticipating the braking points, we managed to burn 4.7L/100 km, a little under Ford’s rating (4.8L/100 km).
Unfortunately, the inevitable happened. I ignored the GPS and gave bad directions to Martin, whereupon we found ourselves in a traffic jam at rush hour, which obviously ruined all of our valiant efforts.
The good news? There’s no way you can get lost on a racetrack. I was in my element.
 |
| Photo: Marc-André Hallé/Auto123.com |
I have one word to describe the experience: WOW. The 160-hp, 2.0-litre, direct injection, 4-cylinder mill and its 6-speed autobox turned in a more than adequate performance for a compact car.
The optional sport suspension, 18-inch wheels and Torque Vectoring Control worked wonders across the track, allowing me to negotiate tight corners faster than I would have thought, without ever giving me the impression that I was losing control.
I would have loved to take advantage of its irrepressible liveliness, but in the name of sparing my co-pilot a heart attack, I settled for following the pace the Mustang set, despite a gnawing need to tame the track. Ah, but the Focus astounded us by its pep as much as its handling.
Exemplary fuel economy, efficient infotainment
After that adrenaline rush, we headed to a horseback riding centre for a refreshing meal, with the goal of burning the least amount of fuel possible while using the GPS via MyFord Touch.
Programming our destination in was child’s play once we’d discovered the magic words to get the GPS’s cooperation and navigate the menus.
As we had to drive on the highway for a bit, where the eco-friendly side of the Focus emerges, we put the windows up, turned off the AC and limited ourselves to 80 km/h (in the right lane, of course). Allow me to formally apologize to the hapless drivers who were stuck behind us.
Aided by the Eco mode, which informed us if we were accelerating adequately and correctly anticipating the braking points, we managed to burn 4.7L/100 km, a little under Ford’s rating (4.8L/100 km).
Unfortunately, the inevitable happened. I ignored the GPS and gave bad directions to Martin, whereupon we found ourselves in a traffic jam at rush hour, which obviously ruined all of our valiant efforts.
 |
| Photo: Marc-André Hallé/Auto123.com |