Ford Focus Debut on “American Idol” Wednesday
The 2009 Ford Focus coupe will debut on “American Idol” Wednesday night, Ford officials said Tuesday.
Ford Motor Co. has overhauled the coupe to give it a sportier and darker edge compared to the successful compact sedan version of the Focus, which debuted last fall.
The five-speed manual model will have a slight increase in horsepower and all of the coupes should have a quicker jump off the line due to changes in the final drive ratio. It should roll into dealerships by September and will have a starting MSRP of $15,920.
The coupe will be seen in videos on “American Idol,” which begins at 9 p.m. on FOX stations.
While Idol remains the most popular show on television, Ford executives said they will treat the coupe’s role more as a cameo than a headline performance.
“We’re adopting a much more regional approach to marketing this vehicle,” said Sam De La Garza, Focus Marketing Manager. The coupe premieres Wednesday, and then Thursday Ford will meet with key aftermarket suppliers who could use the coupe at the Specialty Equipment Marketing Association trade show in Las Vegas. For the rest of the week, the coupe will tour California in a road show that includes stops at some online organizations and Focus enthusiasts’ events.
The new Focus coupe includes changes to the front and rear fascias. Fog lights will now be standard on all versions and the SES coupe will include high mounted spoiler. New dark chrome 17-inch aluminum wheels will also be standard on the SES model.
More importantly, a sports tuned exhaust system on the SES will add a few ponies to the Focus’s 2-liter four-cylinder engine. The manual model will boast 143-horses and the four-speed automatic version will have 140-horsepower.