With Ford Motor Co. in the midst of a massive turnaround, solid products have never been more critical to the success of the company. So what does it do with its 2008 Focus but take away almost all the attributes that endeared it to enthusiasts?

With Ford Motor Co. in the midst of a massive turnaround, solid products have never been more critical to the success of the company. So what does it do with its 2008 Focus but take away almost all the attributes that endeared it to enthusiasts?

Let’s review. For ‘08, the five-door, three-door and wagon versions are gone. Just the four-door sedan and a new two-door notchback remain in the lineup. The spunky SVT version disappeared several years ago. And the 2.3 liter engine that gave such a exuberant attitude to the otherwise ho-hum compact is likewise relegated to the history books. So now we’re stuck with the least powerful engine, coupled with awkward-at-best styling incorporating a chopped-down version of the new corporate horizontal chrome grille.

Do we get any consolation prizes? Well, there is Ford’s new “Sync” Bluetooth integration system allowing for hands-free, voice-activated control of Bluetooth-enabled phones and portable music players through a USB cable connection. Certainly with Nissan and other manufacturers starting to offer this technology in their entry-level vehicles, it’s rapidly becoming a “must-have” feature, at least as an option.

But the sad fact is that the “new” American-model Focus is still a generation behind the newer, fresher, more upscale Mazda3, Volvo S40, and its classy, well-engineered European sibling. We won’t get a truly fresh Focus until the “next, next” model. Such a pity. So it seems Ford’s new marketing strategy is targeting the tech-savvy undergrads and entry-level corporate drones with a $15,000 iPod and cell phone carrier, figuring they won’t care about the gutless engine or confused styling.

With portable, universal Bluetooth adapters available for less than $100, and iPod adapters, wired and wireless available for around the same price, what’s to stop Gen Y-ers from buying a Honda or Toyota to which they’re naturally inclined and putting a few extra gizmos on their newly-acquired plastic to fit their “plugged-in” lifestyle?

I certainly don’t wish Ford ill, but warming over an 8 year-old design and taking away the packaging and powertrain options that made it a moderately compelling choice in the first place, doesn’t seem like the brightest idea to me. However the marketplace receives it, the company will be getting what it deserves with its “new” compact.

–Edward A. Sanchez