Diesel-powered finesse

MANILA, Philippines - It must seem incomprehensible now, but there was a time gasoline was the domain of the snob set who would thumb their noses at their diesel-driving counterparts. Diesel, after all, was seen to be as fuel for less refined machines – trucks, tractors, buses, jeepneys, and, well, more trucks – workhorses with a penchant for smoke belching and noise pollution.

Those days have long gone as diesel has been the drink of choice for an increasing number of comfortable (versus strictly utilitarian) rides like SUVs. And, truth be told, what’s more snobbish than a capable, capacious SUV – even an un-pimped one?

Still, the focus (yes, we’re getting to that real soon) was still on big and burly rather than small and agile. The much vaunted torque wielded by diesel engines could never promise nimble, fast performance. Never the twain shall meet, so to speak. Or rather, never supposed to meet.

Ford put an end to that with the Focus.

You are forgiven for questioning the wisdom of mating a perfectly good sedan design with a diesel engine – even, perhaps, for the sake of economy. You are also be forgiven to ask what kind of affair would that be. Spartan versus luxurious? Utilitarian without the excitement?

Getting acquainted for the first time with the Focus TDCi (turbo-diesel common-rail direct-injection) produces three distinct surprising moments: when you admire the Euro-inspired styling, when you realize you’re driving a diesel, and when you realize just how robust the engine is.

These eureka moments have apparently been enough to turn on a lot of drivers as well. Steven Tan, Ford Group Philippines VP for marketing and sales, says in a statement that the 2.0L TDCi variant “is today the sales leader in the premium 2.0L compact car segment which includes some of the strongest and more established Japanese competitors.”

Ford is extra proud of the TDCi variant, and the new Escape iteration: both recently took home Car of the Year plums at this year’s Bangkok International Motor Show. Organizer Grand Prix Group, an influential automotive media group, adjudged the Focus TDCi PowerShift as best hatchback diesel and the Escape as the best petrol SUV.

All the hype is clearly well deserved. To Ford’s credit, it has also forged the Focus in the demanding tour of the World Rally Championship spectacle in Europe, where the car has enjoyed a lot of success. So that whole Euro feel is no accident and not mere posturing. The reputation is rightly earned. Every Focus you see on the road is a sibling of the WRC warrior.

Even the interiors seem to capture the racing pedigree. A highly legible analog instrument cluster gives the basics, while an amber digital display in the heart of the assembly reports other data – external temperature, current mileage, average speed, along with the usual odometer standards.

In the middle console, framing the entertainment and climate control system is a carbon fiber-flavored panel that smartly completes the look.

You might feel a surge of panic when you tool around the car looking for a hood release lever. Relax, there isn’t any. We are told that, as European appointments go, you need to go out of the car and stick in your key to release the hood. When you do, you notice right away that the TDCi’s powerplant and innards are neatly tucked under plastic molds.

The rear fascia of the hatch is an eyeful – giving a good impression of space without looking ungainly and oversized. The soft curves and clean lines on this end imbues a less aggressive disposition that is sure surprise other drivers as you whiz by them on the road.

Pop the hatchback trunk, and you will appreciate the wide berth to get your stuff in, compared to standard sedan boots.

The real fun, of course, should start when you turn the ignition key. The engine starts briskly and is surprisingly quiet for a diesel. The climate control system quickly cools the interiors to a comfortable temperature – hastened by a couple of back row vents just behind the front row console.

Despite its fuel miser rep (the turbo-diesel variant landed in the top 10 most fuel-efficient vehicles in the country following a fuel economy run initiated by the Department of Energy) earlier this year. The DuraTorq TDCi common rail turbo diesel engine of the Focus delivers mind-numbing 340Nm and a “turbo overboost” that makes the Focus vehicle a perky, nimble ride – responding willingly to accelerator proddings. Ford claims an official zero to 100 time of 9.6 seconds. No argument from there. I tried to push the car hard at every chance EDSA traffic gave me. I believe the acceleration figure.

At the heart of the excitement is the Ford Focus TDCi – the revolutionary car that runs on turbo-diesel common-rail direct-injection (TDCi), delivering an exceptional peak torque of 340Nm and a unique transient “turbo overboost” feature for excellent performance response on top of a 6-speed transmission. The vehicle gives to the passenger car segment class-leading technologies and unmatched innovations.

Ford says that its PowerShift technology in the Focus “provides the full comfort of an automatic with more sophisticated driving dynamic, thanks to the uninterrupted torque from (its) dual-clutch.”

Dual-clutch means “two manual transmissions working in parallel, each with its own independent clutch unit.” One carries the 1,3, and 5 gears; the other 2, 4, and 6. Ford says gear changes are coordinated between both clutches as they engage and disengage for a seamless delivery of torque to the wheels.

Ford’s PowerShift technology also introduces thoughtful performance attributes such as: “neutral coast down” that disengages the clutches when braking to improve coasting downshifts while increasing fuel economy; precise clutch control through a clutch slip which dampens engine vibration at low engine speeds; “creep mode” that controls the rolling torque in Drive and Reverse mode to mimic low-speed control motorists are used to, which is also dependent on brake pressure; and “hill mode” that prevents the vehicle from rolling back when on a steep grade.

The Focus comes in (count ‘em) six variants, from a 1.8L, four-door style manual at P779,000 up to the TDCi that checks in at P1.189 million.

With the right-up-there driving technology and exciting experience behind the wheel (not to mention the fuel savings) from the diesel variant, I’d say that’s a bargain.