By Relly Carpio
INQUIRER.net

FORD introduced its Ford Focus TDCi, the first diesel-fed vehicle to “hit the track” in the Philippines. It was developed together with Tuason Racing School (TRS). JP Tuason, owner of TRS, said he was “delightfully surprised to have done very little modification on the Focus, showcasing its real ’street to track’ capability.”

TRS matched the engine with an enhanced suspension, fiberglass body parts, K&N filters, racing brake pads, six-point rollcage, racing seats, racing seatbelts and a fire extinguisher. But the engine was kept stock, a powerful engine at 136 HP with its 2nd-generation common rail injection technology.

Here’s a video I took of Ford Group Philippines president Richard Baker unveiling the Ford Focus TDCi on Day 1 of the Manila International Auto Show.

“The Ford Focus has always enjoyed a strong motor sports heritage and has achieved outstanding results in worldwide auto sports competition. Building on this successful racing tradition and the growing interest in motor racing, we will demonstrate the Ford Focus TDCi’s superior technical capability and dynamic nature in the country,” Baker said.

“This latest innovation from Ford affirms the Focus TDCi’s advanced ’street to track’ technology, with its winning combination of acceleration, handling and braking capability. The speed and passion embodied in racing fulfills our thrust to making cars that replace the drudgery of the everyday commute, with the intense thrill of driving,” he added.

Ford is quick to add that the new Focus TDCi is not a fuel-guzzler. According to them, it has “best-in-class fuel economy benefits, as proven with the recent fuel economy and endurance run conducted by TRS in various parts of the country.”

This endurance run was done under the watchful eyes of representatives from the Automobile Association Philippines and the Department of Transportation and Communications. The run covered “different terrain, road and weather conditions. The provincial runs ended at the North Luzon Expressway while the entire drive campaign culminated in Metro Manila.”

The Ford Focus TDCi went head to head against another subcompact sedan for almost three weeks. No repairs were done on the cars, which were carrying two passengers and two pieces of luggage.

The numbers from the test put the Ford Focus TDCi at “29.61 kilometers per liter or KPL, for the best all highway run, 16.69 KPL for the best all city run, average of 20.17 KPL per 10,000 KM mark: Total kilometers over total liters of 19.50 KPL.”