Classic Rides Photography gets in Focus

Today, Classic Rides Photography was not only behind the camera, but behind the wheel. That wheel belonged to the new 2012 Ford Focus. The event is called the Focus Target Hunt, where participants can drive a 2012 Ford Focus through a cone-laden track with targets and sensors that sound off with a gnarly guitar riff every time you hit the target. The goal for the driver is to score as many points as possible. The goal for Ford is to offer the buying public a fun forum to test drive the new Focus. And by incorporating social media, share that fun experience with all your friends. Ford is providing a video of each experience to the drivers, that they can then share on Facebook and/or YouTube. 

It was time for us to give the track a run. We buckled into the white Focus hatchback - which we prefer to the sedan due to its sportier profile, and could not help but be impressed with the attractive interior of this vehicle. The Titanium Package equipped interior was roomy and had all the bells and whistles expected of today’s drivers. At the first challenge, we checked out the large monitor atop the center stack as we put the car in reverse and the rearview camera kicked on. As we drove the vehicle thru the roundabout and into the slalom we found it to be responsive and well balanced.  Overall we felt that the new Focus is a good looking vehicle that handles well and offers all of the extras that are available in higher end cars. Ford also says it will get up to 40 highway mpg which isn't bad either. Ok, now that we had checked out the features of the new Focus, it was time for our second and final lap and time to break our previous score…game face on.

Some over-achievers took the scoring way too seriously; backing up repeatedly to make sure they scored the maximum number of points. While we are not sure what that says about their driving skills, judging by the amount of laughter coming from the car, they were having fun and we think that’s the point. If this effort can increase awareness of the new and improved Focus and use social media to spread that fun experience and make it contagious…we think Ford will have indeed hit the target – queue gnarly guitar riff.