In a message dated 8/8/99 3:40:34 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
macy@bblmail.psycha.upenn.edu writes:
<< Took the bent
Midget down to Villanova to participate in a Ride and Drive. Got to drive
a new Ford Focus around following a bunch of millionaires. Our own Allen
Heffner was there as well. And he actually saved my bacon. Thank you SO
VERY MUCH Allen!!
Any way about 2 PM I went to the boss and told him I had an opportunity
to see Bruce Springsteen but I needed to leave now. I had coverage for my
slot (Allen). His reaction "Why are you still here?" >>
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Great story Larry. Hope you catch up on your sleep by Tuesday.
The Ride & Drive was fun, but the New Ford Focus is just another
cookie-cutter car aimed at entry level car buyers. ($13K to $15K) Way
under-powered. Larry and I shared a 5 speed car with the lower powered (110
HP) 2L engine. The 130 HP Zetec engine is probably better, but not by much.
Two cars died completely during the demo, several lost their air conditioner,
some lost all electrical power, and a fuel gauge broke on one. Not too bad
out of 156 cars being shown and driven. It cost Ford $25 million to put on
this show!
I addition to us "locals" they have professional drivers to lead the groups
around town on the test drives. The guy I worked with is an instructor at
Bondurant's School of High Performance Driving, and he does stunt driving for
movies.
This car is being demo'd to dealers before it's intro this fall. It could be
a good, cheap enthusiast car if they would put a Zetec turbo, 5 speed, full
instruments and better brakes in the 3 door hatchback model. They had no
hatchbacks in the demo, and the turbo isn't available in the states. The big
guys at Ford just don't think like us.
A fun day, a free shirt, and $125 for working. I'll do it again.
Allen Hefner
'77 Midget
'92 Mitsubishi Expo LRV Sport
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