<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/sedans/" rel="tag">Sedan</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/wagons/" rel="tag">Wagon</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/hatchbacks/" rel="tag">Hatchback</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/ford/" rel="tag">Ford</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-ford-focus/#3406573"><img vspace="4" hspace="0" border="1" alt="2012 Ford Focus" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/12/newfordfocus-08-630op.jpg" /></a>
<div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><small>2012 Ford Focus - Click above for high-res image gallery</small></strong></em></div>
<br />
The 2012 <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/focus">Ford Focus</a> is set to hit dealers early next year, and in addition to a cadre of standard and optional features, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/ford/">Ford</a> is equipping every new Focus with its new breed of "torque vectoring control."<br />
<br />
For the uninitiated, torque vectoring systems actively split power between the two driven wheels to maximize traction and increase performance. Some higher-end systems manipulate the output to each wheel through a set of electronically controlled gears, while others apply a subtle amount of braking to the inside wheel, causing more power to be sent to the outside wheel, thus helping rotate the vehicle through a turn. Ford is using the latter on the 2012 Focus, the first implementation of its kind on a Blue Oval model in North America.<br />
<br />
Thanks to the continued implementation of standard traction control systems, these torque vectoring setups are becoming more common and have finally reached the compact segment. While the benefits generally outweigh the negatives, we've found other brake-based systems have a tendency to overheat the pads, rotors and fluid when flogged long and hard enough (ahem, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/gti">GTI</a>). We'll be able to test it out for ourselves soon, so look for a full driving report in just over a month. In the meantime, get the full details in the press release <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/28/2012-ford-focus-equipped-with-brake-based-torque-vectoring/#continued">after the jump</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-ford-focus">2012 Ford Focus</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-ford-focus/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/newfordfocus-13_thumbnail.jpg" alt="2012 Ford Focus hatchback" title="2012 Ford Focus hatchback" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-ford-focus/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/newfordfocus-12_thumbnail.jpg" alt="2012 Ford Focus hatchback" title="2012 Ford Focus hatchback" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-ford-focus/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/newfordfocus-14_thumbnail.jpg" alt="2012 Ford Focus hatchback" title="2012 Ford Focus hatchback" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-ford-focus/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/newfordfocus-15_thumbnail.jpg" alt="2012 Ford Focus hatchback" title="2012 Ford Focus hatchback" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-ford-focus/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/newfordfocus-11_thumbnail.jpg" alt="2012 Ford Focus hatchback" title="2012 Ford Focus hatchback" /></a></div><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/28/2012-ford-focus-equipped-with-brake-based-torque-vectoring/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>2012 Ford Focus equipped with brake-based torque vectoring</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/28/2012-ford-focus-equipped-with-brake-based-torque-vectoring/">2012 Ford Focus equipped with brake-based torque vectoring</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/28/2012-ford-focus-equipped-with-brake-based-torque-vectoring/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19778370/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/28/2012-ford-focus-equipped-with-brake-based-torque-vectoring/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
More...
<div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><small>2012 Ford Focus - Click above for high-res image gallery</small></strong></em></div>
<br />
The 2012 <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/focus">Ford Focus</a> is set to hit dealers early next year, and in addition to a cadre of standard and optional features, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/ford/">Ford</a> is equipping every new Focus with its new breed of "torque vectoring control."<br />
<br />
For the uninitiated, torque vectoring systems actively split power between the two driven wheels to maximize traction and increase performance. Some higher-end systems manipulate the output to each wheel through a set of electronically controlled gears, while others apply a subtle amount of braking to the inside wheel, causing more power to be sent to the outside wheel, thus helping rotate the vehicle through a turn. Ford is using the latter on the 2012 Focus, the first implementation of its kind on a Blue Oval model in North America.<br />
<br />
Thanks to the continued implementation of standard traction control systems, these torque vectoring setups are becoming more common and have finally reached the compact segment. While the benefits generally outweigh the negatives, we've found other brake-based systems have a tendency to overheat the pads, rotors and fluid when flogged long and hard enough (ahem, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/gti">GTI</a>). We'll be able to test it out for ourselves soon, so look for a full driving report in just over a month. In the meantime, get the full details in the press release <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/28/2012-ford-focus-equipped-with-brake-based-torque-vectoring/#continued">after the jump</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-ford-focus">2012 Ford Focus</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-ford-focus/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/newfordfocus-13_thumbnail.jpg" alt="2012 Ford Focus hatchback" title="2012 Ford Focus hatchback" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-ford-focus/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/newfordfocus-12_thumbnail.jpg" alt="2012 Ford Focus hatchback" title="2012 Ford Focus hatchback" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-ford-focus/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/newfordfocus-14_thumbnail.jpg" alt="2012 Ford Focus hatchback" title="2012 Ford Focus hatchback" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-ford-focus/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/newfordfocus-15_thumbnail.jpg" alt="2012 Ford Focus hatchback" title="2012 Ford Focus hatchback" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-ford-focus/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/newfordfocus-11_thumbnail.jpg" alt="2012 Ford Focus hatchback" title="2012 Ford Focus hatchback" /></a></div><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/28/2012-ford-focus-equipped-with-brake-based-torque-vectoring/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>2012 Ford Focus equipped with brake-based torque vectoring</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/28/2012-ford-focus-equipped-with-brake-based-torque-vectoring/">2012 Ford Focus equipped with brake-based torque vectoring</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/28/2012-ford-focus-equipped-with-brake-based-torque-vectoring/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19778370/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/28/2012-ford-focus-equipped-with-brake-based-torque-vectoring/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
More...