Boron Extrication An in-depth look into vehicle extrication and rescues involving today's automobiles
2010 Focus Sedan
The 2010 Ford Focus Sedan has a reinforced steel safety cage. Ford does not state what, if any UHSS or Boron is used the body structure other than the bumper on this model. Just remember, Ford has stated that their “researchers are looking at the possibility of using more dual-phase and boron steels in roof rails, front rails, rocker panels and crossmembers.” So there is a good chance there could be a hidden UHSS in the Focus.
2010 Ford Focus Coupe
The 2010 Focus Coupe has earned the 5-Star award from the NHTSA. However, the award is for the Frontal Crash Test Rating for both the driver and passenger not side impact. This would lead me to think that there is very little UHSS or Boron used in the coupe.
The Next-Generation Ford Focus
Ford introduced the next-generation Ford Focus at the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, my hometown! The next-generation Focus is packed full of UHSS and Boron! Ford states that “High-strength steels are used extensively in the next-generation Focus body shell. High-strength steels comprise 55 percent of the body shell, and more than 26 percent of the vehicle’s structure is formed from ultra-high-strength and Boron steels – significantly more than any other Ford product. These advanced materials help the structure meet the most stringent crash legislation across world markets, while minimizing the vehicle’s weight.” This model does not go on sale until late 2010 but is expected to be a high volume car. This is a very common car for younger drivers who are involved in more traffic accidents than older drivers.
