Ford Focus III estate (C346) with Menabo Leopard Silver XL bars and Menabo Mania roof box

On a Ford Focus III estate (C346) with roof rails we fitted Menabo Leopard Silver XL roof bars and a Menabo Mania 460 ABS Black roof box. The fitting was done in the SuportBicicleta.ro showroom at Drumul Lunca Corbului 2, Sector 3, Bucharest, Romania.

About the car: Ford Focus III Estate (C346)

The Ford Focus III has the internal code C346 and uses the Ford global C-car platform. For Europe, production started in December 2010, at Saarlouis in Germany. At launch the saloon and the hatchback were shown, and the 5-door estate was presented a month later, at the Geneva Motor Show. In 2014, also at Geneva, Ford presented the Mk 3.5 facelift, with slimmer headlights and a new trapezoidal grille.

The Focus III estate exists both with and without roof rails. The car in this fitting has them, and that changes the choice completely: instead of a kit that hooks onto the door frames, the roof bars fix directly onto the rails on the roof. The Leopard set we used is made precisely for the integrated rail-type roof rails of the Focus III Estate 2011-2014.

What we fitted on this Ford Focus III estate

Menabo Leopard Silver XL roof bars for Ford Focus III Estate 2011-2014 are made of aluminium, are 1,350 mm long and have an aerodynamic wing-shaped section 80 mm wide and 30 mm high, which helps to reduce noise and air resistance. The 20 mm T-track for the T-bolt fitting runs the full length of the bar. The set weighs 5 kg, carries 75 kg, has 4 locks with keys and is TÜV and ISO/PAS 11154:2006 approved.

On the roof bars we put Menabo Mania 460 ABS Black roof box, glossy black, with 460 litres and a maximum load of 75 kg. The box comes with both the 60 mm U-bolt and the 20 mm T-bolt system, and the Leopard bars have the 20 mm T-track that the T-bolt fitting goes into. The box has a lock, opens on one side and weighs 20.2 kg; its product page lists it as compatible with Menabo Leopard bars.

Video: Menabo Leopard roof bars

Video: Menabo Mania roof box presentation

Technical details and what to watch for

• Load sum: 75 kg carried by the Leopard bars minus the 20.2 kg the Mania box weighs leaves about 54.8 kg for luggage.
• Weight on the roof without luggage: 5 kg for the bars plus 20.2 kg for the box, that is 25.2 kg.
• Menabo states that the maximum load can differ depending on the car; also check the specifications given by Ford for the Focus III estate.
• For wider bars, the Mania box optionally accepts the 80 mm U-bolt fitting, item 000065000000.
• With the box on the roof the car gets taller; watch out for garages.
• The manual for the Mania box is a PDF on the product page; for the Leopard bars, the manual comes in the box.

Instructions and documents

• MENABO MANIA MARATHON 400 460 fitting instructions (PDF)
• Menabo Mania 400L 460L specifications (PDF)
• Menabo Mania specifications 2 (PDF)

Frequently asked questions

Which roof bars fit the Ford Focus III estate with roof rails?

On the Ford Focus III Estate 2011-2014 with integrated roof rails, you fit roof bars that fix onto these rails. We used Menabo Leopard Silver XL, aluminium bars 1,350 mm long with an aerodynamic profile and a maximum load of 75 kg.

How many kilograms of luggage fit in the Menabo Mania 460 box on a Ford Focus III?

The Menabo Mania 460 box holds 460 litres and has a maximum load of 75 kg, but it weighs 20.2 kg itself. On the 75 kg Menabo Leopard bars of the Ford Focus III estate, that leaves about 54.8 kg for luggage.

How does the Menabo Mania box fix to the Menabo Leopard bars?

The Menabo Mania 460 box comes with two fitting systems in the box, a 60 mm U-bolt and a 20 mm T-bolt. The Menabo Leopard bars have a 20 mm T-track along their full length, so they accept the T-bolt fitting, and the product page of the box confirms compatibility with Leopard bars.

Do the Menabo Leopard bars make noise on the Ford Focus III?

The Menabo Leopard bars have a wing-shaped profile, which helps to reduce noise and air resistance, but any accessory on the roof changes the aerodynamics of the car. Speed matters too, and Menabo indicates a maximum of 130 km/h; details in the guide Why do my roof bars make noise while driving?

We are waiting for you in the showroom

Setting off with a Focus estate and need extra space? We are waiting for you in the SuportBicicleta.ro showroom at Drumul Lunca Corbului 2, Sector 3, Bucharest, Romania. On the site you will find roof bars for all types of roof and roof boxes in several sizes, and at contact us through our contact page or at [email protected] and we will help you.

You can also message us on WhatsApp.

Sources: Wikipedia, Ford Focus (third generation) · SuportBicicleta.ro, Why do my roof bars make noise while driving? · product pages on suportbicicleta.ro