Ford’s new model to Focus on expanding its appeal

The new Ford Focus range is on sale in the UK from March.

FORD’S all-new Focus goes on sale in the UK in March, with a choice of a 5-door hatchback or 5-door estate.
The company has sold over 1.4 million examples in Britain since its launch in 1998, which has seen the Ford Focus has become a favourite with motorists of all ages.
However, the new model is getting mixed reviews from the pundits so far – I will let you know what it’s really like after I’ve driven it in Spain on the international launch in a few weeks’ time.
Ford Europe’s chairman, Stephen T. Odell, said: “We are very excited about introducing the new Ford Focus to the European market given the strong heritage this model has here.
“With its desirable combination of dynamic design, outstanding driver appeal, unmatched levels of technology and impressive fuel economy, we believe that the new car will not only delight our existing customers but also expand the appeal of the Focus brand to a whole new generation of Ford customers.”
Developed in Europe, for sale in over 120 markets worldwide with 80 per cent parts commonality, the next-generation Focus is the first model created from Ford Motor Company’s new global C segment platform.  This platform will underpin at least 10 vehicles around the world and account for two million units of annual production by 2012.
The Focus bodystyles share a sporty and dynamic character, marking the next evolution of Ford’s kinetic design form language, which has contributed to the popularity of the company’s latest small and medium global cars.
At 1,484mm high (on 17-inch wheels), 4,358mm long and 1,823mm wide (without mirrors), the new 5-Door model is 16mm lower, 21mm longer and 16mm narrower than the current Focus.  Its wheelbase is 8mm longer at 2,648mm.
The dynamic quality of the exterior is reinforced by the distinctive design of the interior. The new Focus has a modern, cockpit-style interior incorporating Ford’s latest generation Human Machine Interface (HMI) system with twin five-way toggle switches on the steering wheel controlling the two main vehicle displays located in the instrument cluster and high in the centre of the instrument panel.
When it was introduced in 1998, the original Ford Focus brought new levels of agility and responsiveness to the C segment and the next-generation Focus says it is aiming to raise the benchmark once more. An advanced Torque Vectoring Control system fitted as standard enhances cornering stability and agility and Ford engineers have also retuned and enhanced the innovative suspension concepts, developing optimised new designs for the ‘Control Blade’ multilink rear suspension and the semi-isolated front subframe. The chassis design incorporates a completely new Electric Power Assist Steering system.

The new Focus will available as either a 5-door hatch or estate.

The new Ford Focus which is on sale from March.