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New Models
AUTOS: Ford Unveils New Generation Focus
Global compact car will be launched around the world simultaneously as 2011 model.
SPEED Staff  |  Posted January 11, 2010   Detroit, MI
The latest Ford Focus was introduced at the Detroit Auto who by Alan Mulally (left), president and CEO, and William Clay Ford Jr., executive chairman. (Photo: Ford)
The next-generation Ford Focus made its worldwide debut today at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, providing customers with more affordable technologies and features than ever in this segment, as well as detailed craftsmanship, outstanding fuel economy and a new standard for driving quality.

The four-door sedan and five-door hatchback body styles of the next-generation Focus are previewed prior to their production start for Europe and North America late in 2010 and market launch early in 2011.

The new Focus will be nearly identical in all markets, with 80 percent parts commonality around the world.

“The new Ford Focus is a clear demonstration that our ONE Ford strategy is providing global consumers with great products that harness the best of Ford Motor Company,” said Alan Mulally, Ford’s president and CEO.

The Focus hatchback is designed to convey a sporty image with versatile capacity. (Photo: Ford)
“The efficiencies generated by our new global C-car platform will enable us to provide Ford Focus customers with an affordable product offering quality, fuel efficiency, safety and technology beyond their expectations,” he added.

The two models share a sporty and dynamic character, Ford said, marking the next evolution of Ford’s kinetic-design form language, which has contributed to the growing popularity of the company’s latest small and medium cars.

“The all-new Focus is at the center of convergence for automotive trends,” said J Mays, Ford group vice president of Design and chief creative officer. “We’ve designed it with an acute understanding of global customers, yet it’s tailored for each individual region. Focus combines the best from Europe, North America and Asia to deliver a level of emotional driving enjoyment never before experienced in a car this size.”

This dynamic quality is reinforced by the distinctive design of the interior, according to Ford. The new Focus has an extremely modern, cockpit-style interior, with the stylish center console wrapped around the driver and providing outstanding access to the vehicle’s major controls and display panels.

Engineers have updated the innovative suspension concepts from prior models, developing optimized new designs for the “control blade” multilink rear suspension and semi-isolated front and rear subframes.

The chassis design is complemented by a c new electric power-steering system, designed for precise responses at high speed while remaining light and maneuverable for parking.

Ford’s European driving dynamics specialists have enhanced cornering stability and agility with the introduction of an advanced Dynamic Cornering Control system, which uses “torque vectoring” techniques to transfer power between the drive wheels to deliver reduced understeer, improved traction and better turn-in.

The global powertrain lineup for the new Focus will include a range of state-of-the-art Ford EcoBoost four-cylinder turbocharged direct-injection engines that offer reductions in fuel consumption of between 10 and 20 percent compared with the outgoing models.

For the NAIAS preview, Ford is showing a completely new 2.0-liter gasoline engine for the North American market that features direct injection and Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) for enhanced performance and fuel efficiency. The engine is up to 20 horsepower more powerful than the current 2-liter Duratec I-4 while contributing to projected fuel economy gains of more than 10 percent.

Within the cockpit, the most significant innovation is the company’s next-generation driver connect technology, MyFord, which provides the driver with a combination of controls and display screens to operate key vehicle features.


Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale: Jan 19th-24th
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