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Developed in Europe, for sale in more than 120 markets worldwide with 80 per cent parts commonality, the next-generation Focus is the hero model created from Ford Motor Company’s new global small car platform.

The eagerly awaited, all-new Ford Focus has arrived in New Zealand dealerships. The initial two-model line up consists of a fi ve-door hatchback and four-door sedan. A wagon will arrive in March 2012.

Following an unprecedented global development programme under the company’s One Ford strategy, the next-generation Focus is set to continue the successful tradition of its predecessors.

“The all-new Focus raises the bar for expressive design, affordable innovation, superior quality, responsive performance and exceptional fuel economy,” said Chris Masterson, marketing manager, Ford New Zealand.

Distinguished by its sleek and sporty design, the new Focus is packed with more technologies and features than ever previously offered by Ford in this market segment.

“A year ago, we shared our vision for a new generation of small cars from a common global platform,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president for Global Product Development. This platform will underpin at least 10 vehicles around the world and account for two million units of annual production by 2012.

Volume production has already commenced at assembly plants in Saarlouis (Germany) and Michigan
(USA). European production is also being expanded at the assembly plant in St. Petersburg (Russia) which has started building the four-door and fi ve-door models.

New Zealand Focus models are sourced from the Saarlouis plant. Innovations available on the all new Focus for New Zealand, depending on model, include Active Park Assist, cruise control with Adjustable Speed Limiting Device, keyless entry system with push button start, and Adaptive Cruise Control. Active Park Assist is a semi-automatic parallel parking system that uses sensors around the vehicle and the new Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) system to guide the vehicle into place.

It measures the length and depth of the chosen parking space and then steers itself into position, while the driver controls the accelerator, brake and gear selection. Passive safety features include a new generation of advanced airbag restraint systems with driver and front passenger airbags, side front airbags and side curtain airbags for front- and rear-seat occupants, as well as an exceptionally strong and light steel body shell.

The cabin’s bold and contemporary graphics, the sculptured shape of the soft-touch instrument panel and the choice of superior trim materials all help to give occupants the feeling that they are travelling in a premium class car.

Three engines are on offer: an all-new 2.0-litre GDi (gasoline direct injection) petrol engine, and an updated 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi common rail turbo diesel engine is also part of the line-up. Both engines are matched to the latest six-speed PowerShift automatic transmission.

The third engine is a 1.6-litre Duratec Ti-VCT engine (only available on the Ambiente model), which is the fuel economy leader for the new Focus range, providing a reduction in fuel consumption of more than 15 per cent compared to the outgoing model.