Ford Focus

The Ford Focus is a small family car manufactured by Ford first in Europe starting July 1998, then worldwide starting February 2000 (with its own model for North America in production until late 2010). A second generation launched in Europe in January 2005, received styling and engineering updates in January 2008, and is marketed globally outside North and South America. The third generation model will be sold globally upon its launch, first in Europe (late 2010) then in the Americas (early 2011).

In Europe, South America, North America and South Africa, the Focus replaced the Ford Escort. In Oceania and Asia, it replaced the Ford Laser.

Altogether, over 9.2 million Ford Focus vehicles in two generations have been sold worldwide since its 1998 launch in Europe.

Design and engineering

Codenamed CW170 during its development, and briefly known to some Ford contractors as the Ford Fusion , the original Focus took its eventual name from a Ghia concept car which was shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1991. Certain elements of the design had been seen even earlier in prototypes used by Ford to demonstrate forthcoming safety features, such as the eye-level rear lighting clusters. As a continuation of Ford's New Edge styling philosophy, first seen in the Ford Ka in 1996, and Ford Cougar in 1998, the Focus' styling had been often described as polarizing. The styling had been overseen by Jack Telnack and executed by Claude Lobo and Australian designer, John Doughty.

The decision to name the new car the Ford Focus was made in early 1998, as Ford's overheads had been planning to keep the Escort nameplate for its new generation of small family cars. A last minute problem arose in July 1998 when a Cologne court, responding to a case brought by the publishers Burda, ordered Ford to avoid the name "Focus" for the German market cars since the name was already taken by the publisher's Ford magazine.This eleventh hour dispute was overcome, however, and the car was launched without a different "German market" name.

Engines

European introduction

Petrol engines available were the well-proven 1.8 L and 2.0 L Zetec-E units from the Ford Mondeo and 1.4 L and 1.6 L versions of the Zetec-SE units found in the Ford Fiesta and Ford Puma. The ST170 and RS performance models used modified versions of the 2.0 L Zetec-E. Originally, the only diesel engine available was the Endura TDDI (a development of the old Deutz-designed motor which Ford had been using since the 1980s). This was replaced in 2002 by the Duratorq TDCI.

Transmissions

• 5-speed MTX-75 Manual (2.0, RS & 1.8 TDCi, 1.8 TDDi)
• 5-speed IB-5 Manual (1.4, 1.6, 1.8)
• 6-speed Getrag 285 Manual (ST170)
• 4-speed 4F27E Automatic (1.6, 2.0)