2012 Ford Focus Preview

New Focus is first fruit of Ford's new global "One-Ford" strategy

DETROIT, Michigan - We've never heard the word "global" used so often at a vehicle's unveiling.

But this shouldn't have been a surprise, we guess, as this new-generation Focus is the first vehicle to embody everything Ford hopes to achieve with its new "One Ford" vehicle strategy -- build and sell the same vehicle (with appropriate regional customization) everywhere in the world.


Ford designated its European design and engineering centre in Cologne, Germany, as its "Centre of Excellence" for global small car development. As such it was responsible to create the new C-car platform, which will eventually underpin 10 different models and account for 2 million units of annual production by 2012. The C-car segment is the largest vehicle segment there is -- accounting for one of every four cars sold worldwide.

The first model off the new platform is actually not Focus, but the crossovers Ford C-MAX and Ford Grand C-MAX (unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, and set for launch in Europe in the second half of 2010).

Production of Focus will begin simultaneously in Europe and North America in late 2010, with cars arriving by early 2011. Launches in Asia, Africa and South America will follow (122 countries in total). Initial production is set for the Saarlouis (Germany) and Wayne (Michigan) assembly plants. Also in line for C-vehicle production will be a yet-to-be-built plant in Chongquing (China), and current facilities in St.Petersburg (Russia) and Valencia (Spain).

But enough about its "globalness" -- let's check out the sheet metal...

Kinetic Sedan and 5-Door Hatch
Not surprisingly the design follows Ford's current "Kinetic" design language, created by Ford's European design director, Martin Smith. His team was also responsible for styling this Focus.

With Ford already showing that it intends to offer a range of family-orientated C-car variants (like C-MAX), Smith noted that this "created room for the next Focus to be more sporty, sleek and stylish".

As such, this car has a much lower profile than our current Focus, and attempts to telegraph a heightened commitment to driving pleasure.

According to Smith, the two North American models -- the four-door sedan and five-door hatchback -- were allowed to have more distinct personalities. He added that the models were designed simultaneously, side-by-side, to prevent the four-door from becoming simply a derivative of the five-door hatch.

While the hatch will dominate in most markets, Ford is predicting that the four-door will be the preferred ride in North America.