Dynamic All-New Ford Focus Set To Make Its Australian Debut

The dynamic all-new Ford Focus is available in Australia in August, with an exciting two-model line-up featuring a sporty five-door hatchback and sleek four-door sedan.
By: Ford Australia
 
May 29, 2011 - PRLog --
All-new Focus comes to market with two exciting bodystyles, three powertrains and four specification levels, including a new high-series Titanium variant
New Focus combines dynamic design and exceptional array of smart new technologies with high levels of craftsmanship, outstanding occupant safety and further advances in acclaimed levels of driving quality
Offers a range of advanced technologies including Active Park Assist and Torque Vectoring Control
Fuel-efficient, low-CO2 powertrains including new 2.0-litre GDi direct injection petrol engine and completely updated 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel engine, both available with latest six-speed PowerShift automatic transmission

MELBOURNE, Australia, 02 May, 2011

The dynamic all-new Ford Focus (http://www.ford.com.au/servlet/Satellite?c=DFYPage&cid=1248884728196&pagename=FOA%2Fcontroller&site=FOA) is on its way to Australia and will come to market in August, with an exciting two-model line-up featuring a sporty five-door hatchback and sleek four-door sedan.

The all-new Focus is a key element of the Ford product portfolio in Australia and has been expanded to include a new high-series Titanium variant, offering luxury levels of convenience and comfort that will please buyers shifting from larger and luxury-class vehicles.

With over 10 million units sold since its introduction in 1998, the Ford Focus has become a firm favourite with consumers worldwide for its outstanding value, comfort and safety, and above all, for being great fun to drive.

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

“In every world market where Focus competes, customers are looking for expressive design, affordable innovation, superior quality, responsive performance and exceptional fuel economy,” said Bob Graziano, President and CEO, Ford Australia.

“In Australia, the all-new Focus presents all these elements in an outstanding package. It will raise the bar in these areas and deliver a new level of standard and available content, enabled by its global scale.”

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

“The new Focus is evidence of One Ford in action, and truly represents the best of Ford Motor Company,” Graziano said.

“Our investment in a new global small car platform is enabling us to provide consumers in Australia, and around the world, with an affordable range of cars which offer quality, fuel efficiency, safety and smart technology beyond their expectations.”

Developed in Europe, for sale worldwide
Developed in Europe, for sale in over 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.  This platform will underpin at least ten vehicles around the world and account for two million units of annual production by 2012.

“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.

“We've delivered the all-new C-MAX and Grand C-MAX for the European markets and with the all-new Focus we’re demonstrating the possibilities this new global approach has for transforming the core of the Ford product lineup around the world.”

Volume production has already commenced at the lead Ford Focus assembly plants in Saarlouis (Germany) and Michigan (USA).

European production will be expanded in mid-2011 when the assembly plant in St. Petersburg (Russia) starts building the four-door and five-door models.

Australian Focus models (http://www.ford.com.au/servlet/Satellite?c=DFYPage&cid=12...) will be sourced from the lead European assembly plant in Saarlouis.

Striking, streamlined design
Both new Focus bodystyles share a sporty and dynamic character, marking the next evolution of Ford’s acclaimed kinetic design form language, which has contributed to the growing popularity of the company’s latest small and medium global cars.

With its striking front end, sleek profile, dramatic rising beltline and athletic stance, the new Focus clearly signals the rewarding driving experience that awaits customers when they take to the road.

The all-new Focus sedan has a drag coefficient as low as 0.295, compared to 0.320 for the current model. The streamlined Focus shape and steeply raked windscreen contribute to significantly reduced drag, while optimised aerodynamics help reduce wind noise at speed and contribute to improved fuel efficiency.

Noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels have been reduced and driving dynamics improved by the increased stiffness of the body structure, with 30 per cent greater rigidity than the previous Focus model.

Stylish, functional interior
The dynamic quality of the exterior is reinforced by the distinctive design of the interior. The new Focus has a modern, cockpit-style interior, with the stylish centre console wrapped around the driver and providing outstanding access to the vehicle’s major controls.

Ford’s latest-generation Human Machine Interface (HMI) system is used within the cockpit, 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.

The interior combines outstanding functionality with outstanding craftsmanship. 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.

Smart technology enhances convenience and safety
The global scale of Ford’s small car program makes additional technologies and features more economically viable for cars in this segment.  This unprecedented technology investment is aimed at ensuring the new Focus offers customers an exciting array of advanced features generally found only in larger, more expensive vehicles.

While the number of features offered in each market will vary according to local customer demand and acceptance, the full range of technologies has been engineered for the new Focus.

Smart innovations available on the all-new Focus for Australia include Active Park Assist, cruise control with Adjustable Speed Limiting Device (ASLD), 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 bodyshell.

The new bodyshell makes use of more high-strength steels than any previous Ford.

High strength steels comprise 55 per cent of the body shell and more than 26 per cent of the vehicle structure is formed from ultra high-strength and Boron steels. These advanced materials help the structure meet the most stringent crash legislation across world markets while minimising overall vehicle weight.

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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (http://www.ford.com.au), a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products in Australia, please visit www.ford.com.au (http://www.ford.com.au)
End
Source:Ford Australia
Email:***@gmail.com
Tags:Ford, Ford Focus, New Car, Luxury Car, Australia
Industry:Automotive
Location:Victoria - Australia
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