Following its unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Ford has announced that a new version of its family favourite will begin rolling off production lines from the end of 2007.
Three-door, four-door, five-door and estate body styles will be first in UK showrooms, Coupé-Cabriolet and ST sporting flagship variants arriving in spring 2008.
Benefiting from Ford’s ‘kinetic design’ approach to styling, the 2008 Focus takes its inspiration from the critically acclaimed new Mondeo.

Working from the front towards the rear, trapezoidal grilles, swept back headlamps, bold wheel arches, newly shaped rear glass, a contoured tailgate and new tail lamps are the key changes. Higher trim grades benefit from chrome detailing and a stylish, body-coloured upper rear spoiler.
 Inside, the upmarket aura continues. New soft-touch plastics now cover the instrument panel as well as the upper front door trim and this is complemented by plush new seat fabrics plus a variety of attractive fascia finishing's.
The instrumentation has been re-designed too and, along with all other interior controls, is illuminated in red. Controls for the upgraded audio equipment and two-zone air conditioning have also been ergonomically improved.
The Titanium now includes a newly designed centre console optional with Zetec and part of the Sport Pack, which adopts the flowing 'kinetic design' look. In addition to a movable armrest and a four-litre-capacity storage compartment, there are storage areas for back-seat passengers or the facility to add optional items such as a 230 volt socket or the USB audio connection box.

The aesthetic appeal of Ford's latest Focus is matched by a range of mechanical introductions, including an all-new automated gearbox. The Ford PowerShift transmission will be available from early 2008 in the new Ford Focus as well as the Ford C-MAX, in combination with the 136PS and new 110PS versions of the 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi engine.
Jointly developed by Ford and transmission specialists GETRAG, the gearbox consists of two layshaft transmissions working in parallel, each with its own wet clutch unit so the next gear change can be prepared by pre-selection whilst in motion and at full power.
As a result, in this configuration, the average fuel consumption improves by around 10 per cent, and CO₂ emissions will be lower, compared to a conventional six-speed torque converter automatic transmission.
Another new development is the Focus "ECOnetic" which features an array of aerodynamic efficiencies and is powered by a 109 PS 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi with standard Diesel Particulate Filter.
Average consumption for the Focus ECOnetic is a frugal 65mpg. This corresponds to an average CO2 emission of only 115g/km, which is a class leading result for a conventional vehicle in this segment.
As a direct result of the Ford ECOnetic initiative, all Focus 1.6-litre TDCi variants will achieve 119g/km CO₂ and this is regardless of power rating, body style or wheel dimensions.
Flexifuel version of the 1.8-litre Duratec petrol four-cylinder engine can be fuelled with bio-ethanol E85-fuel as an alternative to conventional unleaded petrol – or in any mix of both. The Ford Focus range also includes compressed natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas derivatives both based on the 2.0-litre Duratec petrol engine.
The 2008 Ford Focus range will initially be offered across Studio, Style, Zetec and Titanium trim grades. More detailed information about the UK range and prices will be released close to the car's on-sale date.