In 2002, Ford launched its highest performance version of the Focus, called the Focus RS.

The car was launched as a three-door hatchback, four-door sedan, and five-door wagon a five-door hatchback debuted in 2001. The project manager for the Ford Focus at Dunton was Rose Mary Farenden.įord of North America began marketing the Focus in September 1999 for the 2000 model year, with some changes from the European version. The Focus MK1 was awarded the 1999 European Car of the Year award. This eleventh-hour dispute was resolved, however, and the car was launched with the name Focus.įord of Europe introduced the Focus in 1998 to the European market as a replacement for the Ford Escort.

A last-minute problem arose in July 1998 when a Cologne court, responding to a case brought by the publisher Burda, ordered Ford to avoid the name 'Focus' for the cars in the German market since the name was already taken by one of its magazines ( Focus). The decision to name the new car the 'Ford Focus' was made in early 1998, as Ford's senior management had been planning to keep the 'Escort' nameplate for its new generation of small family cars. Production of the fourth generation Focus began in 2018 in Germany and China. The original Focus was primarily designed by Ford of Europe's German and British teams. It was created under Alexander Trotman's Ford 2000 plan, which aimed to globalize model development and sell one compact vehicle worldwide.

The Ford Focus is a compact car ( C-segment in Europe) manufactured by Ford Motor Company since 1998. Front-engine, front-wheel drive or Front-engine, four-wheel-drive (MK3 RS Only)įord Escort (Europe, North America and Argentina)

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