Blue Oval Shines in Paris
September, 1998 -- The replacement for the Ford Escort, first revealed at the Geneva Auto Show earlier this year, was turning heads and sparking conversation today at the Paris Auto Show.
The Escort's replacement, dubbed the Ford Focus, offers Europeans a top-flight compact designed to compete against such hot-selling foreign models as the Peugeot 206 and Volkswagen Golf. Designed to be the best compact in every market it enters, the Focus has more in common with a midlevel family sedan than a bare-bones starter car.
Ford claims that the secret to the Focus' success is its long wheelbase and tall height, which gives the car more interior volume than any other compact. Despite the commodious cabin, the Focus' length isn't much greater than the Escort it replaces.
The Focus is the fourth New Edge design released in Europe. Like the Ka, Puma and Cougar, which is sold in the United States under the Mercury nameplate, the Focus' exterior is an interesting blend of sharp lines and gentle curves; it is certainly more interesting and appealing than the ovoid Escort.
Although Edmund's covered the unveiling of the Focus at the Geneva Auto Show, we were not able to crawl inside the car until it appeared in Paris. The Focus' interior has several improvements over the current Escort, including a redesigned center stack that dispenses with the ill-conceived Integrated Control Panel in favor of logically arranged stereo and climate controls. Rear passenger leg and headroom are also noticeably improved in the Focus.
In Europe, the Focus will be available with a cornucopia of high-end convenience and safety features, including Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) navigation and an Electronic Slip Protection (ESP) skid control system.
The Focus replaces the Escort in Europe for the '99 model year, and will be coming to the United States in time to usher in the new millennium. Although the Focus sold in the States may not have the same gee-whiz goodies as its European counterpart, it will undoubtedly raise the bar in the compact segment. The North American Focus will be on sedans and wagons, which will offer multiple engine choices including the 2.0-liter Zetec motor that currently powers the sporty Ford Escort ZX2.
September, 1998 -- The replacement for the Ford Escort, first revealed at the Geneva Auto Show earlier this year, was turning heads and sparking conversation today at the Paris Auto Show.
The Escort's replacement, dubbed the Ford Focus, offers Europeans a top-flight compact designed to compete against such hot-selling foreign models as the Peugeot 206 and Volkswagen Golf. Designed to be the best compact in every market it enters, the Focus has more in common with a midlevel family sedan than a bare-bones starter car.
Ford claims that the secret to the Focus' success is its long wheelbase and tall height, which gives the car more interior volume than any other compact. Despite the commodious cabin, the Focus' length isn't much greater than the Escort it replaces.
The Focus is the fourth New Edge design released in Europe. Like the Ka, Puma and Cougar, which is sold in the United States under the Mercury nameplate, the Focus' exterior is an interesting blend of sharp lines and gentle curves; it is certainly more interesting and appealing than the ovoid Escort.
Although Edmund's covered the unveiling of the Focus at the Geneva Auto Show, we were not able to crawl inside the car until it appeared in Paris. The Focus' interior has several improvements over the current Escort, including a redesigned center stack that dispenses with the ill-conceived Integrated Control Panel in favor of logically arranged stereo and climate controls. Rear passenger leg and headroom are also noticeably improved in the Focus.
In Europe, the Focus will be available with a cornucopia of high-end convenience and safety features, including Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) navigation and an Electronic Slip Protection (ESP) skid control system.
The Focus replaces the Escort in Europe for the '99 model year, and will be coming to the United States in time to usher in the new millennium. Although the Focus sold in the States may not have the same gee-whiz goodies as its European counterpart, it will undoubtedly raise the bar in the compact segment. The North American Focus will be on sedans and wagons, which will offer multiple engine choices including the 2.0-liter Zetec motor that currently powers the sporty Ford Escort ZX2.
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