Ford Focus

Ford Finalizes Focus Family

DETROIT - Ford Motor Company officially unveiled North American variants of the Ford Focus during a press conference here Monday morning. The Focus, the first true world car from Ford, is already on sale in Europe where it won the 1999 Car of the Year award. It is due in U.S. showrooms this fall, replacing the Escort.

Dubbed "the Model T for the 21st Century" by William Ford, Chairman of the company, the Focus will be available in three variants: three-door hatchback, four-door sedan and five-door wagon. Designed to change customer expectations in the compact-car class, according to Richard Parry-Jones, Vice President of Worldwide Product Development, the Focus is refined, safe, distinctive, affordable, easy-to-own and fun-to-drive.

Hatchbacks will come in well-equipped base and sporty ZX3 trim. Sedans can be had with LX, SE or ZTS decor. Wagons come only in SE guise. A 2.0-liter, single-overhead-cam, four-cylinder engine is standard, making 107 horsepower. Optional is a 2.0-liter, double-overhead-cam, four-cylinder engine called the Zetec. This engine makes 130 horsepower. A five-speed manual transmission is standard with either powerplant, while a four-speed automatic is optional.

Engineered in Europe, the Focus should prove to be as fun to toss around as its larger sibling, the Contour. Styling epitomizes Ford's New Edge philosophy of combining rounded forms with sharply creased detail. The cars look great up close and personal, and should inject a bit a personality and flair into what is often a staid segment of the marketplace.

Inside, you'll find logically placed controls and switches, with rubberized knobs and pleasant feeling buttons. The stereo is located high in the dash for ease of use. Focus has been designed to accommodate taller adults, with elevated seating positions, tall and wide doors, a high roofline and a long wheelbase. Larger inside than others in the class, the spacious Focus wagon boasts 37.5 cubic feet of cargo room with the rear seat raised.

Focus also boasts a stiff, lightweight structure, making the car feel more solid while helping improve efficiency and performance. Environmentally conscious consumers should take note that the Focus exceeds low-emission vehicle standards and employs recycled consumer goods in the construction of many components.

Safety was a primary design goal. Engineered to meet all standards in North America and Europe, the Focus provides occupants with an advanced seatbelt system that includes pre-tensioners and load-limiting retractors. ISOFIX child safety seat attachments are included in the rear seat, and buyers can opt for head-and-chest side airbags. Parry-Jones is confident that the Focus, which meets more than 100 crash criteria in the U.S. and abroad, will achieve the highest crash-test rating when the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration scores the Focus after production for North America has started.

Ford officials called the new Focus "secure, safe, spacious and stylish." We agree. Not many will miss the frumpy Escort.