Ford took the wraps off its redesigned Focus line - for sale worldwide - at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit on Monday. The automaker said the new generation models would be "nearly identical" in all markets, with 80% of parts common.

That was the case with the original 1998 Focus ('99 in North America) but the versions for US, Canada and Mexico eventually went their own way with hatchback and wagon  versions eventually being supplanted by sedan and coupe styles. There were also a lot of quality problems with the earlier cars - the Focus was at one time the most-recalled car in the US. Meanwhile, 'European' versions were redesigned for 2004 on a new platform shared with Mazda and Volvo; American versions stayed on a modified 'mark one' platform.

All that changes with generation three which makes its US debut with both the sedan body style popular there and in emerging markets such as China, Brazil and India and the hatchback most European buyers opt for.

The model is the first of a new generation of 10 global C-segment cars, all on a common platform, that will account for 2m units of annual production by 2012. The first of these will be the redesigned C-Max and Grand C-Max launched last September at the Frankfurt show which will be launched in Europe in the second half of this year.

Focus sales start in North America, Europe and China early in 2011 after simultaneous production starts in three countries later this year.

The Focus will follow the European-designed Fiesta across the Atlantic under the One Ford programme developed under the automaker's president and CEO Alan Mulally who said the strategy "is providing global consumers with great products that harness the best of Ford Motor Company".

"The efficiencies generated by our new global C-car platform will enable us to provide Focus customers with an affordable product offering quality, fuel efficiency, safety and technology beyond their expectations," he added.

The new Focus will be one of up to 10 unique models to be built from Ford's new C-car platform, which is expected to generate total sales in all regions of two million units annually by 2012.

"Global customers increasingly want smaller cars with outstanding fuel economy, but without sacrificing any of the style, technology, connectivity and driving quality they demand from larger vehicles," said global product development chief Derrick Kuzak.

The Focus was developed by a global team, headed by the European small and medium vehicle development centre in Merkenich, near Cologne, Germany, with powertrain development led by a team at the technical centre in Dunton, England.

The teams drew on experience with the Fiesta and were helped by vehicle and powertrain technology specialists at the engineering centre in Dearborn, Michigan.

Ford said it aimed for distinctive styling and a high-quality interior. The suspension is updated and a new electric power assist steering system designed.

Chassis and suspension design is the same for all markets, and tweaked to suit regional preferences and tyre specifications.

Engine choice, of course, varies by market and will include the new EcoBoost four-cylinder turbocharged direct injection (DI) engines now being introduced in Europe -  including a 1.6-litre unit for that market - and a choice of updated Duratorq TDCi common rail diesel engines. All are claimed to reduce fuel consumption between 10 and 20% compared to the outgoing models.

Standard or optional technology will include MyFord, which attracted much favourable coverage at last week's consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, which provides a combination of controls and display screens to operate key vehicle featuresand a new version of the SYNC connectivity package developed with Microsoft, which includes a voice control system, Bluetooth and satellite navigation, and connections for devices such as phones and media players.