Ford’s mid-life update for the popular C segment Focus includes several new engines for Europe, the new corporate nose already seen on the Fiesta and NAFTA Fusion, updated technology and driver aids and a simplified control layout with larger central display screen.
The new line made its public debut at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and will be at the Geneva show next week.
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The new engines for Europe are a 1.5-litre EcoBoost petrol engine and 1.5-litre TDCi diesel with fuel economy improved by up to 19% over current engines. There is also a new, 99g/km CO2 version of the I3 one-litre EcoBoost.
This new Focus is also destined for North America as a 2015 model year line where it will now also get the I3 engine previously sold there only in the Fiesta.
New driver aids include hands-free Perpendicular Parking technology which helps drivers reverse into spaces side-to-side with other cars; this was also introduced recently on Nissan’s redesigned Qashqai. Improved Active City Stop now works at speeds up to 50 km/h (30mph). Chassis changes include a stiffer front end, revised suspension, retuned shock absorbers, electric power steering and new electronic stability programme.
The updated line, on sale from the second half of 2014, also sees the European debut of the SYNC 2 in-car connectivity system.
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By GlobalDataAs well as the new nose, there is a rear new fascia and tailgate arrangement, as well as thinner tail lamps.
Ford said consumer feedback prompted a more intuitive cockpit layout, complemented by a steering wheel and central stack with fewer controls and switches. There is new black satin trim and chrome detailing.
A new centre storage console has more space plus a new sliding, integrated armrest. The new adjustable console accommodates a variety of bottles and cups with the capacity to simultaneously hold a one-litre water bottle and a 0.4-litre cup. Carpets and side window class are thicker while improved engine bay insulation also reduces cabin noise.
SYNC 2 has a high-resolution, eight-inch colour touch screen and voice control and also offers for the first time in Europe a split-screen display with detailed intersections, spoken street names, 3D highway junction and landmark views, and the Michelin guide and green guide. The system enables drivers to issue simpler one-shot navigation destinations, and to ask the system simply to ‘play’ a desired artist. Simply pushing the voice control button and saying “I’m hungry” will bring up a list of local restaurants with directions available.
Perpendicular Parking helps drivers reverse into spaces alongside other cars. The current Focus introduced parallel parking aid Active Park Assist that, at the push of a button, uses ultrasonic sensors to locate parking spaces and steer the vehicle while the driver controls the accelerator and brake. The addition of two new sensors to the rear of the new Focus enables Perpendicular Parking to operate in the same way.
The extra sensors also enable Ford to offer for the first time in Europe Cross Traffic Alert to warns drivers reversing out of a parking space of vehicles that may soon be crossing behind them. Operating with radar at a range of up to 40m (131ft), the system will issue three distinct warning signals if it detects a vehicle approaching.
Park-Out Assist helps drivers as they exit a parallel parking space. After the driver has chosen either the left or right hand side the system operates the steering while the driver operates the accelerator and brake
Ford also has improved the Active City Stop collision avoidance system which pre-charges the brakes and – if the driver still does not respond – reduces engine torque and automatically applies the brakes to reduce the impact of collisions. It has been enhanced to operate at speeds of up to 50km/h (30mph), compared to 30km/h (20mph) with the current version.
Ford also is introducing to Europe the Pre-Collision Assist system. This works in a similar way to Active City Stop but with a much greater vehicle detection range to support the driver at higher speeds, for example on the motorway, by issuing warnings and if necessary applying braking.
The current Adaptive Cruise Control technology enables Focus drivers to maintain a set distance from the vehicle ahead, even when that vehicle is travelling more slowly than the cruise speed. For occasions when Adaptive Cruise Control is not active, Ford is now introducing to Europe for the first time the new Distance Alert and Indication system, which enables drivers to set a preferred distance they would like to maintain with the vehicle ahead. Should the driver get any closer, the system issues a three-stage dashboard display warning – from grey to yellow to red before a chime is sounded.
The new Focus also will be equipped for the first time with MyKey technology. MyKey enables owners to programme a key – usually for younger drivers – that restricts the top speed, sets a lower maximum volume for the audio system and can disable it altogether if driver and passengers are not using safety belts. The system can prevent the driver from deactivating safety technologies such as Electronic Stability Control and Active City Stop.
The improved Adaptive Front Lighting System now adjusts the beams of the new Bi-Xenon HID headlamps to best suit the road layout. The system assesses the ambient light surrounding a vehicle, as well as objects in the road ahead and then adjusts the headlight beam angle and intensity to one of seven settings depending on the vehicle’s speed, steering angle and distance to an object in front.
At high speeds, such as on a motorway, the headlights will be raised to project a longer, straighter beam for visibility further ahead; in towns where speeds are lower and street lighting more intense, the beam will spread out downwards to more intensely illuminate the road immediately ahead. When cornering at lower speeds, the system will project a beam towards the side of the road to make cyclists and pedestrians more visible. The system will support drivers cornering at higher speeds by directing light further into the bend.
The Focus will have the new 1.5-litre EcoBoost petrol engine in 150PS and 180PS tunes while the 1.5-litre TDCi diesel will come with 95PS and 120PS outputs. The one-litre EcoBoost I3 petrol engine continues in 100 PS and 125 PS tunes plus a new 99g/km CO2 version claimed to be the first non-hybrid petrol engine in a family car in Europe to offer sub-100g/km CO2 emissions.
The 125PS one-litre and both 150PS and 180PS petrol EcoBoost engines will have a six-speed automatic transmission option from 2015 and the 1.5 diesel a six speed PowerShift (twin clutch automated manual).
The diesel will offer a 19% fuel economy improvement compared to the equivalent-powered current model. The automatic one-litre EcoBoost petrol engine will offer a 17% improvement over the equivalent powered engine it will replace. A 150 PS 2.0-litre TDCi diesel model will show a 14% improvement when specified with a manual gearbox (13% with automatic).
Paddle shift controls will be available as an option with all automatic and PowerShift transmissions, both diesel and petrol.
To meet growing customer demand for the Focus, which is sold in more than 140 markets, Ford has now ramped up capacity worldwide to build the car in eight plants on four continents. Factories in Germany, US, Russia, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan and Argentina have a combined capacity to produce more than 1.5m vehicles annually at a rate of more than two vehicles per minute. In Europe, Ford builds a new Focus every 90 seconds.
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