Ford said its Focus remained the world’s best-selling vehicle in 2013, according to its own analysis of Polk new vehicle registration data from IHS Automotive.
The company is about to launch a facelifted four-door sedan version at the 2014 New York International Auto Show.
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Registrations of the compact Focus were up 8.1% to 1,097,618 cars sold worldwide last year. That compares with global sales of 1,014,965 in 2012.
China registrations were up 50% in 2013 to 403,219 vehicles, up from 268,354 vehicles in 2012. China now is responsible for just more than one out of three Focus vehicles sold globally, based on Polk data.
The updated four-door sedan and Electric in New York follows the Geneva Motor Show debut in March of the revised five-door hatchback. A new version of the performance Focus ST will be shown later this year.
Other changes for the US model line include the option of the I3 one-litre EcoBoost engine with a new six-speed manual transmission.
There’s an additional SE Sport trim package and MyKey will be standard on all versions. A heated steering wheel becomes a factory option along with new driver assist technology such as a rear camera.
Ford builds the Focus in eight plants on four continents. Factories in Germany, the United States, Russia, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan and Argentina have a combined capacity to build more than 1.5m cars annually at a rate of more than two per second.
Since the launch of Focus in 1998, the nameplate has sold more than 12m vehicles globally.
