It aims to lead Ford back to profitability. It's arguably the most important new vehicle for the make. The next Focus isn't due on sale until late this year, but today we can reveal all variants of the car as they will appear in the showrooms.
The Focus is coming to market rather late. VW has already brought on the new Golf, if to a rather lukewarm welcome, and Opel has launched a surprisingly good new Astra.
Taking styling cues from the C-MAX five-seater people carrier, Ford is off to a promising start. The mature look of the family favourite also has the feel of the recently facelifted Mondeo.
It's less daring than the model it replaces, and Ford has said in the past that it's certain the conservative makeover will improve the car's standing among more affluent buyers.
Ford also points out there will be many more Focus variants to choose from than before. During our photoshoot we caught the three- and five-door versions as well as the estate, sedan and the all-new cabrio-coupé.
Ford insiders are promising the car will also set new standards of performance, space and refinement in a class it already dominates. But that might not be enough. From what we have seen, the car will have a far bigger fight on its hands from rivals than ever before.
So how does the blue oval intend to keep its hatch ahead of the pack and retain its position as the best-selling car in Ireland?
Company sources claim a mix of internal design, engineering and driveability will hold the key.
Based on the new C1 platform, the new model will be longer and wider than before. On the basis of the C-MAX's crash protection, safety standards are expected to be very high, with Ford aiming to secure a five-star Euro-NCAP rating.
Entry-level models will be powered by an updated 1.6-litre Duratec, which has a proven history in the current car. However, the newcomer will debut 1.6 and 1.8-litre direct-injection petrol units offering variable valve timing, as well as fresh 1.6 and 2.0-litre TDCi diesel units.
At launch, the larger capacity diesel will be the most powerful engine available, with 135 bhp and 300 Nm of torque.
Ford is expected to supplement an uprated ESP system with four-wheel drive. Aimed at rivals such as the 4Motion Golf, this model is being secretly developed with the help of Bosch.
Three gearboxes will also be offered. The first is a conventional manual with six speeds. A new automatic is also expected, but most exciting of all is a fresh semi-automatic transmission similar to Audi's excellent new Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG).
Capable of changing ratios in the blink of an eye using paddles mounted behind the steering wheel, Ford is hoping that combined with the new chassis, the next generation Focus will retain the models' reputation for driver dynamics.
