• Updated exterior design and redesigned interior bring a new level of sophistication and modernity to the new Focus
• Advanced technology, including new Perpendicular Park Assist, SYNC 2 and improved Active City Stop make the new Focus one of the most connected and smartest cars in its class
• New 1.5-liter and award-winning 1.0-liter EcoBoost engines offer powerful and advanced engine technologies in smart, efficient package
• Fuel-saving technologies like Auto-Start-Stop help make the new Focus more efficient
• Ford marks the sale of the 2 millionth Focus in China on April 18

The bold and dynamic new Ford Focus made its debut in China today, bringing a new level of sophistication, technology, efficiency and emotive design to China’s best-selling nameplate.

The new Focus, available in China and across Asia Pacific later this year, features a sleek updated design, new and improved driver assistance technologies and major fuel economy improvements, while keeping the fun-to-drive Ford DNA that has helped to make the Focus so popular around the world.

“The popularity of the current Focus shows just how well our products resonate with consumers in China,” said John Lawler, chairman and CEO, Ford China. “We wanted to build upon this popularity and offer our customers the perfect combination of advanced technology, modern design and leading fuel efficiency with compelling driving dynamics.”

“We are proud that Focus has been the best-selling nameplate in China for three consecutive years, and today we are honored to be delivering the 2 millionth Ford Focus to another valued and excited customer,” said Marin Burela, president, Changan Ford Automobile Co. “This exciting milestone marks the perfect time for us to bring the new Ford Focus to China.”

Sophisticated design
The stylish new exterior design of the Focus displays a bold new face of Ford with a new level of sophistication, whether as a four-door sedan or a five-door hatchback.

A lower, wider stance with an emphasis on horizontal lines is paired with a new hood that sweeps elegantly toward the signature trapezoidal grille, giving the car a bolder, more muscular presence on the road.

Slim front headlamps seamlessly connect the aggressive front end to the clean, flowing lines of its sides, which kick up at the rear window. The rear of the car has a sleek new fascia and tailgate arrangement, as well as thinner tail lamps, and a sculpted rear spoiler to enhance aerodynamics.

The refined and athletic exterior is complemented by a modern new interior. Ford designers paid particular attention to customer feedback on the current generation Focus, which called for a simpler, more intuitive interior with fewer controls and switches. The revised instrument panel and reorganization of switches results in a clean and mature interior design that allows drivers to effortlessly control the vehicle’s features.

The simplified interior offers more space with a variety of new convenient storage options for a more comfortable driving experience. The new Focus also offers impressive levels of cabin quietness, with sound deadening materials – including sound-insulating windshield glass, thicker side-window glass, thicker carpets, and improved engine insulation – for increased refinement.

Advanced technology
The Focus features a host of cutting-edge technology to help drivers stay connected and in control.

The new Focus will be available with Enhanced Active Park Assist, which builds upon Ford’s popular Parallel Park Assist with the addition of Perpendicular Park Assist. Once activated, the system scans for available parking spaces alongside other cars. When it finds one, the system takes control of the car’s steering to guide the vehicle into the space while the driver controls the shifting, braking and acceleration.

Enhanced Active Park Assist is made possible with the addition of two new ultrasonic sensors on the rear of the car, which also enables Cross Traffic Alert. Cross Traffic Alert warns drivers reversing from a parking space with three distinct warnings if the system detects a vehicle approaching within 14 meters on either side.

A wide variety of other driver assist technologies help to make the driving experience more convenient.

• Ford’s advanced connectivity system, SYNC 2, offers a smarter and safer way to stay connected. Drivers can link their smart phone and operate the car’s climate controls, entertainment system and navigation system with voice commands. A centrally placed, high resolution, eight-inch touchscreen puts even more control at the driver’s fingertips, with color-coded corners for easy menu navigation
• Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keeping Aid work together to help prevent drivers from accidentally drifting out of their lane when driving at high speeds. Forward-facing cameras detect if the vehicle is straying from its lane; if an unintentional lane departure is detected, Lane Keeping Aid applies steering torque to smoothly guide the vehicle back into its lane. If it does not detect an attempt to correct the drift, Lane Keeping Alert warns the driver with a vibration in the steering wheel.
• Improved Adaptive Front Lighting adjusts the beams of the headlights to best suit the conditions of the road. The smart system is able to assess a number of factors, such as external ambient lighting, objects on the road, vehicle speed and steering angle, and then adjust the headlights’ beam angle and intensity to one of seven settings. For example, at high speeds, a higher angle projects a longer, straighter beam for maximum visibility. When cornering at low speeds, the system projects a beam to the side of the road to help the driver spot pedestrians and cyclists
• Auto High Beams help to reduce distractions to other drivers, using windshield-mounted cameras to detect oncoming traffic and automatically switching between high-beam and low-beam settings
• The advanced Active City Stop system helps to mitigate low-speed collisions, such as those common in heavy traffic or in busy cities. A windshield-mounted sensor detects stationary objects and braking, slower-moving or stationary vehicles in front, and alerts the driver with a warning light on the windshield if a collision is likely. If the driver fails to take action immediately, the system pre-charges the brakes to maximize their effectiveness when applied, and can even apply the brakes automatically if no action is taken at all. The improved system in the new Focus is active below 50 km/h
• Ford MyKey helps drivers to encourage people who borrow their car, such as their children, to drive more safely. Owners can program a spare key to reduce the maximum speed of the vehicle, give an earlier low-fuel warning, limit the volume of the in-car entertainment or even disable it completely if the seatbelt is not fastened
• An improved Blind Spot Information System uses radar technology to alert the driver when another motorist is in the driver’s blind spot

Efficient, powerful and fun-to-drive
For the first time in China, the Focus will be available with one of two powerful and efficient EcoBoost engines, offering significant fuel economy and emissions improvements, as well as a naturally aspirated 1.6-liter petrol engine.

• For maximum performance, the new 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine offers more power than the current 2.0-liter naturally aspirated direct-injection engine with improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions. The new engine uses the core EcoBoost technologies of turbocharging, high-pressure direct fuel-injection and Twin-independent Variable Cam Timing alongside a new aluminum engine block
• For greater efficiency, Ford’s tried and tested 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine, which in 2014 was named the International Engine of the Year for an unprecedented third successive year, will also be offered in the new Focus. By bringing the smallest engine in the company’s growing EcoBoost family to the Focus, Ford is working to offer more choices for its customers in China

The new Focus maximizes the fuel efficiency of the EcoBoost engines with Auto Start-Stop technology, which saves fuel by switching the engine off when the vehicle idles, such as at a traffic light. The seamless system instantly restarts the engine when the driver releases the brake pedal.

Whichever engine customers choose, the new Focus takes the nameplate’s class-leading driving dynamics and fun-to-drive DNA to a new level with enhanced handling. Ford engineers have increased structural stiffness at the front, and carefully tuned the suspension and shock absorbers for a more solid and responsive vehicle that feels firmly connected to the road.

A more refined Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) system further improves the driving experience with light and manageable steering at low speeds and firmer, more precise steering at high speeds. Paddle shift controls enable drivers to change gears without taking their hands from the steering wheel for an enhanced feeling of performance.