• Ford reveals most advanced Focus ever – with innovative new and improved  technologies – at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona
• New Focus debuts in Europe with SYNC 2, Ford’s advanced in-car connectivity system that features high-resolution colour touch screen and advanced voice control for easier access to audio, navigation, climate control and mobile phones
• SYNC 2 enables drivers to talk to their car using simple, conversational language; MICHELIN guide helps with food choices
• New Focus also is the first Ford globally to offer the new hands-free Perpendicular Parking technology, which helps drivers reverse into spaces side-to-side with other cars

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 24, 2014 – Ford Motor Company today revealed at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona the advanced new Focus that will be the first European Ford vehicle to offer the voice-activated in-car connectivity system SYNC 2 that is among a suite of life-enhancing new technologies making their debut in Europe.

Ford’s advanced in-car connectivity system features a high-resolution, eight-inch colour touch screen and advanced voice control for easier access to audio, navigation, climate control and compatible mobile phones. SYNC 2’s navigation system 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 MICHELIN Green Guide.

SYNC is currently in more than eight million Ford vehicles on the road today since being launched in the U.S. in 2007. SYNC 2, the second generation of the system is more intuitive and enables drivers to issue simpler “one-shot” navigation destinations. Simply pushing the voice control button and saying “I’m hungry” will bring up a list of local restaurants.

The new Ford Focus elevates the world’s best-selling nameplate* with a bolder, more emotive exterior design, a finely crafted, intuitive new interior, and major fuel economy improvements.

“We weren’t satisfied with being No. 1; we wanted to blow people away with a stunning new version of the Focus that would build on this car’s reputation for introducing advanced technology,” said Stephen Odell, president of Ford of Europe, Middle East and Africa. “New Focus will enable people to seamlessly switch between touch screen and voice commands, and also to control more in-car systems than ever before, while keeping their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel.”

Advanced driving technologies
The new Focus is the first Ford to offer Perpendicular Parking, a new hands-free parking technology that 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 technologies that help drivers as they manoeuvre out of parking spaces:

• Cross Traffic Alert warns drivers reversing out of a parking space of vehicles that may soon be crossing behind them
• 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

New Focus also will be equipped for the first time with Ford’s MyKey technology. MyKey enables owners to programme a key – usually for younger drivers – that restricts the top speed, reduces the maximum volume of 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, which can help mitigate or prevent low-speed collisions.

Lighting the way
The improved Adaptive Front Lighting System 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 new Focus takes the model’s acclaimed fun-to-drive DNA up a level with enhanced handling and steering and also offers significantly improved fuel efficiency on many versions compared to the current model thanks to new powertrain options. The 120 PS 1.5-litre diesel PowerShift automatic that will be introduced next year will offer a 19 per cent improvement compared to the equivalent-powered current Focus. The new Focus equipped with the automatic transmission and award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine that also will be introduced next year will offer a 17 per cent improvement over the equivalent powered engine it will replace.

The new Ford Focus will go on sale in Europe in the second half of 2014. For further information on the new Ford Focus please follow this link www.newfocus.fordpresskits.com.

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*The Ford Focus is the best-selling vehicle nameplate in the world, based on Ford’s analysis of the latest Polk global vehicle registration data through the third quarter of 2013.

For further information on Ford at Mobile World Congress 2014 please follow this link http://mwc2014.fordpresskits.com