DETROIT - Ford Motor Co. is unveiling the 2012 Focus, a small sedan that is its first truly global car.
The new Focus, due in showrooms early next year, was designed and engineered to be sold worldwide using almost all the same parts, unlike past versions. It will be sold in Asia, the Americas, and Europe.
The aim is to keep costs down. The Focus also shows that gas mileage is a prime motivator for more frugal car buyers, and that small-car owners still want performance, quality, and a lot of features. Prices will be announced closer to the date the car arrives in showrooms.
Ford unveils the new four- and five-door Focuses today at the Detroit auto show. The cars are equipped with a new two-liter, four-cylinder engine and a six-speed automatic transmission. The company would not reveal gas mileage, but said it will be significantly better than the current North American Focus, which gets up to 35 miles per gallon on the highway.
It also has the same electronic-controlled suspension as the European Focus, which is generally known for having better handling than the US vehicles.
The new Focus’s interior is slightly larger than the current version’s, and Ford says it will be quieter than all vehicles in its class - even the Honda Accord, a mid-size car.
