Ford Begins Countdown for the Launch of 2012 Focus ST Hot Hatch with New Video

Unless Ford is preparing an even bigger surpRiSe for us, the company's recent announcement on the unveiling of the "next performance Focus" at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show strongly suggests that we will see the final production version of the Focus ST in Germany.

But until then, Ford has unleashed yet another media campaign on the internet that marks the final (or at least we hope it’s the final…) countdown for the release of the new Focus ST, which we saw in showcar form in Paris last year.

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Frankfurt Preview: Ford Evos Concept Reveals Brand’s New Design Language [73 Photos]

Ford has gone ahead and revealed the Evos concept, which it claims, premieres the brand’s “first truly new global design language” developed under the One Ford product plan. Now, haven't we heard that before? If “New Edge” and “Kinetic Design” ring any bells, the answer to that question is yes…

According to automaker, the Evos' signature styling will form the basis for the next generation of Ford cars, minivans and crossovers, with the first actual production car to feature the new design language set to arrive in the market in 2012.

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Guess What Ford is Bringing to the Frankfurt Motor Show this Year?

The above rendering is the work of independent designer David Cardoso

While we wish Carscoop reader and independent designer David Cardoso the best of luck in his work, the 2013 Ford Focus Coupé Design Study that he drew up and which is pictured above, isn't the surprise that Ford is planning for this year's edition of the Frankfurt Motor Show.

However, it does represent the type of vehicle we will be seeing in less than a month's time in Germany.

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2014 Ford Focus RS Dreamed up as Three-Door Hot Hatch

Earlier this month, Ford's global boss for small cars, Gunnar Herrmann, confirmed the development of a next generation Focus RS. The news motivated Carscoop reader Lil-k Amaru to create a computer generated version of the future hot hatch. Read more »

Ford Green-Lights Next-Generation of Focus RS

We've yet to see the next Focus ST in final production trim, but Ford’s German vehicle line director for C-Segment models, Gunnar Herrmann, recently told Australian news site Drive that the company has given the green light for a high-performance RS version.

Built in limited numbers, the previous Focus RS was a 305HP, front-wheel drive hot hatch that wouldn’t look out of place in a WRC rally stage. Despite the fact that all that power was directed only to the front wheels, it handled extremely well partially thanks to Ford’s RevoKnuckle suspension.

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Ford to Launch Pure-Electric Focus in New York and California by the end of the Year

On Monday, a rumor spread over the web saying that Ford has delayed the launch of the 2012 Focus Electric in 17 of the initial 19 markets, and that the company would offer a limited number of vehicles only in California and New York by the end of the year, with the remaining markets to follow in spring of 2012. Read more »

Ford to Show Four World Premieres in Frankfurt Including New Concept and High-Performance Focus

As we are nearing closer and closer to the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, which will be held for the public from September 15 to 25, automakers are slowly releasing more details about their plans.

Today, Ford revealed that it is planning four global product presentations in Frankfurt including "a new design concept" and what the company described as "details of the next Focus performance car".

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Ford UK Announces Base 2012 Focus Studio with 85HP Priced Under £14k

Ford is widening the options for UK buyers of the all-new 2012 Focus by confirming the availability of a new entry-level model called Studio which will be priced at £13,995 when it arrives in September.

The company said the new Studio will replace the Focus Sport, a final special edition of the previous model that has been on sale since October 2010 reacting sales of 15,000 units.

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Ford Ditches CD Players on its New European Models

As digital music sales rise, compact discs seem to be heading the way of the cassette –for those of you old enough to remember them, that is. For example, in the UK digital sales account for 98% percent of the market. That’s evolution: just as the cassette made the 8-track player obsolete and then gave its place to CD-players, now purely digital content is making CD players a thing of the past. Read more »

2013 Ford Focus Coupé Design Study by David Cardoso

Ford is going full force with its latest generation Focus that is currently available in a variety of body styles including a five-door hatchback, a four-door sedan, a station wagon and a pair of MPVs that carry the C-MAX moniker.

A three-door hatchback is on its way while we have also heard talk about a convertible and possibly a compact coupe model.

Enter the world of independent designer David Cardoso whose previous work on conceptual studies includes the Renault Twist, Audi Hydron concept, Cobalt coupe and the Mitsubishi Flexis.

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Ford Begins Production of New Focus in Russia

Ford's Vsevolozhsk Plant near St. Petersburg in Russia has begun assembly of the firm’s new generation Focus. The five-door hatchback is the first member of the Focus family to roll off the assembly line in Russia with the four-door and station wagon variants to enter production in September and January, respectively. Read more »

Ford: More than 50,000 Cars with 1.6-liter EcoBoost Engine Sold in Europe

Since its introduction in late 2010, Ford’s new 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine has proven to be a hit with European consumers having sold more than 50,000 units. The engine, which is manufactured in Ford’s UK Bridgend plant, is available in six different models (Focus, Mondeo, C-MAX, Grand C-MAX, S-MAX and Galaxy). The company attributes its success to its blend of performance, economy and low CO2 emissions. Read more »

Ford’s Smallest Production Engine Ever: The New 1.0-liter EcoBoost Three-Cylinder Gasoline Unit

It took the Ford Motor Company a very long time to jump aboard the turbocharged engine bandwagon for mainstream, non-sport models, but now the Detroit automaker is going full speed ahead with the presentation of a full range of force-fed gasoline powerplants. Ford latest offering is a new 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine, the company’s first three-cylinder unit and its smallest production engine ever.

Designed by the engineering team at Ford’s Dunton Technical Centre in the U.K., the 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine promises to deliver performance of a larger four-cylinder unit with even higher fuel economy. It employs all EcoBoost technologies, such as turbocharging, direct injection and twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT).

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Loder1899 Tunes Into the New 2012 Ford Focus Hatch

The all-new Ford Focus has barely launched in Europe but the German aftermarket specialists at Loder1899 have already created a dedicated tuning package. The company dresses the new compact hatchback with numerous carbon-fiber elements such as the front spoiler lip, matching side skirts installed on the door sills and an RS-style rear apron with an integrated air diffuser. Read more »

Ford Releases “Spy” Photos of its Upcoming 2012 Focus ST Hot Hatch

The high-performance version of the Ford Focus is currently undergoing testing in Europe and North America as the Detroit-based carmaker prepares it for a 2012 market launch. Just like the standard Focus models, the new sport variant will follow the company’s “One Ford” strategy and go on sale in Europe, North America and Asia under the same Focus ST nameplate. Read more »

Euro-spec Ford Focus to Bring Internet Access to the Masses in 2012

The European division of Ford announced on Monday that its Sync system with MyFord Touch will feature WiFi connectivity on the new Focus starting from 2012. The infotainment system will create a password-protected WiFi hotspot inside the car allowing up to five devices to be connected. The service will be free of charge, as the in-car internet connection will use customers' existing USB modems or compatible smartphones to access the web. Read more »

Ford to Introduce 15 new Cars in China and to Double Workforce by 2015

With only a few days left before the start of the Shanghai Auto Show, Ford Motor Company announced a very ambitious plan for China as the automaker aims to introduce 15 new vehicles and to double its workforce in the world's largest car market by 2015.

“Together with our partners, we are leveraging the strength of the One Ford plan and our global platforms to bring 15 new vehicles to China by 2015, reinforcing our commitment to offer a full portfolio of vehicles for our Chinese customers," said Joe Hinrichs, Ford Asia Pacific and Africa president. "The 15 new vehicles are part of Ford’s plans to introduce 50 new products and powertrains to the Asia Pacific region by 2015,” Hinrichs added.

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Ward's Auto Announces the 10 Best Car Interiors of 2011

Like every year, Ward's AutoWorld magazine picks the best interiors the automotive industry has to offer. For 2011, the publication chose 10 the ten best interiors the offer after editors analyzed 51 vehicles that were all-new or featured significantly upgraded interior. Ward's Auto picked the 10 winners from all segments, with the finalists including three luxury brands, three economy cars, a sport sedan, a minivan, an SUV and a family sedan.

If you’re still with us, the top 10 winners for 2011, in alphabetical order, are:

Audi A8
BMW X3 xDrive35i
Chevrolet Cruze 2LT RS
Dodge Charger Rallye Plus
Ford Focus Titanium
Honda Odyssey Elite
Hyundai Elantra Limited
Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Summit
Kia Optima EX
Volvo S60

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After Tsunami, American Automakers Looking for Home Turf Sales Boost

According to CNN’s Fortune and simple, cold-hearted business logic, now is the prime time for American manufacturers to take advantage of recent catastrophic events and pounce on their home market's consumers. A lack of Japanese parts (or entire vehicles), in conjunction with a strong yen and ever-improving American small cars, has given Ford, GM, and Chrysler a potential sales pick-me-up as we stroll into the summer months.

Two of the three factors which will help American manufacturers' sales stem directly from the tsunami in Japan a month ago: factory shutdowns have limited parts/vehicle availability, while the yen gained value as the Japanese are expected to repurchase some currency for disaster mitigation.

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Anderson Germany Creates a 420HP Ford Focus RS for those that didn’t Grab an RS500

If you didn’t manage to purchase one of limited edition Ford Focus RS500 before production ran out, you may want to take a look at Anderson Germany’s Ford Focus RS “Black Racing Edition”. The tuner-prepped Focus RS features a matte black paint scheme similar to the one featured on the RS500 adding contrasting red elements like the RS badges, the edges of the rims and the Ford logo.

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