Ford Motor Company announced yesterday that the next generation Ford Focus will be built in South Africa. Ford's Pretoria plant will build the five-door and four-door Focus for local sale and export to Australia.

Combining the best of German engineering and European styling with exemplary driving dynamics, the new Focus will go on sale in Australia during 2005.

"Sourcing the new Focus from our regional partners has allowed us to be near the front of the queue to receive this exciting new model," said Ford Australia President, Tom Gorman.

"Ford South Africa has worked very closely with the global Focus development team and has demonstrated its ability to consistently achieve the stringent quality, cost and delivery targets established by the well recognised European Focus team.

"Since its European launch in 1998, the current Focus has been one of the most successful products in Ford's 100 year history. It has consistently ranked amongst the world's best-selling cars and has won Car of the Year Awards in both Europe and North America.

"The new Focus will deliver even more - providing improvements in power, quality, craftsmanship, packaging and refinement," said Gorman.

Sourcing from South Africa is part of a manufacturing strategy that reflects Ford's commitment to the Asia-Pacific region.

The Asia-Pacific and Africa region is projected to contribute 65% of global auto industry growth through to the end of the decade, of which 80% of all growth in the region will come from China, ASEAN and India.

"With volumes approaching the markets of North America and Western Europe, Ford's Asia Pacific and Africa regions are now being treated as a single entity and will benefit from the installation of the latest plant technology and economies of scale in manufacturing," said Ford Motor Company Vice President of Ford Asia Pacific and Africa, Mark Schulz.

"This is an important first step in creating a model for future growth and investment.

"Over the next 10 years there will be an additional 9 million units that are there for the taking. Ford intends to go after our fair share. We are confident that the new Focus will help us achieve our ambitious targets, within the core mid-size passenger car segment. The new Focus is the most sophisticated Focus ever and will go on sale throughout the region over the coming year."