A striking all-new Ford Focus ST performance model and elegant new Focus 4-door dominates the news from Ford at the 75^th Salon International de L’Automobile in Geneva.

• Exciting all-new ST (Sport Technologies) Focus on sale towards the end of 2005 in Europe
• Turbocharged Duratec ST 2.5-litre 5-cylinder engine will deliver around 220PS
• Head-turning design signals sporting intent, but Focus ST remains practical for everyday use
• Sporty interior communicates purpose and emotion
• New Focus provides a strong base for performance road cars, competition models
• Quicker to market than previous generation ST thanks to Ford Team RS

Previewing an exciting new performance model – the new Focus ST – Ford is demonstrating to performance enthusiasts they don’t have long to wait for another special model from Ford Team RS. The new Focus ST – sporting around 220PS and finished in brilliant orange for its Geneva preview – will be on sale towards the end of 2005.

Powered by a turbocharged Duratec ST 2.5-litre, 5-cylinder engine and equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox, the Focus ST promises to raise the new Focus’s reputation as a driver’s car to new heights.

"When performance enthusiasts see this car, they are going to have high expectations. The Focus ST is going to live up to them," said Jost Capito, who heads Ford’s racing and performance arm, Ford Team RS. "This car looks fast from its design, and every functional attribute is being engineered to deliver on that expectation."

Focus ST’s stance – low-profile 225/40 performance tyres on sculpted 18x8-inch five-spoke cast aluminium wheels – speaks driving confidence and grip. Inside and out, Focus ST’s design makes its performance attributes clear, but in a manner that also supports refinement, craftsmanship and practicality. Focus ST remains a comfortable car for everyday family driving.

Together with the recently introduced Fiesta ST model and the acclaimed Mondeo ST220, the new Focus ST epitomises the sporty attributes Ford ST models stand for: extending the strengths of their core models and enjoying clear differentiation from rally car inspired RS derivatives.

Full technical details of the new Ford Focus ST will be revealed closer to its European launch towards the end of 2005.

ELEGANT FOUR-DOOR MODEL JOINS THE FOCUS RANGE

• Sophisticated new bodystyle designed from the outset to be an integral part of the new Focus family
• Four-door joins capacious Estate, sporty 3-door, practical 5-door and, from late 2006, a coupé-cabrio based on the 2004 Paris show-stopping Focus Vignale Concept
• Focus four-door shares new Focus family commitment to premium quality at affordable price, superior driving quality, and affordable new technologies
• On sale in Europe from April 2005 available in Ghia and Titanium specifications with selection of petrol and diesel engines

Elegant, dynamic and sophisticated, the new Focus 4-door – the final bodystyle of the core Focus model range – makes its production debut at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show.

The new Focus family was designed from the outset with the four-door model as a major element, and its limousine style comes into its own within the overall design DNA of the new Focus range. Not only is the new four-door design fully coherent with its sibling body styles – 3-door, 5-door, Estate and Focus C-MAX multi-activity vehicle – but its new levels of refinement and craftsmanship seem ideally suited to the traditional compact sedan shape.

The new 4-door model shares an identical front-end design with the other core products of the Focus range, and translates the fast hatchback silhouette convincingly into the classic limousine body architecture.

The new Focus 4-door was engineered to provide generous luggage space. Equipped with a mini-spare tyre, the Focus 4-door offers maximum cargo space of 526 litres. The design imperative for the boot space was to incorporate a golf bag or two large clamshell-style suitcases.

Ford of Europe has committed to transform its Paris show-stopping Focus Vignale Concept into a production reality, expected at the end of 2006.

The new four-door Ford Focus model provides the base architecture for the production version of the Focus Vignale Concept. The vehicle will be built at Pininfarina’s manufacturing facilities in Turin. Like the Streetka, also built by Pininfarina, the new Ford Focus model will be a convertible but the Focus will be the first European Ford to feature a folding hard top.

"The media and public reaction to the Ford Focus Vignale Concept in Paris was outstanding, and confirmed that we should put this vehicle into production at the earliest opportunity", said Lewis Booth. "Its elegance and flair emphasise the dynamic design of the new Focus range".

Full technical details and the name of the production version of this new Focus model will be announced closer to its launch in approximately two years time.