- Ford Focus ranks as the best-selling vehicle nameplate in the world, based on just-released Polk new vehicle registration data for the 2013 calendar year
- Focus global sales gain momentum with China responsible for more than one in three registrations and Europe accounting for 29 per cent
- New Focus headed to South Africa in the first quarter of 2015.
PRETORIA, South Africa, April 10, 2014 – Ford Focus retains its title as world’s best-selling vehicle nameplate for 2013, according to Ford’s analysis of the just-released full-year Polk new vehicle registration data from IHS Automotive. The news comes as a new Focus 4-door prepares to make its debut at next week’s 2014 New York International Auto Show.
Registrations of the Focus were up 8.1 per cent with 1,097,618 cars sold worldwide in 2013 compared to 1,014,965 in 2012, including 317,110 registrations in Europe last year – 29 per cent of total registrations. China now is responsible for more than one in every three Focus vehicles sold globally, based on Polk data.
“It is remarkable to see Focus again lead the industry as the No. 1-selling vehicle nameplate on the planet,” said Jim Farley, Ford executive vice president, Ford Motor Company Global Marketing, Sales and Service and Lincoln. “With the new car, we’ve raised the bar again, showcasing Ford’s commitment to continuous improvement – adding better technology for drivers and a sleeker, more modern exterior across the entire Focus family.”
The new Focus, which launches in South Africa early next year, delivers a more sophisticated look, featuring a restyled bonnet, grille and headlamps, new rear light clusters and a restyled boot lid. Inside, colours and materials have a clean, modern look, with satin chrome detailing, new seat trims and switches, and new technologies. A new centre console incorporating adjustable cup holders makes for improved storage capacity.
Ford has taken the model’s acclaimed fun-to-drive DNA up a level with enhanced handling and steering for the new Focus. Ford engineers have delivered a more solid, responsive and connected-to-the-road feel by increasing the structural stiffness at the front, revising the suspension geometry, increasing lateral stiffness of “steering-relevant” suspension bushes, retuning the shock absorbers and incorporating a new Electronic Stability Programme. The Electric Power Assist Steering also has been retuned to make the driver feel even more connected to the road.
In addition to a host of styling and technology advances, the new Focus will offer the remarkably efficient, fun-to-drive 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine – International Engine of the Year, for 2012 and 2013 – for the for the first time in the Focus range in South Africa. A 1.5l EcoBoost engine will also be a part of the line-up, which means that the range of EcoBoost engines on the new Focus will be expanded to three: 1.0l, 1.5l and 2.0l.
“We look forward to the arrival of the new Focus in the first quarter of 2015,” said Gavin Golightly, marketing manager, Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa. “The new Focus offers a host of cutting-edge features and technologies that are sure to appeal to local buyers. “The sophisticated redesign offers a fresh and modern style both inside and out, while continuing to offer its fun-to-drive feeling you get when you’re behind the wheel.”
Ford builds the Focus in eight manufacturing plants on four continents. Facilities in Germany, the United States, Russia, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan and Argentina have a combined capacity to build more than 1.5 million Focus cars annually at a rate of more than two per second. Since the launch of Focus in 1998, the best-selling vehicle nameplate in the world for two years running has sold more than 12 million vehicles globally.
Polk data also confirm Ford Fiesta earned the top spot as the best-selling subcompact car globally, with 735,299 registrations for 2013. Together, registrations of Ford’s small cars – Fiesta and Focus – totalled 1,832,917 vehicles last year, which is a 4.3 per cent increase from 2012.
