Ford Begins European Production of New 2011 Focus in Germany

Ford announced today that volume production of its all-new Focus range for the European market has begun at the firm's Saarlouis Assembly Plant in South-West Germany. The factory, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, will be the single-source for production of the 2011 Focus in Western Europe, building all three body styles, including four-door, five-door and station wagon, with production of the high-performance 250HP ST model to follow in early 2012.

"This is an important day for Ford, the Saarland and for Germany," said Ken Macfarlane, vice-president of Manufacturing, Ford of Europe. "Saarlouis is proud to have been the lead plant for Ford Focus production in Europe since the first model was launched in 1998."

According to the automaker, the German plant is capable of assembling up to 1,850 vehicles a day in three different shifts. It currently produces both the Focus and Kuga models.

To get the plant ready for the new Focus, Ford invested €300 million, with €100 million going for new robotized body construction facilities, €75 million for new tooling, and €18 million for new high-quality, low-emissions paint shop technology. The company also announced that 500 workers previously employed on agency contracts would be offered permanent contracts.

Production of the new Focus for the North American market kicked off earlier this year at Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant, while the company plans to begin manufacturing the car in Russia from mid-2011, as well as in China and Thailand from 2012.

Ford Official Says No to U.S. Version of Focus RS 305HP. Then How About a Fiesta RS?

As much as North American buyers would have wanted to see the 300HP Focus RS making its way to this side of the Atlantic, unfortunately this isn't going to happen for the usual cost-related reasons. In an interview with Britain's Autocar magazine, Ford's recently appointed Global Performance Vehicles and Motorsport Business Development director, Jost Capito, confirmed that the company has no plans on selling the high-performance version of the Focus in the States.

"We'd like to, but the base car isn't homologated for North America, and that's too costly a job to carry out just for a niche vehicle like the RS," said Capito.

Interestingly, when asked about the possibility of a performance version of the Fiesta, Capito said that while he couldn't discuss future plans, Ford believes that "in Europe, the Fiesta and Focus are too close to make two similar performance models work."

Although the British magazine did not ask a follow-up question on the matter, Capito's answer and reference to Europe and not the U.S. doesn't rule out the possibility that Ford may develop a high-performance version of the Fiesta for the States.

The US-bound Fiestas that are slated to hit U.S. dealerships in the beginning of 2010 will be manufactured at the company's revised Cuautitlan Assembly Plant in Mexico. If Ford wants to create some buzz around the car and why not, maybe even make a profit out of it, a high-performance Fiesta would certainly fit in the range.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

New Ford Focus RS Scooped in the USA

The holy grail of all Ford Focus aficionados, the 305HP Euro-spec Focus RS, has been spied here in the States and in particular, in Royal Oak, Michigan, by FocusFanatics forumer, 2004SVTAutoXer. No one has any idea what the M-plated white Focus RS was doing in the area, but before you get all hyped up and everything, let us say that from what we know, Ford has no intention of importing the current generation of its scorching Euro hatch to the U.S.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Hot Hatch Smackdown Poll: Ford Focus ST vs Opel GTC

With both the Ford Focus ST and Opel GTC set to debut in Paris, the hot hatch world is astir. If you're in a "global" market and interested in going fast on the cheap, these are looking to be two serious contenders.

The big difference here is shaping to be extra output in a traditionally showy hot-hatch package, or a sleek and sophisticated ride with potentially less power. But first, a joke: what would a diesel Ford Focus ST be called? Think about it.

On to the point: it boils down to either a world-hot hatch from GM or Ford. To make it even simpler for the numbers-geeks, here are the basics (feel free to read all the deets in our previous Paris posts on the Focus ST and Opel GTC, you fiends): output is looking to be 250 horsepower for the ST and possibly well over the 250HP mark for the OPC version of the GTC (Opel has not yet released output numbers). Both show cars are equipped with 2.0-liter turbocharged fours.

While the ST is likely to appear in the States in one form (ST) or another (SVT), there's still no word on whether or not the GTC could appear here (Buick's mini-Lexus fighter, anyone?).

However, that's neither here nor there at the moment. The big question for our readers is this: would you be more interested in the boy-racer Ford ST or a more conservative (and possibly Buick in the States) Opel GTC? Vote your hearts out in the poll below.

Which hot hatch do you like more?

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Opel GTC Paris Show Car

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Ford Focus ST Paris Show Car