The Ford Focus is lifeless: manufacturing of household hatch legend ends after 27 years
The Ford Focus is not any extra. Auto Categorical can verify that the ultimate model of the legendary household hatchback has rolled off the manufacturing line, 27 years after it revolutionised Ford’s fortunes in Europe.
In a press release to Auto Categorical, Ford mentioned “The Focus has been an vital a part of the Ford household in Europe for over 27 years, and we’re deeply grateful for the loyalty and fervour our prospects have proven for this iconic car.”
The Focus has been a fixture on UK roads since its introduction in 1998, and it follows the Mondeo and Fiesta into the historical past books. Ford introduced the choice again in 2022 – the identical yr the Mondeo was axed in Britain, earlier than the Ford Fiesta was laid to relaxation in 2023.
The long-serving trio have been culled as Ford continues to focus its consideration on launching electrical automobiles in Europe, such because the Explorer SUV and Capri coupe-SUV. Nevertheless, demand for Ford’s EVs has been decrease than anticipated, which the corporate itself confirmed when saying extra job cuts late final yr resulting from issues for the well being of its passenger automobile enterprise.
Ford may additionally be slicing as much as 1,000 jobs at its electric car manufacturing facility in Cologne, Germany, the place the Explorer and Capri are made, resulting from demand for EVs in Europe falling nicely beneath business forecasts.
The Ford Puma continues to be the UK’s best-selling car, and it can save you more than £2,000 on one through our Buy A Car service. Nevertheless, whereas Ford was the best-selling automobile model within the UK a decade in the past, it had dropped the fifth by the top of 2024, behind Volkswagen, BMW, Audi and Kia. What’s extra, gross sales dropped by roughly 24 per cent in comparison with the earlier yr.
Each technology of Focus has been inbuilt Ford’s Saarlouis plant in Germany, the place the Escort and a few of the model’s different traditional fashions have been additionally made. The power has been making automobiles since 1970, however Ford instructed us it should now transition to producing elements, “adapting to the evolving panorama of automotive manufacturing.”
The model desires to reassure Focus homeowners that their upkeep wants will nonetheless be catered for. “We stay dedicated to serving our Focus prospects with ongoing service, components, and help,” Ford instructed us earlier this yr.
We’re not conscious of any plans for a direct successor to the Focus, though Ford is reportedly engaged on smaller, extra reasonably priced electrical automobiles that we may simply envisage heralding the return of the Focus or Fiesta title – particularly after the Capri was reborn as an EV final yr.
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