Ford Focus production has ended after 27 years and 12 million sales. The news was spread by Ford employees on social media and on German radio Saarländischer Rundfunk, when the last Focus rolled off the assembly line, UNN reports with reference to Autocar.
Details
The decision to discontinue production of the long-running family hatchback was announced in 2022 as part of Ford's drive to accelerate the transition of its European car lineup to electric models.
The Focus has effectively been replaced by the Explorer and Capri – two similarly sized electric crossovers built on the Volkswagen Group's MEB architecture.
This decision also means that the Focus plant in Saarlouis, Germany, will no longer produce cars. Ford previously stated that it has no plans to produce a new model in Saarlouis and has not yet announced a buyer for the plant, casting doubt on its future.
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Despite the discontinuation of the Focus, Autocar recently reported that Ford plans to fill the void in its lineup with a new mid-size crossover, scheduled for release in 2027.
This model will not replace the Kuga, which appeared in 2008 effectively as a crossover version of the Focus, but will be sold alongside it, offering both gasoline-hybrid and electric versions.
The "sunset" of the Focus and Fiesta left Ford without two of its most popular models in Europe, fundamentally changing its market position. According to the European industry association ACEA, Ford rose from the second largest brand in Europe in 2015 to 12th last year, losing almost half of its market share during this period.
The company is currently developing a plan to return to the ranks of the best-selling European manufacturers, having appointed former Focus and Kuga model line manager Jim Baumbick as its first head of the European division in three years.
According to Ford, Baumbick's main responsibilities include "developing products that European customers demand."
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