FORD FOCUS #3 - New Focus delivers 15% better fuel economy and a reduction in CO2.

• New Focus powertrains deliver up to 15 per cent improved fuel efficiency
• New Focus debuts 1.5-litre EcoBoost petrol engine in Europe and also offers 1.5-litre TDCi diesel engine to achieve a significant reduction in CO₂ emissionsacross the range
• 2.0-litre TDCi engine upgrades deliver more power, torque and fuel efficiency
• Ford’s lean NO_X trap reduces emissions; Diamond Like Coating reduces friction of engine internals

The new Ford Focus delivers the car’s most fuel-efficient powertrain line-up ever with improvements of up to 15 per cent, and a significant CO₂ emission reduction across the entire line-up.

The new Focus will be the first vehicle in Europe to offer Ford’s new 1.5-litre EcoBoost petrol engine and new Focus will also be available for the first time with Ford’s 1.5-litre TDCi diesel engine.

Ford engineers have further optimised power, torque and fuel efficiency from the 2.0-litre TDCi engine; and Focus will continue to be offered with the award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine – including a 99 g/km CO₂ 1.0-litre EcoBoost model.*

Advanced new diesel engine technologies are available on both the 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre TDCi engines and include a lean NO_X trap for cleaner exhaust emissions, while friction is reduced with microscopic applications of Diamond Like Coating (DLC); engine breathing enhanced with Variable Nozzle Turbocharger.

Further Ford fuel-saving technologies including Auto-Start-Stop, Active Grille Shutter, and Smart Regenerative Charging help achieve significant reductions in CO₂ emissions across the full range of petrol and diesel engines.

“We have improved fuel efficiency without sacrificing performance by analysing engine and transmission effectiveness down to the smallest detail, and also given consumers more choice with an additional four new engine and transmission combinations,” said Joe Bakaj, vice president, Product Development, Ford of Europe. “When the new 1.5-litre TDCi engine is introduced, Focus will be available with all engines meeting Euro Stage VI months ahead of the legislation taking effect.”

Powerful petrol engines

Ford’s new 1.5-litre EcoBoost petrol engine achieves a seven per cent improvement in fuel efficiency when paired with the six-speed manual gearbox and equipped with Auto-Start-Stop, compared with the power-equivalent 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine it replaces. From early next year it also will be offered with a six-speed automatic transmission.

Available with 150PS or 182PS, the new 1.5-litre EcoBoost is equipped with the integrated exhaust manifold technology first introduced with Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine. This improves efficiency by helping the engine reach optimal temperatures faster, and also delivers torque more rapidly by minimising the distance exhaust gasses travel between the cylinders and turbocharger.

The engine also uses the core EcoBoost technologies of turbocharging, high-pressure direct fuel-injection and Twin-independent Variable Cam Timing alongside a new aluminium engine block. A water-cooled intake charge cooler delivers a more efficient feed of air into the engine and the control system has been reprogrammed to offer high levels of engine refinement, quietness and performance.

“The new 1.5-litre EcoBoost petrol engine offers customers the very latest EcoBoost engine technologies in a smarter and more efficient package,” Bakaj said. “More economical, smoother-running and free-revving, this new EcoBoost engine delivers an even more compelling option for drivers who love petrol performance and want low running costs.”

Award winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost

The new Focus will continue to be offered with Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, which last year was chosen by a third of Focus customers** and this year was named International Engine of the Year for an unprecedented third year in a row. From early next year the 125PS Focus 1.0-litre EcoBoost will also be offered with a six-speed automatic gearbox.

New Focus also will continue to be offered as a 1.0-litre EcoBoost version delivering 99 g/km CO₂, the previous version of which became the first non-hybrid petrol family car in Europe to offer sub-100 g/km CO₂ emissions earlier this year.

New gear ratios help to deliver the low emissions, alongside existing fuel-efficient technologies including Auto-Start-Stop, Active Grille Shutter, and Ford EcoMode that provides drivers with feedback on their driving style to help them become a more fuel-efficient driver.

In addition, Ford’s Smart Regenerative Charging system selectively engages the alternator and charges the battery when the vehicle is coasting and braking to recapture energy that would otherwise be lost – reducing engine load for less fuel usage.

Paddle-shift controls will be available as an option with all automatic and PowerShift transmissions, both diesel and petrol – and enable drivers to control gear changes while keeping their hands on the steering wheel.

New diesel technology

New Focus will also be offered for the first time with the Ford’s 1.5-litre TDCi diesel engine. Available with 95PS or 120PS, it delivers greater power, torque and responsiveness, with optimised combustion chamber design, and cutting-edge turbocharger and fuel injection technology. It will feature the most fuel-efficient combustion process from a Ford diesel engine to date and it has a lean NO_X trap in the exhaust after-treatment system for even cleaner emissions.

“The total surface area of the active material inside the new lean NO_X trap covers the equivalent of two and a half full-sized football pitches – despite measuring just 132mm in diameter and 124 mm in length,” said David King, manager, diesel calibration, Ford of Europe. “It acts like a sponge to capture the NO_X emissions that result from more efficient combustion of diesel fuel, which is helping Ford achieve lower levels of CO₂.”

Ford has developed the engine’s piston bowl to improve combustion, and coated a number of components including the pistons, pins and seals with a layer of DLC. Less than a third the width of a human hair, the six-micron-thick layer of this extremely tough and smooth material bonded to a component is enough to reduce friction for improved efficiency and refinement.

A revised Variable Nozzle Turbocharger helps to increase airflow into the engine, while the latest generation high-pressure fuel injection minimises internal fuel losses and improves combustion, helping to improve fuel efficiency and reduce CO₂ emissions.

The 95PS version will deliver 98g/km CO₂ emissions, a 10 per cent improvement compared to the 1.6-litre TDCi diesel. It also will deliver 74.3mpg fuel efficiency when mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.

A 120PS version of 1.5-litre TDCi diesel, with the six-speed manual gearbox, will also deliver a 10 per cent fuel efficiency improvement and a PowerShift automatic option will be introduced next.

The enhanced 2.0-litre TDCi diesel engine delivers significantly more power, torque and better fuel efficiency. The 150PS version will deliver a 15 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency over the previous 140PS model when specified with the six-speed manual gearbox, or PowerShift automatic transmission – achieved by introducing Auto-Start-Stop and Variable Nozzle Turbocharger technology. Torque is up from 340Nm to 350Nm.

“The new Ford Focus is the clearest example yet of Ford’s commitment to delivering the fuel efficiency drivers demand using advanced technologies,” Bakaj said. “Customers needn’t look to a specific variant to reduce their carbon footprint or running costs – they can now find optimised powertrains across the range.”

Ford’s 1.6-litre Ti-VCT petrol and 1.6-litre TDCi diesel engines will still be available on selected series in some markets.

FORD FOCUS #2 - New Focus dellivers industry first tech to predict and avoid skids.

• New Ford Focus Enhanced Transitional Stability technology improves safety by pre-empting skids to intervene earlier and could prevent drivers from losing control
• Industry-first system detects when a skid is likely from the car’s speed and steering; triggers skid-preventing braking inputs from Electronic Stability Control for smoother journeys
• Technology is among new and improved chassis control technologies that enhance driving dynamics and safety on the new Focus
• New Focus offers improved driving experience with retuned Electric Power Assisted Steering, new dampers, new suspension bushes and structural stiffness improvements
• Focus driving experience reaches new levels of refinement with noise, vibration and harshness improvements that help deliver best in class interior quietness

 Ford Motor Company is launching a new technology that can predict when a car might skid – and by stepping in early could prevent the driver from losing control in the first place.

The industry-first production car system called Enhanced Transitional Stability debuts on the new Focus and can calculate when a skid is likely to take place from a combination of the car’s speed, the position of the steering wheel and the speed at which the steering wheel is being turned.

If the system identifies that a skid is imminent, braking of individual wheels is applied – often before the driver realises that anything is amiss – by activating the advanced Electronic Stability Control; enhancing safety and helping deliver smoother journeys.

“By recognising scenarios that will lead to a loss of driver control before an incident has developed, the Enhanced Transitional Stability system is setting the recovery process in motion quicker than ever before, and improving safety and comfort for driver and passengers,” said Norbert Kessing, vehicle dynamics manager, Ford of Europe.

Enhanced Transitional Stability is just one of the new and improved chassis control technologies that enhance driving dynamics and safety on the new Focus. Ford engineers also have made revisions to the Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) to make Focus feel more connected to the road – and even easier to drive.

Engineers have retuned the EPAS system to reduce the amount of effort required to steer, eliminate neutral zones from the steering operation, and deliver almost instantaneous feedback from the road surface to enable more instinctive steering.

“The Ford Focus has long enjoyed a reputation for class-leading driving dynamics and handling and the new Focus is even more fun to drive, while at the same time delivering its best-ever comfort, stability and security on the road,” said Joe Bakaj, vice president, Product Development, Ford of Europe.

The driving experience has been further enhanced through new levels of quietness achieved with thicker side window glass and carpets, new front wheel arch liners and door trims, and more absorbent acoustic seals around the air extraction system, mirror hinges, and tailgate. These help Focus achieve best-in-class interior quietness to deliver a relaxing and stress-free environment for driver and passengers.

Ford engineers have also improved the front end structural stiffness of the new Focus by increasing the thickness of two brackets within the engine bay and using a stronger metal arc welding technique to reduce body flex during cornering, delivering sharper responses and greater agility. New Multi-Tune Valve Damper technology offers improved shock absorber performance and durability, as well as enabling engineers to deliver the optimum balance between body control and driver comfort.

In addition, the suspension geometry on the new Focus has been fine-tuned and the rubber lower control arm suspension bushes have been increased in stiffness by over 20 per cent. This reduces the amount of flexibility between the metal mounting surfaces during high-load conditions – such as when cornering – and minimises unwanted wheel movement. The front bushes also now feature flared edges that clamp over the suspension hub and chassis mounting points, further reducing movement of the connected components.

The all-new Focus is built on Ford’s C-Car global platform that also supports the C-MAX and Grand C-MAX, and last year underpinned over 1 million Focus models registered worldwide, including more than 87,000 registrations in the UK.