2008 Ford Focus facelift unveiled at Frankfurt

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The new 2008 Ford Focus facelift has been unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo Motorshow, and although still based on the same chassis most of it’s ingredients have been updated significantly for the new model year. The new Focus will come in 3-door and 5-door hatch forms as well as sedan, estate and coupe-cabriolet body styles. All models will be available first in UK showrooms, with the coupe-cabriolet and hot ST performance versions available from spring 2008 onwards.

The Focus has been updated with Ford’s new kinetic design that first made it’s debut on the new Ford Mondeo. The Titanium trim level also receives an interior update which includes a redesigned center console which also incorporates the new kinetic design language. The green backlighting for the meter cluster has been phased out for a more modern and sporty red colour.

The two 2.0 litre Duratorq TDCi turbodiesel versions of the new 2008 Ford Focus will have the option to be equipped with Ford’s new Powershift transmission – a dual-clutch automated transmission developed together with Getrag. Powershift uses two layshafts working in parallel, each with it’s own wet clutch. One carries gears 1, 3 and 5 while the other carries gears 2, 4, and 6. Upshift speeds are increased using pre-selection.

The most frugal 2008 Ford Focus will be the ECOnetic variant which uses a 109 PS 1.6 litre Duratorq TDCi turbodiesel engine that manages to snag the Ford a respectable 65mpg, or 3.6 litres of fuel consumed per 100km travelled. There will also be a Flexifuel version of the 1.8 litre Duratec petrol inline-4 engine that can use E85 bio-ethanol, conventional unleaded petrol, or a mixture of both. The 2.0 litre Duratec will be available in conventional unleaded petrol form, or two other derivatives which use Compressed Natural Gas or Liquid Petroleum Gas.

The Focus is a fantastic drive and this new facelift will certainly make it more desirable as I think it looks so much better now.

More images after the jump.

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About the Author

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.

Comments

  1. flizzardo says:

    1st post

    looks great

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  2. flizzardo says:

    but i dislike hatchbacks :( anyway morning paulyan ! still havent sleep ar??

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  3. F430CS says:

    If the engines and tranny put in mazda’s cars. Hmmmm

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  4. mystvearn says:

    looks like production model to me

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  5. NiceCar says:

    the facelift make focus look like a totally new car!!!
    really love this.. look forward Ford bring this to here soon…

    Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  6. wildthingz says:

    love the front looks but rear errrrrrr looks like pegi pasar car. gen 2 rear looks is better

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  7. lowprofile says:

    i like it , to me it looks like a mini mondeo which in itself is a pretty handsome car.

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  8. msmar_453 says:

    Wow! isn’t that with 6 gears? Great.
    but no thanks… i’m prefer mazda6

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  9. petulance says:

    msmar_453, you can’t compare the Focus to the 6. Both are aimed at different markets since the Focus is a small car and the 6 is a medium sized car.

    Hatchbacks are great. I don’t know why the Malaysian public prefers sedans for small cars (i.e. cars with engines of size 2.0 litres and less).

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  10. armandd says:

    where’s the sedan?

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  11. renyeo says:

    Ford is losing the focus in the latest redesign. Bring back Mk1 originality, please!

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  12. 4G63T DSM says:

    Indeed hatchbacks are great.

    And this Focus has one really BIG boot.

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  13. lowprofile says:

    msmar, the focus is actually same with the mazda 3 and volvo s40. the mondeo is similar to the mazda 6, the new jaguar thing and one other car that i cant remember.

    Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  14. joeysis says:

    lookin forward for the Sedan facelift also…..when will available in Malaysia ler?

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  15. szw says:

    looks like a squirrel .

    Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  16. kei9 says:

    izzit me or is the rearlights gone smaller..?hmmm

    Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  17. proton.GL.. says:

    rear need to compliment the front,

    Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  18. altimi says:

    I want one in ST trim……..

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  19. zack_keyme988 says:

    HURM…….FRONT IS NICE..BUT THE REAR DESIGN IS OUTDATED DESIGN..NO FUTURISTIC ELEMENT THERE… DASH LOOK SPORTY..BUT NEED SOME ENHANCEMENT…

    VERDICT : ******/10*

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  20. transformer says:

    a good car been refine again…. nice!

    couldn’t wait for the next Focus…

    Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  21. topgunthang says:

    looks like mazda 3 will have the upper hand in 2008. especially with the 2 and 6 looking to be sell outs.

    Reply Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

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