Production of the Ford Focus has come to an end after 27 years, reported Autocar, citing German broadcaster Saarländischer Rundfunk and social media posts by the manufacturer’s employees.
News of the discontinuation of the Focus emerged in 2022, and the model’s demise was confirmed in March this year, and this followed the end of other iconic models from the Blue Oval, namely the Mondeo in 2021 and the Fiesta in 2023.
A new, mid-sized crossover expected to debut in 2027 will be the one to fill the gap in Ford’s product line-up vacated by the Focus, though this will not replace the Kuga, which will instead remain on sale alongside the new model. Currently, other models taking the place of the Focus are the Explorer and the Capri, both EV crossovers based on Volkswagen’s MEB modular architecture.
Dropping the Focus and Fiesta has left Ford without two of its largest volume players in Europe, reported Autocar; the report cited European automobile manufacturers’ association ACEA as stating that Ford had gone from being the second-largest automotive brand in Europe in 2015, dropping to 12th place last year.
The manufacturer is forming a plan to regain its position near the top of the European market, and it has appointed former Focus and Kuga model line manager Jim Baumbick as its first dedicated head of Europe in three years, the report added.
Among his key responsibilities is to “develop products relevant for European customers,” Ford stated. The end of the line comes after the end of the fourth-generation model, which made its debut in 2018, offering three bodystyles as well as petrol and diesel powerplants through its lifecycle.
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