<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/detroit-auto-show/" rel="tag">Detroit Auto Show</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/economy/" rel="tag">Budget</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/sedans/" rel="tag">Sedan</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/hatchbacks/" rel="tag">Hatchback</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/ford/" rel="tag">Ford</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/gallery/2011-ford-focus/"><img hspace="0" vspace="4" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/nextgenfordfocus000_opt.jpg" alt="" /></a>
<div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><small>Next-gen Ford Focus - Click above for high-res image gallery</small></strong></em></div>
<br />
As we begin 2010, it looks like the compact C-segment is shaping up to be one of the most highly competitve segments in the auto industry. The <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/civic">Honda Civic</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/corolla">Toyota Corolla</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/golf">VW Golf</a> and <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/jetta">Jetta</a>, along with the new <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/cruze">Chevrolet Cruze</a> are fighting for the hearts, minds and dollars of the masses. And then there's the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/focus">Ford Focus</a>. <br />
<br />
This week in <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/detroit-auto-show/">Detroit</a>, Ford is unwrapping an all-new Focus for the 2012 model year. When the original Focus debuted internationally in 1998 and then in the U.S. a year later, it was more or less a common design. The U.S. version, however, suffered from a series of manufacturing issues and recalls within its first year of sales. Meanwhile, the overseas model got a full redesign in 2004, but Americans kept the MK1 Focus until three years ago when it got an unfortunately awkward re-skin. This time around the new Focus is truly global and adopts the latest evolution of Ford's European "Kinetic" design language. Judging by our first exposure to the 2012 Focus, every other contender in the segment may have a real problem to deal with next year. Learn more about the new Focus after the jump.<br />
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<div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2011-ford-focus/low/">2011 Ford Focus</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2011-ford-focus/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/nextgenfordfocus000_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2011-ford-focus/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/nextgenfordfocus001_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2011-ford-focus/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/nextgenfordfocus002_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2011-ford-focus/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/nextgenfordfocus003_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2011-ford-focus/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/nextgenfordfocus004_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/11/2011-ford-focus-unveiled-u-s-and-euro-models-finally-unite/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Next-Gen Ford Focus unveiled! U.S. and Euro models finally united</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/11/2011-ford-focus-unveiled-u-s-and-euro-models-finally-unite/">Next-Gen Ford Focus unveiled! U.S. and Euro models finally united</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/11/2011-ford-focus-unveiled-u-s-and-euro-models-finally-unite/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19311220/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/11/2011-ford-focus-unveiled-u-s-and-euro-models-finally-unite/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><small>Next-gen Ford Focus - Click above for high-res image gallery</small></strong></em></div>
<br />
As we begin 2010, it looks like the compact C-segment is shaping up to be one of the most highly competitve segments in the auto industry. The <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/civic">Honda Civic</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/corolla">Toyota Corolla</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/golf">VW Golf</a> and <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/jetta">Jetta</a>, along with the new <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/cruze">Chevrolet Cruze</a> are fighting for the hearts, minds and dollars of the masses. And then there's the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/focus">Ford Focus</a>. <br />
<br />
This week in <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/detroit-auto-show/">Detroit</a>, Ford is unwrapping an all-new Focus for the 2012 model year. When the original Focus debuted internationally in 1998 and then in the U.S. a year later, it was more or less a common design. The U.S. version, however, suffered from a series of manufacturing issues and recalls within its first year of sales. Meanwhile, the overseas model got a full redesign in 2004, but Americans kept the MK1 Focus until three years ago when it got an unfortunately awkward re-skin. This time around the new Focus is truly global and adopts the latest evolution of Ford's European "Kinetic" design language. Judging by our first exposure to the 2012 Focus, every other contender in the segment may have a real problem to deal with next year. Learn more about the new Focus after the jump.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2011-ford-focus/low/">2011 Ford Focus</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2011-ford-focus/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/nextgenfordfocus000_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2011-ford-focus/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/nextgenfordfocus001_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2011-ford-focus/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/nextgenfordfocus002_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2011-ford-focus/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/nextgenfordfocus003_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2011-ford-focus/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/nextgenfordfocus004_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/11/2011-ford-focus-unveiled-u-s-and-euro-models-finally-unite/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Next-Gen Ford Focus unveiled! U.S. and Euro models finally united</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/11/2011-ford-focus-unveiled-u-s-and-euro-models-finally-unite/">Next-Gen Ford Focus unveiled! U.S. and Euro models finally united</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/11/2011-ford-focus-unveiled-u-s-and-euro-models-finally-unite/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19311220/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/11/2011-ford-focus-unveiled-u-s-and-euro-models-finally-unite/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
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