Ford Focus 2015 News

Ford has announced Australian pricing and features for its updated 2015 Focus ST hot hatch. Priced from $38,990, the revised ST is $700 more expensive than before but includes more technology goodies thanks to the updated Sync2 multimedia system - also seen in the FG X Falcon and SZII Territory. Sync2 includes a larger eight-inch touchscreen than the outgoing version and removes some buttons from the center console. It also includes satnav, climate controls and Bluetooth phone and audio with voice recognition.  Other new features on the ST include adaptive xenon headlamps and auto start/stop which improves combined fuel consumption by 0.1L/100km to 7.3L/100km combined. The optional technology pack ($2000) also adds auto emergency brake, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert, lane-keeping aid, lane departure warning, driver impairment warning and auto high beams.  The suspension has been retuned by the team behind the new all-wheel drive Focus RS.The exterior styling has also been refreshed with a new more aggressive grille and edgier headlights. At the rear the signature centrally mounted exhaust remains but is now surrounded by more dark plastic to give a sportier impression. The taillights are slightly slimmer too. Ford has also given the updated ST a new set of alloy wheels finished in either light grey or satin black. Those new alloys also now wear sticky Michelin Pilot Sport II hoops instead of the outgoing model’s Goodyear tyres. The suspension has also been retuned by the team behind the new all-wheel drive Focus RS, with new front springs and stiffer front bushes along with retuned dampers front and rear. The electric power steering and stability control systems have also been recalibrated. The 2.0-litre turbo engine remains unchanged, developing 184kW/340Nm (360Nm with overboost), which is connected to a six-speed manual gearbox and front-wheel drive. An automatic transmission still isn’t available on the Focus ST, something Volkswagen will be happy to capitalise on with the vast majority of new VW Golf GTIs being automatic-equipped.In Europe the updated Focus ST is also available with a diesel engine, but with the diesel Golf GTD dropped from the local VW lineup, it’s unlikely we’ll see this variant. The new Ford Focus ST hot hatch will be available in Australia from May.

An eccentric Swiss company has created a car with a periscope-style camera to scan the road ahead and a steering wheel that can be stowed – so you can browse the web on the way to work.The Rinspeed Budii (pronounced "buddy") is the star concept car at this week's Geneva motor show, due to open Wednesday March 4, Australian time.The Swiss firm based its latest flight of fancy on the BMW i3 electric car, which has been pulled apart and rebuilt so it is unrecognisable – and loaded with advanced equipment from more than two-dozen technology suppliers.The periscope uses laser and camera technology to read traffic and detect obstacles, while the steering wheel can be used as a makeshift table to rest a lap-top while the car finds its way through traffic.The steering wheel can also be swivelled from the left to the right side of the cabin depending on where the vehicle is sold – or can be slid across at a moment's notice if the driver is too tired.A dedicated app for smart phones (and smart watches) enables owners to set the air-conditioning temperature of the car minutes before they are due to start driving, and activate the electric car's recharging cycle.Although the Rinspeed Budii concept car is not equipped with autonomous driving technology, it does provide an insight into what the inside of self-driving cars could look like.There are large iPad screens in the sun visors, with road information for the driver, and a TV or DVD player for the passenger.The central cabin control screen is as large as a TV, and the display automatically reduces the amount of information shown based on what the driver uses most."The vision of autonomous driving will soon become reality and will fundamentally change the interaction of man and automobiles," says Rinspeed boss Frank Rinderknecht.The car industry is gradually increasing the level of automation in modern vehicles, starting with radar cruise control with "stop-start", which keeps a safe distance from the car ahead, automatically comes to a stop and restarts once the traffic is moving again – without the driver having to touch the brake or accelerator pedals. This technology is available in luxury cars today.The next step is "on-ramp to off-ramp" automation on freeways. Experts believe it will be 10 to 15 years before the technology is good enough to handle the complexity of city and suburban driving."The autonomously driving car will require more than solving technical problems and legal issues in the next two decades," said Mr Rinderknecht. "We not only have to redefine the interaction of man and machine, but must also raise questions about responsibility, tolerances and expectations."Police and insurance companies have already made it clear drivers will still be responsible for obeying the law while behind the wheel of autonomous cars, just as a pilot must stay alert and in control when a plane is on auto-pilot."Even the best technology will not be perfect, albeit less prone to error than humans. That is something we will have to accept," said Mr Rinderknecht. "In the future, cars will do just as we do: they will keep learning every day, and as a result will get better and better at mastering the complex challenges of modern-day private transport."Rinspeed has a long history of creating unusual concept cars. Last year it showed a Tesla electric car with the seats facing backwards – towards a large screen TV – to illustrate how quickly autonomous technology was developing.In 2013 Rinspeed showed a tiny city car in which drivers and passengers stood while strapped to a seat rest; the idea was to create a super-small vehicle that can carry five or more people in comfort.Although the latest Rinspeed concept car does debut a number of world firsts, it wasn't the first company in the world to dream of a bird's eye view of the traffic ahead. Last year Renault unveiled a concept car called the KWID which had a camera drone beam live images back to a screen in the dashboard.It is fitting that so many supercars and racing machines for the super-rich are due to bow at the 2015 Geneva motor show. You need a tax haven to be able to afford to buy – or bend – any one of these.Clearly a recession is around the corner. History shows when super cars become common as muck the global economy collapses, the car industry contracts, and we start all over again.In the meantime, here's a taste of how Europe's filthy rich are living it up as we race towards a fiscal cliff.We don't know what the name means either, but what we do know is that this is the new two-seater sports car concept from the German-owned British brand Bentley. The 'EXP-10 Speed 6', to give its full name, is a pointer to a new model to sell alongside the Bentley coupe and sedan that are already on sale and the SUV that is a few years away from showrooms. The press blurb waxes lyrical about the design and the "expression of muscular, athletic surfaces inspired by the aerodynamic shapes of aircraft fuselages and wings". But nowhere does Bentley mention what type of engine it has. Perhaps 'six' is a clue.For some people, even Lamborghini supercars aren't fast enough. That's why cars like this are born. Lamborghini has extracted 50 extra horsepower and trimmed 50kg of bodyweight from the regular V12 Aventador to produce this limited edition lightweight model. It's called (deep breath) the Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce. All you really need to know is that with 750 horsepower (or 560kW in modern parlance) it can reach the speed limit in just 2.8 seconds and will likely cost more than $800,000 when it goes on sale in Australia late this year.Only 24 of these will be made and, as the saying goes, if you have to ask the price, you probably can't afford it. You will need especially deep pockets given this is a race car, and spare parts won't exactly be "off the shelf". The entire body and chassis are handmade from lightweight carbon-fibre. And the U-shaped steering wheel looks like something from a fighter plane. The Aston Martin Vulcan is the company's latest track weapon, said to have a handy 800 horsepower from its 7.0-litre V12. This is Aston Martin's answer to a one-make racing series for the super-rich.Aston Martin's first sedan since 1976 was released as a limited edition for the Middle East in 2014; now the company has extended production of the aptly-named Taraf to other global markets – in both left- and right-hand-drive – but will cap the number built to 200. Price "remains confidential" but the British press report it will cost £400,000 (approximately $800,000 in Australian dollars, but closer to $1 million by the time Luxury Car Tax and GST are added). Each car will be powered by Aston Martin's 6.0-litre V12 as the engine deal with Mercedes-AMG is yet to start.Do not adjust your eyes: this is the new, second-generation Audi R8. You can tell because it has vertical slats in the lower section of the front bumper, a bigger bulge in the side vents, and squinty headlights. Despite the visual similarities with the original, every panel is new. And the 5.2-litre V10 has been given a tune-up: 449kW in its most powerful guise. On sale here early next year from an estimated $400,000.After 10 years and 450 sales (at €1 million plus taxes apiece) the last ever Bugatti Veyron will bow at the 2015 Geneva motor show. In the end, the world's fastest car had an epic 895kW of power and a mind-boggling 1500Nm of torque from its quad turbo W16 (yes, two V8s mounted back-to-back). Top speed: an average of 431km/h over 1km and a 0 to 100km/h time of 2.5 seconds, which is faster than a Formula One car. The good news: Bugatti is developing a successor.The 488 GTB is the first turbocharged mid-engined Ferrari since the epic F40 supercar made from 1987 to 1992, and is only the second turbo V8 in the company's modern era after last year's California T. As with almost every brand, Ferrari is moving to turbocharging because it can extract more power from smaller engines that burn less fuel. A sign of the times, the 488 GTB (reviving the 40-year-old badge from the 308 GTB) easily eclipses the F40's output (351kW/577Nm) with an impressive 492kW of power and 760Nm of torque to create a 0 to 100km/h time of 3.0 seconds.This may look like another bad-ass Mercedes AMG GT but the bigger news is under the bonnet. It's the last hurrah for the high-powered and highly-strung 6.3-litre V8 that has been at the heart of almost every Mercedes-Benz AMG V8 model for the past decade. And it's going out on a high as the engine to be used in Mercedes' GT3 racer next year.British F1 firm McLaren has joined the long list of supercar makers with a new racing program: the P1 GTR is powered by a 1000 horsepower twin-turbo 3.8-litre V8. The show car is finished in the same colour scheme as McLaren's LeMans winner from 20 years ago. McLaren's one-make racing series for the well-heeled kicks off later this year.German sports car maker Porsche has finally done what diehard fans have demanded for more than 10 years. It has fitted the bigger and more powerful 3.8-litre six-cylinder engine from its 911 flagship into the smaller, more affordable and mid-engined Cayman. The result is a car that promises to out-pace and out-manouvre the iconic 911, which is precisely the reason Porsche was so reluctant to build it in the first place. In local showrooms by the end of the year with a price we're guessing will top $200,000.Meet Mercedes-Benz's monster truck, and one of the most expensive four-wheel-drives in the world. The G500 is based on the legendary Mercedes G-Class body (originally developed for military use but has since been made for civilians) and uses AMG's new twin turbo 4.0-litre V8. But the big news is the desert-racer suspension and the massive 22-inch wheels and tyres – and a price tag likely to cost in excess of $500,000. Fortunately it rides so high there isn't much chance you'll scratch it.Not every car at the Geneva motor show is expensive, inaccessible and unlikely to ever hit the road. But nor is every new car actually a car. Between the regular passenger vehicles is an increasing array of small SUVs.The world's biggest selling car (and the top-seller in Australia for the past two years in a row) is due for a facelift mid-year. New headlights combine with a futuristic-looking grille and sleek front bumper to give it a freshen-up. It's also tipped to get a rear-view camera as standard on every model (bringing it up to speed with the Corolla sedan and the Yaris hatch). The photo is of a hybrid version sold in Europe but Toyota Australia still has no plans to introduce the petrol-electric Corolla.This car should erase any doubts about Hyundai's continued climb up the sales charts. The new Hyundai Tucson (the first European reveal for an all-new Hyundai) is due in Australia in August. Underneath its miniature Hyundai SantaFe looks is a choice of 2.0-litre petrol, 2.0-litre turbo diesel and 1.6-litre turbo petrol power.The initials "GT" are usually associated with iconic Falcon V8 sedans or Ford's US-made Ferrari-fighting sports car, but BMW has decided to add the badge to its first people mover. The 2 Series "Grand Tourer" is the seven-seat version of its 2 Series front-wheel-drive hatch. Note the longer body, taller roof and the bigger boot to fit the third-row seats. On sale later this year.With its bright red paintwork, dark grey alloy wheels and sleek lines you could be forgiven for thinking this could pass for Ferrari's first ever wagon. In fact, it's a Kia. This concept is a pointer to the new generation Optima sedan, which will also be available as a wagon for the first time. Due on sale in Australia late this year.This cool-looking concept comes from Mitsubishi, which has a habit of making its production cars look nowhere near as exciting as the motor show tease. Here's hoping we're wrong. This is the preview to the all-new ASX compact SUV due in showrooms next year. The concept has plug-in hybrid technology but we're not certain that'll make the production version. Petrol and diesel engines will likely be standard fare.Nissan's luxury brand Infiniti (which doesn't know how to spell "infinity") is about to join the baby SUV boom with the oddly-named QX30. Car makers are switching to letters and numbers because apparently we're running out of car names that don't offend someone somewhere in various languages. Expect a showroom version of this to appear next year.It's difficult to know whether this is a tall hatchback or a squashed SUV. The Lexus LF-SA (be careful how you say that) concept is said to be a pointer to the brand's first pint-sized SUV for the city. As is the case with previous Lexus concepts, the showroom version won't look anything like this unfortunately. Imagine this car with normal doors, much smaller wheels and tyres, regular headlights, and then squint a bit, and you have an idea how the real thing will look when it arrives next year.This is a concept intended to warm us to the look of the new generation Audi A4 and A6 wagons due in the next two years. The concept also previews "production ready" plug-in hybrid technology, joining the long list of European brands embracing electrical cords to reduce the emissions ratings for their petrol-powered cars.We're not sure if this looks like a Kia, or if the latest Kia cars look like Citroens. But just to be clear this is the facelift for the Citroen DS5, with a slightly cleaner front-end look while the rest of the car is unchanged. That said, it still turns heads, three years on. The update should be in Australian showrooms by the end of the year.The photos of the new Ford Focus RS hot hatch were released last month, but the vital signs and "tech specs" will finally be made available during the car's first public outing. Powered by the same 2.3-litre turbo four-cylinder engine used in the Mustang, and matched to an all-wheel-drive system, it promises to become Ford's fastest and most powerful hot hatch.The Honda Civic Type R has been in the making for almost as long as the Nissan GT-R. Here's hoping good things come to those who wait. We've seen the concept before, and we know it'll be powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine, but the production version of the Civic Type R finally bows at Geneva. There is just one catch: Honda says we might not see the car in Australia until 2017 because the priority is to get the Honda NSX supercar in local showrooms next year.Is your idea of sleeping under stars simply a hotel with a five-star rating? This could be the camper trailer kit for you. Jeep has created a trailer in the same shape as the tail-end of its new city-sized SUV, the Renegade. It comes with a wide screen TV and a massive sound system to annoy other campers. But fear not: it's only a motor show tease. You will not be able to buy this source of public disturbance at a Jeep dealer any time soon.

The Mustang may be the focus of Ford's performance-car spotlight, but another high-powered present is around the corner.Ford has confirmed production of the new generation Focus RS – and it is coming to Australia.The new Focus RS is set to be Ford's fastest and most powerful hot hatch of all time, powered by the same turbocharged 2.3-litre engine used in the upcoming Mustang – with all-wheel-drive grip to get its grunt to the road.The pocket rocket will also help enthusiasts find their nearest race track to exploit the car's performance."Simple voice commands such as 'find a race track' enable RS owners to get instant directions to the nearest public circuit," says Ford press blurb.The high-powered engine in such a small car is tipped to challenge the likes of the Volkswagen Golf R and Subaru WRX STI.Ford is yet to confirm timing and pricing but the Focus RS is expected in Australian showrooms in the first half of 2016, with a sharp RRP likely to undercut the $50,000 Golf R and WRX STI.Ford Australia has developed a pattern of undercutting its hot hatch rivals: the Fiesta ST at $25,990 is cheaper than the VW Polo GTI, Renault Clio RS and Peugeot 208 GTI and the $38,290 Focus ST costs less than the VW Golf GTI and Subaru WRX despite being better equipped.Ford will reveal further details at next month's Geneva motor showOver-delivering and under-pricing is part of Ford's plan to attract buyers who have not previously considered its performance cars before.Ford says it wants volume sales from its new global performance model, which means the new Focus RS will be less of a niche vehicle and more widely available. It is one of 12 new performance cars due before 2020.Ford will reveal further details at next month's Geneva motor show but says the new Focus RS will have "well in excess" of 230kW.Overseas reports have speculated an output of 250kW of power and more than 450Nm of torque (up from 224kW and 440Nm from the previous Focus RS).The vehicle will go into production in Saarlouis, Germany late this year before becoming the first Ford RS model sold globally.The previous Focus RS – sold in small numbers in Australia in 2010 – was a three-door front-wheel-drive model powered by a turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine shared with Volvo.Ford Australia imported just 315 examples in September 2010, after Ireland gave up its remaining allocation of cars due to excess supply and weakened demand in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis.Despite costing $60,000, all 315 examples were snapped up within months.What we know so far:Engine: Turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinderPower: In excess of 230kW and 450NmTransmission: Six-speed manual, all-wheel-drive with torque vectoring (sending grip to the wheel that needs it most in corners and up to 70 per cent of power to the rear wheels)Other highlights: Brembo racing brakes, lightweight 19-inch alloy rims, Michelin high performance tyres, two-mode shock absorbers, Recaro seats, flat-bottomed steering wheel, stop-start technology, automatic emergency braking, bi-xenon headlights, 10-speaker Sony sound system with a subwoofer.

The world will get its first proper look at the new 2015 Focus RS on February 3, and Ford has released a teaser video for the new uber-hot hatch to announce the upcoming...announcement.However, the teaser video does not give much away that hadn't already been talked about.The video does support the expectation that the new Mk3 Focus RS will have five-doors, moving away from the three-door body seen in the previous two generations.The addition of the rear doors brings the RS into line with the rest of the third-generation Focus hatch lineup, which has only been produced with five doors since its introduction in 2011.The video also suggests the Mk3 RS will share sheet metal with the lesser Focus models - lacking the bespoke pumped wheel arches of the Mk2 Focus RS.Technical details and pricing remain unconfirmed, although it's been said the Mk3 Focus RS will share the 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine of the new Mustang, meaning outputs of around 260kW and 450Nm - up from the 224kW/440Nm of the previous models 2.5-litre five-cylinder.It's also unclear whether the new RS will stick to its front-wheel drive layout, or switch to a heaver all-wheel drivetrain to harness the expected extra output. The abundance of oversteer evident in the above video does suggest the rear wheels could well be handling some of the drive.  The Mk2 Focus RS was priced at $60,000 in Australia, with the Mk3 expected to arrive for similar money.

2015 update brings updated tech, plus revised engines and styling to Ford Focus.Ford has announced new details for local versions of the 2015 Focus update, which is due for arrival in the second half of next year.Headlining the mid-generation update is a slimming down of the engine options to the binary choice of a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol EcoBoost engine, or an updated version of the existing 2.0-litre turbodiesel.The new Focus also receives a retuned chassis with increased structural stiffness and revised suspension geometry.Styling changes also form part of the 2015 update for the Focus with a new bonnet, front bumper, thinner head and tail lights plus some chrome details.Feature-wise, the new Focus is being brought into line with Ford's other recently refreshed models. An eight-inch touchscreen with the 'SYNC2' multimedia system will be added across the range as will their 'MyKey' technology, while an updated automatic parking system will be available in upper trim levels.Local pricing and exact trim levels have not been confirmed, however the latter are likely to follow the Ambiente, Trend, Titanium scale of the existing Focus.The revised version of the German-built Focus ST hot hatch will be the first of the new models to arrive in February, ahead of the rest of the range which will continue to be sourced from Thailand.

The secret (and some not so secret) models that will power Ford, Holden and Toyota when their factories close.

First glimpse of Ford's new-look Focus ST hot hatch reveals a nose job.The exotic line-up at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where $2 million collector cars are commonplace and the La Ferrari fades into the background, included one surprisingly humble star.It was the new Ford Focus ST, making its global debut. Australian sales will start next year and the hot hatch has a big new performance role in the US.There is no confirmation from Ford Australia on the exact timing for local deliveries but it is likely to be in the first half of next year.The ST is much as expected and follows the new-look common to Ford's small cars. The more distinctive nose - some people say it was inspired by Aston Martin - also will feature on the new Mustang.The Mustang was also making its European debut at the Festival and the big difference from the static reveal of the two cars was their showing on hill climb runs during the four days of what has become Britain's annual motoring show.The new ST's basics are much as before, with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and sports suspension and brakes. The variant will continue to be built in Europe for Australia despite the change to Thai factories for lesser models in the line-up.There is also an ST diesel for the first time with 136kW which is unlikely to make it here.The updated petrol engine, with variable valve timing on inlet and exhaust, makes 183kW. The ST covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.5 seconds but uses a claimed 6.8L/100km.Ford says its Team RS group concentrated on suspension work for the new car, new front springs and tauter tail shock absorbers. The electric power steering and stability control settings have been revised for the ST requirements, with sharper steering response and improved torque vectoring for the front-driver.There are also a new 19-inch Michelin tyre, a predictable rear wing and twin exhausts. The biggest benefit for owners is likely to be in the cabin, where the smoother new dash design for the Focus update - with a far fewer buttons - is delivered with an ST twist, including Recaro sports buckets and leather-wrapped wheel.Ford says the car will come with collision avoidance, lane keeping assistance and adaptive bi-xenon headlamps.

Updated Ford Focus ST unveiled at Goodwood ahead of Australian showroom arrival in early 2015. Ford has given its Focus ST hot hatch a new look and a load of new technology -- but no more power -- as a diesel performance model joins the line-up for the first time. The facelifted version of Ford's rival to the Volkswagen Golf GTI was unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK ahead of its arrival in Australian showrooms in early 2015. However, the diesel version of the Focus ST has not been confirmed for sale Down Under as it was primarily designed for Europe. The visual highlights on the new Ford Focus ST include sleeker headlights and tail-lights, new front and rear bumpers and optional 19-inch wheels. The 18-inch wheels are the same as those on the current model but have been painted in a dark grey "charcoal" finish. Ford may not have changed the power output of the Focus ST's 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine (184kW and 360Nm) or the straight-line performance (0 to 100km/h in 6.5 seconds) but it has changed the way the car drives by re-tuning the steering and the suspension -- and fitting new tyres to its hottest hatch.  The current model Ford Focus ST rides on a highly-regarded and super-grippy Goodyear tyre that also happens to protect the edge of the wheels as the sidewall sits proud of the rim. But for 2015, the Ford Focus ST will switch to Michelin Pilot Sport II tyres, the same used on Ferraris, Porsches -- and the Renault Megane RS275, the world's fastest hot hatch. Ford fine-tuned the stability control's torque vectoring system, which it says now delivers more grip and more control in corners. Ford also fitted new engine mounts to improve smoothness when accelerating on uneven surfaces. As with the current Ford Focus ST and Ford Fiesta ST, the updated model was engineered by Ford Team RS based in Cologne, Germany, a two hour drive from the famous Nurburgring race circuit. Inside, the Focus ST benefits from other upgrades that came with the facelift of the regular models, such as a redesigned centre dash panel with fewer buttons and a larger screen. The new Focus ST will also be easier to live with day to day thanks to the larger centre console storage and door pockets.  Ford has even revved up the USB port which now charges twice as fast as before. A new race-car-style "flat bottomed" steering wheel has been fitted to enhance driver feel and improve knee room. The Ford Focus ST gains "stop-start" technology (which cuts the engine when idle in traffic and automatically restarts it again when the clutch pedal is pressed) improving fuel economy from 7.4L/100km to 6.8L/100km. In Europe, the Ford Focus ST will be available with black leather seats, bi-xenon headlights, cross-traffic alert (which warns of oncoming cars when reversing out of parking bays) and automatic emergency braking up to 50km/h. It is not clear if any of these options will be available in Australia. Missing from the Focus ST update is the addition of an automatic or dual-clutch transmission which accounts for 80 per cent of sales of the arch rival Volkswagen Golf GTI. Ford sources say the Focus ST is unlikely to develop a twin-clutch gearbox for this generation car. Ford says it has sold 140,000 Focus ST (both this and the previous, non turbo generation) in more than 40 countries since it went on sale in 2002. Meanwhile, reports out of Europe and North America say Ford is putting finishing touches on the next generation Ford Focus RS after numerous disguised prototypes have been caught on camera. The Ford Focus RS is expected to be powered by a turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine shared with the new Ford Mustang, but Ford is yet to substantiate the reports or even confirm if there will indeed be a new generation Focus RS. If a new Focus RS goes on sale it's unlikely to arrive until late 2015 at the earliest. Ford Focus STPrice: $38,290 plus on-road costs (estimated)Engine: Turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinderPower: 184kW and 360NmTransmission: Six-speed manualEconomy: 6.8L/100km0 to 100km/h: 6.5 secondsOn sale: Early 2015

Ford has revealed the first official images and details of its mid-cycle refresh of the third-generation Focus small car, ahead of its public unveiling in Geneva next month. The new model brings styling upgrades both inside and out, bringing the Blue Oval’s top-selling nameplate in line with the refreshed Fiesta and the upcoming Mondeo.Differing from the rendering that appeared online in January, the official images show a new headlight design, bonnet and front bumper, plus reshaped taillights and a smoothened hatch treatment over the existing model on sale locally since 2011. Only the hatch and wagon (available overseas) have been shown for now, but the sedan is likely to score the same treatment front and rear.Those who criticised the current model’s array of interior controls and switches will be impressed that Ford has greatly reduced the button count on the new model, with a significantly larger 8-inch multimedia screen taking their place in the centre stack.The new Focus will also be the first European model to use the second-generation of Ford’s Sync connectivity system. Sync 2 promises improved voice command interactivity, plus split-screen satnav with more detailed mapping options. Also within the cabin is a redesigned steering wheel, centre console, revised trim materials, and the adoption of the MyKey parental control system.Among a host of other technological refinements, the new Focus also becomes the first Ford to extend the current Active Park Assist system’s automated parallel parking system to include perpendicular parking, with the new model able to reverse into standard parking spaces alongside other vehicles.Rear cross-traffic alert will also make its Focus debut, along with a new Park-Out Assist function to help with exiting parallel parks.  The Active City Stop collision avoidance system can now activate at speeds up to 50km/h (up from 30km/h).Ford will also add its new 1.5-litre EcoBoost petrol and TDCi turbodiesels to the Focus lineup, with the petrol available in either 110kW or the 134kW guise already used by the Fiesta ST. The diesel will be available in 70kW and 88kW tunes and Ford is claiming efficiency gains of up to 19 per cent over the existing petrol and diesel options.In Australia, the 110kW petrol will likely replace the existing 92kW 1.6-litre naturally aspirated engine, and the 134kW would be a logical successor for the 125kW 2.0-litre. Models equipped with the Powershift dual-clutch auto will be available with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters for the first time, replacing the current shifter-mounted manual control buttons.Under the skin, the front structure has been stiffened and geometry and steering retuned for improved dynamics, and general refinement has been boosted with thicker noise insulation and side window glass.AustraliaSpeaking with Carsguide today, Ford Australia spokesman Neil McDonald confirmed that the new Focus will not arrive locally until 2015, despite a European on-sale date soon after mid-year. Local drivetrains and specifications are also yet to be confirmed, but there are still no plans to import the wagon bodystyle to match its Golf, i30, Cruze and 308 rivals.This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn  

Ford’s Fiesta ST is already arguably the king of the light hot hatch set, but a new report out of the UK suggests that an even hotter RS version is under development. AutoExpress suggests that a RS-badged Fiesta could be followed by the much-anticipated third-generation Focus RS, if a business case can be made for the models. Ford has been toying with the idea of a Fiesta RS since at least 2004, with a pumped-up concept based on the previous generation model shown at the Geneva motor show that year. Stranding in the way of the number crunchers though is the current economic woes of the Ford hatches’ European-market heartland, and the plans are reportedly far from being locked in. If a green light is given, tradition suggests we’ll see the new RS models towards the end of the Fiesta and Focus model life cycles, which could result in a Fiesta RS arriving at least 12 months ahead of as Focus RS – and as soon as 2015. The likely power source for a Fiesta RS would be an uprated version of the ST’s 134kW/240Nm 1.6-litre turbo, producing in the order of 172kW to trump the existing 160kW/320Nm Mountune-enhanced version available overseas.  A tricky diff is possible to help put such power to the ground, along with widened tracks, monster brakes, and pumped wheelarches and other agressive body enhancements to help link it with the RS-liveried Fiesta WRC racer. Development mules have already been sighted of a Focus with the same treatment, with the likely motive source a version of the 2015 Mustang’s circa-227kW 2.3 litre EcoBoost engine. This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn