Ford threw a chic launch party for the new Ford Focus compact in Japan on Thursday, unveiling the new 2.0-liter hatchback that goes on sale immediately and 1.6 that reaches the showrooms in December.
Building on the critical success of the original Focus, 2000^s North American Car of the Year, Ford has evolved a bigger, roomier, softer, more sophisticated package for the new generation Focus, which comes to Japan exclusively in five-door hatchback form, provided with a four-speed automatic transmission.
The new Fords are a good value by class standards; the 1.6 retails for $19,766 and the 2.0-liter is $24,259.
Even so, Ford Japan has set its sales aspirations surprisingly low, expecting to sell just 500 cars in this first year, then 2,000 a year thereafter. "We are not chasing volume," explained Ford Japan chief Katsuhiko Sato.
Ford Japan^s model line-up also includes the Explorer and Escape from the U.S., plus Fiesta and Mondeo models from Europe. Last year, Ford sold 5,813 vehicles in Japan.
