The Ford Focus has exited production after 27 years, as the American brand continues to reshape and electrify its European lineup and adjust its manufacturing footprint.
As reported by Autocar, the iconic nameplate’s end was publicised by Ford employees on social media and by German broadcaster Saarländischer Rundfunk as the final example rolled off the production line.
The death of the Focus – which had primarily been built at Ford’s plant at Saarlouis, Germany since the fourth and final generation model entered production in 2018 – was confirmed in 2022, when Ford announced a shift to lean on its American heritage and focus on higher-margin SUV offerings in Europe.
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Three years later, production for the Focus has ended, meaning the Saarlouis plant no longer produces any cars. That leaves the plant’s future up in the air, with Ford shifting next-generation vehicle production to Valencia, Spain, and no buyer having been locked in.
Ford’s European SUV shift has already been put in motion. The popular Fiesta was discontinued in 2023, forcing buyers to step up to a pricier Puma (or defect to another brand).
The popular Kuga, sold here less successfully as the Escape, was joined by the electric Explorer and its controversial Capri sibling in 2024. Both of these are built in Cologne, Germany and are based on Volkswagen’s MEB dedicated electric vehicle (EV) platform, but neither have proved to be strong sellers.
Ford also sells the larger Mustang Mach-E in Europe, and it’s reportedly planning a new mid-size SUV that will fill the gap left by the Focus.
Set to launch in 2027, this will reportedly be sold alongside the Kuga and offer both hybrid and electric powertrains, though it’s unclear if it’ll wear the Focus nameplate.
Bar the Mustang Mach-E, none of these cars have been confirmed for Australia –local plans for Puma Gen-E were scrapped in 2024.
With both the Fiesta and Focus hatchbacks discontinued, Ford is now left without two of its most significant European nameplates. Autocar reports that Ford has dropped from being Europe’s second-biggest brand to 12th in just 10 years, losing nearly half its market share.
The Blue Oval reportedly still intends to occupy Europe’s top ranks, with a refreshed, SUV-focused lineup to lead the charge, and better-established models like the Kuga to continue as multi-powertrain options.
Ford is also reportedly considering reintroducing mass-market passenger cars in Europe.
Since launching in 1998, more than 12 million examples of the Ford Focus have been sold globally. This included almost 206,000 sales in Australia, which began when the Focus arrived on local shores in 2002, replacing the Mazda 323-based Laser.
Sales of the Focus in Australia peaked in 2013 with 19,180 deliveries, however its popularity quickly declined, dropping to 7112 sales in 2015 and finally disappearing with a fizzle of 39 sales in 2023, a year after it was discontinued locally alongside the Fiesta ST.
At the time the Focus was taken off sale locally, it was only available in performance ST guise, with more affordable variants progressively culled in the years prior.
Ford’s Australian lineup is now dominated by commercial vehicles. Its (and Australia’s) best-selling model is the Ranger ute, while it also fields the Transit and Transit Custom vans, the Everest and Mach-E as its only two SUVs, and the Mustang coupe.
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