Full volume production of the new Ford Focus has begun at the firm's Saarlouis assembly plant.
The German plant will cater for the Western European market, building the four-door, five-door and estate Focus variants. Production of the Focus ST will be added in 2012.
Read more on the Ford Focus ST
The Saarlouis facility now produces both the Focus and Kuga line-up and is capable of producing up to 1850 vehicles a day.
As part of Ford’s global development programme, production of the Focus will be expanded further in 2011 in Russia, and in 2012 in China and Thailand.
New features of the latest Focus will include the company's low-speed safety system, active park assist, lane departure warning and traffic sign recognition.
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Re: New Focus production starts
This has come at an important time for Ford with its European sales on the slide, it needs some new metal to bring in new customers.
Re: New Focus production starts
Whilst it is true that the entire car is not produced in theUK
You'd be surprised how much British content is still in the average Ford car from (as mentioned) British built engines to intellectual content by the thousands of British people within Ford, even if they aren't based in the UK.
Re: New Focus production starts
Halewood has been owned as a site by Jaguar for nearly 10 years now....