One by one, Ford of Europe's iconic nameplates are dying. The final Mondeo (aka Fusion in the US) was built in April 2022, followed by the last Fiesta in July 2023. Later this year, the Focus will also be retired. In an e-mail to Motor1, the company's European Communications Manager, Finn Thomasen, announced that production of the Focus will end in November. Sadly, there are no plans for a direct successor.
Ford PR tells us that customers can still order a new Focus precisely how they want it, but with the end of production at the Saarlouis plant in Germany looming, it won't be long before the order books are shut. After that, you'll be limited to whatever's left in the inventory.
The model's demise truly marks the end of an era for Ford in Europe, as the Focus has held significant importance since the first-generation model debuted in 1998. The Focus had big shoes to fill from the start, replacing the iconic Escort, another long-running nameplate in Ford's history.
Discontinuing the Focus means enthusiasts will lose one of the last hot hatchbacks sold with a manual gearbox, the ST. Ford has also been selling the sporty version as a more practical wagon, complete with a diesel engine for those seeking low-end torque and better efficiency. Killing the Focus can only be good news for the Volkswagen Group, which will continue to pump out Golfs, Octavias, Leons, and A3s for years. The Toyota Corolla isn't going anywhere, either.
But why is Ford wiping out the Focus from its lineup? CEO Jim Farley says it's "getting out of the boring-car business and into the iconic-vehicle business." In an interview last year, the firm's head honcho admitted that cars like the Fiesta and Mondeo "were loved by a lot of customers," but the harsh reality was that Ford wasn't making enough money to warrant future investments. Dearbon believes focusing (pun intended) on the Bronco, Tremor, Raptor, and Mustang is more profitable. The intent is to make Ford the "Porsche of off-road."
The Focus' demise will leave Ford without a regular car in Europe, echoing a strategy that has been in place in the United States for a while. The Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, and Taurus were retired from North America several years ago. Sure, there's still the Mustang, but it's a niche product that can't move the needle. The pony car's latest sales figures in the US look terrible. It's doubtful the "S650" will be a massive hit in Europe where there are big taxes on cars with high emissions and large-displacement engines.
Ford sales in Europe (including EFTA and the UK) fell 17 percent to 426,307 cars in 2024, the first full year without the Fiesta. The company's market share dropped from 4 percent to only 3.3 percent, behind Kia and Hyundai, with each Korean brand grabbing 4.1 percent. Ford is off to a rough start to the year, with sales numbers published by the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) showing a 3.9 percent decline versus January 2024 and a market share of just 3 percent.
With the Focus going away this year, the prospects for 2026 are not optimistic, either. However, Ford does have the Puma and Kuga (Escape in the US) to compensate for the demise of regular cars. The Puma is now also sold as an EV, joining the bigger Mustang Mach-E, VW ID4-based Explorer, and ID5-based Capri available in the company's electric lineup in Europe.
We all know that sales figures don't tell the whole story, as profit margins are key to a business's success. However, as someone who grew up around Fords and loved the Focus Mk1 for its looks and how exciting it was to drive, it saddens me to see the car slowly fading away. RIP Focus; you'll be missed.
