Ford's iconic models are dying in Europe one by one. The last Mondeo was produced in April 2022, and the last Fiesta in July 2023. Now the Focus is also buried. Finn Thomasen, Ford's European head of communications, announced in an email to Motor1 that the Focus will cease production in November. Unfortunately, there are no plans for a direct successor.
Ford's public relations department said that customers can still order the new Focus exactly how they want it, but due to the imminent end of production at the Saarlouis plant (and its closure), the order book will soon be closed. After that, only what is in stock will be available for order.
The model's discontinuation truly marks the end of an era for Ford in Europe, as the Focus has been a hugely important model since the first generation premiered in 1998. The Focus had big shoes to fill from the start, replacing the iconic Escort, another long-established model series in Ford's history.
With the discontinuation of the Focus, enthusiasts lost one of the last sporty compact cars with a manual transmission, the ST. Ford also sold it as a more practical hatchback equipped with a diesel engine for those looking for high torque and greater efficiency. The end of the Focus can only be good news for the Volkswagen Group, which will continue to produce the Golf, Octavia, Leon and A3 for many years to come. The Toyota Corolla is not going away either, nor is the Opel Astra.
But why is Ford pulling the Focus from its lineup? CEO Jim Farley says the company wants to “get out of the boring car business and focus on the iconic car business.” In an interview last year, the boss admitted that cars like the Fiesta and Mondeo appeal to many customers, but the harsh reality is that Ford is not making enough money to justify future investment.
Dearbon believes it is more profitable to focus on the Bronco, Tremor, Raptor and Mustang. Ford wants to become the “Porsche of off-road vehicles”. The end of the Focus means that Ford is left without a mainstream non-SUV car in Europe, reflecting a strategy it has been pursuing for some time in the US. The Fiesta, Focus, Fusion and Taurus were discontinued in North America a few years ago. Of course, there is still the Mustang, but it is a niche product that cannot make a breakthrough. The latest sales figures for the pony car in the US are appalling. We doubt the “S650” will be very successful in Europe, where high-emission cars and large-displacement engines are subject to high taxes.
Ford's sales in Europe (including EFTA and the UK) fell 2024 percent to 17 vehicles in 426.307, the first full year without the Fiesta. The company's market share fell from 4 percent to just 3,3 percent, behind Kia and Hyundai, which reached 4,1 percent. Ford has had a poor start to the year: Sales figures released by the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) show a 3,9 percent drop compared to January 2024 and just 3 percent market share. The European business is still saved only by commercial vehicles.
With the Focus retiring this year, the outlook for 2026 is not exactly optimistic. Ford has the Puma and Kuga to compensate for the decline in conventional cars. The Puma is now also sold as an electric car, joining the larger Mustang Mach-E, the ID.4-based Explorer, and the ID.5-based Capri in the company's European lineup. But sales of the Explorer and Capri are manageable.
We all know that sales figures don't tell the whole story, as profit margins are crucial to a company's success. However, as someone who grew up with Ford and loved the Focus Mk1 for its looks and exciting handling, I'm sad to see this car slowly die. RIP Focus; you will be missed.
