Ford has announced pricing on its 2007 Focus hardtop cabriolet, which was first unveiled at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. So far, Ford has only announced plans to offer the car in Europe, and today's pricing is specific to the U.K. Prices for Ford’s new Coupé-Cabriolet will start at £16,795 for the 1.6-litre, CC-1 version. The 2.0-litre, CC-2 will cost £17,795, with the range-topping model, designated the CC-3, available for £18,795.

Although Ford redesigned its European Focus two years ago and has another major overhaul in the works for 2010, the automaker has made comparatively minimal changes to its American counterpart.

The U.S. model received its last major redesign in 1999, with a few modest updates in the interim. For model year 2008, the American Focus will get another mild face-lift -- literally -- and will sport a new front end that borrows heavily from the design of the midsize Ford Fusion sedan.

The new grille on the '08 Focus will adapt the horizontal chrome bars from the Fusion -- a styling signature of the Ford brand. The car will also receive upgraded mechanicals and some interior updates, but otherwise will continue to ride on the same basic underpinnings through at least 2010.

-- Paul Lienert

Spy photographers caught prototypes of both coupe and sedan versions of the new Ford Focus in testing this week. The two-door Coupe will be a new addition to the Focus family, reminiscent of the Escort ZX2.

Both the sedan and coupe will get Ford's new signature three-bar grille. Both vehicles will also get some interesting detailing to the side panels, with a bold character line that sweeps up from the front wheel well to the' beltline, and on to the rear deck. Another chiseled line runs along their lower midsections, adding some more surface development.
This is the first appearance of full, production-spec prototypes for the next-gen Focus, and any hatchback variants have yet to make an appearance. Gallery after the jump…

Ford says that it has a renewed commitment to the small-car market, which, according to the automaker, will grow by five percent annually through 2008 and account for one-third of all new-car sales. With that, it's a bit surprising that while Europe is still several years into a more sophisticated, second-generation Focus that's closely related to the much-acclaimed Mazda3, the 2008 Focus still keeps with the same basic platform and running gear that dates back to its 1999 U.S. introduction.
The exception here is that the automaker will roll out a ZX2 coupe version later this year, Ford's first small coupe in this segment since the Escort ZX2, as two-door Focus models have all been hatchbacks until now.



The reskin for the other Focus models is quite extensive, though - though short of a full redesign, it's a full-on restyle inside and out. The '08's interior takes on many recognizable cues of Ford's contemporary design direction, especially the prominent horizontal themes inside and out, as used in the Fusion sedan and Edge crossover models. On the outside, the new Focus gets the chromed horizontal-bar grille, wrap-around headlights, and a higher, more imposing beltline, while the snout in general is more upright and chunky and the tail of the sedan looks cleaner - some might say plainer - compared with the '07 Focus.



Inside, the dash continues the horizontal themes and adds a new "top-of-dash" display with a message center and radio readouts. The freshly styled center stack and center console follow a cleaner, "poke-through" [Ford's words, not ours] design, while lighting has been changed from light green to Ice Blue, and a new customizable ambient lighting system allows seven different footwell lighting colors.



There are a few mechanical changes, too. The '08 Focus has a retuned suspension, with revised spring rates, shocks, stabilizer bars, and bushings. The standard engine will be the familiar 2.0-liter DOHC 'Duratec 20' in-line four, with new intake and cooling systems. Thorax side airbags, side curtain airbags, and anti-lock brakes will be standard.



Look for the new Focus to reach dealerships by summer.