American Focus buyers will get one brand new engine and two transmission options at launch early next year. Like other new Fords, six-speed gearboxes are now the norm for Focus with a choice of manual or dual-clutch PowerShift units available. No traditional torque converter automatic will be offered in the Focus, but the PowerShift will get manual shift capability unlike the Fiesta. Unfortunately, the manual control comes by way of a switch on the side of the shift knob no wheel-mounted shift paddles.
The engine is a new 2.0-liter direct-injected four-cylinder, which will also form the basis of the upcoming 2.0-liter EcoBoost. The normally aspirated unit will be rated at an estimated 155 hp and 145 pound-feet. Both cams are equipped with variable phasing using the same cam-torque actuation system as the Fusion's 2.5-liter and the new 5.0-liter V8 in the Mustang. Thanks to the charge cooling effect of direct injection, the new engine will have a 12:1 compression ratio, which should aid low end torque production. The new engine will also be E85 flex-fuel capable, a first for a DI engine. No one from Ford would confirm the availability of an EcoBoost engine in the Focus, but they did hint that the 1.6-liter GTDI would eventually be an option. Another feature that will be new to the Focus is automatic start-stop functionality that switches off the engine when the car comes to a halt. This will be one of the first such applications in the U.S. market in a non-hybrid vehicle.
The other powertrain that we'll definitely see in the Focus is a full battery electric option. The Focus Electric will join the lineup sometime in 2011 using a lithium ion battery pack and electric drive developed in cooperation with Magna International. The Focus Electric is expected to have a driving range of 80-100 miles.
Ford isn't talking mileage numbers for the next-gen Focus yet, but it clearly is a priority for the new car. With Chevrolet aiming for 40+ mpg on the highway for the the Cruze, Ford will surely be trying to match it. To that end, designers have also focused a lot on functional aerodynamics in addition to just aesthetic styling. One of the more interesting features are thermostatically controlled shutters behind the grille. At higher speeds when more air naturally flows through the radiator, the shutters automatically close and force air around the sides of the car.
