Ford Focus Coupe-Cabriolet now on sale

With the end of production of the Ford StreetKa in 2005 and the Escort Convertible in 1997 Ford have not had a presence in the growing coupe-cabriolet market.

All that has now been remedied with the two-door, four-seat, Ford Focus Coupe-Cabriolet which is now in dealer showrooms.

Sales officially started at the beginning of this year with some 600 units already with customers but it is only now that he models are becoming readily available in time for Summer.

Prices start at £16,795 for the 1.6-litre, 100PS (99bhp) CC-1 version. The Focus CC-2 with a 2.0-litre 145PS (143bhp) petrol engine is priced at £17,795, the CC-2 with a 2.0-litre, 136PS (135bhp) diesel engine costs £19,270.

Higher specification CC-3 versions are available with a 2.0-litre petrol or diesel engine and cost £18,795 and £20,270 respectively.

Petrol models have five speed manual transmissions and the diesel version uses a six-speed unit. An automatic transmission will become available for 2.0-litre petrol models at the end of this year.

As a launch promotion Ford is currently offering the £1,000 luxury pack that consists of dual electronic temperature control and full leather trim free for all CC-3 models. All models have air conditioning as standard.

Most volume manufacturers now offer coupe-cabriolet models and these range from the Vauxhall Tigra, the recently launched Peugeot 207 CC, the Megane Coupe Cabriolet, the Peugeot 307CC, Vauxhall Astra Twin-Top, the VW Golf Eos and the new BMW 3-Series Convertible. All these follow the current design trend of having a folding metal roof which brings added security and all the year round practicality.

The Focus Coupe-Cabriolet is Ford’s first power-operated retractable hardtop car and they say it is better equipped and approximately £350 cheaper than an entry level Astra Twin-Top and a whopping £2,900 cheaper than the entry-level VW Eos, which is a purpose built coupe-cabriolet rather than a saloon or a coupe with the retractable roof.

Ford admits, because they have not been in this growing market sector for a number of years, they are unsure of the sales potential for their new model but they estimate that around 6,000 cars will be sold this year with only around 10 per cent of these being to fleet or business user-chooser customers, although these drivers account for 70 per cent of all Focus sales annually in the UK.

The Focus has been Britain’s best selling range of cars since it was launched in 1998 and last year 138,000 of them were sold in the UK.

Ford said this week that the 1.6-litre petrol CC-1 models were expected to account for 20 per cent of sales with CC-2 and CC-3 each taking a 40 per cent share of registrations.

The best selling models will have the 2.0-litre 145PS (143bhp) petrol engine although they acknowledge that with the current increasing interest from the fleet and business market sectors their 10 per cent prediction for diesel sales might be underestimated – only time will tell they said.

Ford also said they have no plans to introduced their 2.5-litre, 225PS (223bhp) turbocharged, five-cylinder petrol engine from the Focus three and five door ST hatchback range to the Coupe-Cabriolet line-up.

Who will buy the Focus Coupe-Cabriolet? Ford say their research into this growing sector shows there is a 50/50 split between male and female buyers although more females tend to drive these cars than males. Around 70 per cent of owners are married and 30 per cent have children.

The coupe-cabriolet styling attracts 57 per cent of buyers to this segment and 32 per cent of customers will come from the C-sector where the Focus range is already the market leader.

All Focus Coupe-Cabriolet models have alloy road wheels, active roll-over protection system, four seats with sculptured rear bench seats, electronically operated and heated door mirrors a Thatcham Cat 1 alarm, CD player and air conditioning.

The CC-2 derivatives have larger alloy wheels, leather steering wheel and a Sony MP3 player. Top of the range CC-3 models have leather seats, a different style of 17 inch alloy wheels, cruise control, a Sony six CD player, automatic lights and wipers, front fog lights and a distinctive grill surround.

Insurance group ratings are 8E for CC-1 variants and 11E for CC-2/CC-3 models.