Sporty New Look for 2009 Ford Focus Coupe to Debut on Wednesday 'American Idol' Episode

DEARBORN, Mich., May 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

  -- The 2009 Focus coupe is set to debut on "American Idol" on Fox on
     Wednesday.

  -- 2008 Sporty updates inspired by customer feedback, including new front
     and rear fascias, a new roof-line spoiler and standard 17-inch aluminum

     wheels on the SES series, enhance the car's profile and further
     differentiate the Focus coupe from the sedan.

  -- Performance improvements include increased horsepower on 5-speed manual

     versions and quicker acceleration, thanks to a new final drive ratio on

     models with four-speed automatic transmissions -- without any
     compromise to Focus' 35-miles-per-gallon fuel economy rating.

  -- Focus posted an 88 percent increase in retail sales in April versus a
     year ago.

The hot-selling Ford Focus debuts a new coupe version for the 2009 model year Wednesday on America's hottest television show -- "American Idol." This marks the first time Ford has ever revealed a new product on prime time television.

"Focus is the little car that delivers in a big way for customers, with 35 mpg fuel economy, cool features including SYNC, a fun drive, strong quality and the right price," said John Felice, Ford Division group marketing manager.

"We've built on those strengths to deliver an even sportier coupe version for 2009 and thought the 'American Idol' debut would be a new way for customers to see the upgrades for themselves."

The new Focus coupe can be seen for the first time during the Wednesday broadcast of "American Idol" on FOX, which airs at 9 p.m. EDT.

The Focus coupe will be part of the "American Idol" Ford Video featuring this season's remaining contestants. Episodes of American Idol typically draw an audience of more than 20 million viewers. The 45-second music video also will be featured on the "American Idol" Web site at http://www.americanidol.com/ under the Ford Music Video page.

Sportier Design

Focus retail sales were up 88 percent in April versus the prior year, and a growing number of younger customers have been buying the new Focus model that was launched in late 2007.

"We've spent a lot of time talking with small-car customers and Focus enthusiasts," said Sam De La Garza, Focus marketing manager. "Their overwhelming feedback was that a sportier exterior design could attract even more Millennials, or those people born between 1980 and 1995 -- 11,000 of whom reach driving age every day in the U.S."

With that in mind, the Focus team sculpted the coupe's new front and rear fascias to provide a sportier appearance. The lower front fascia incorporates a larger open area that bares a strong resemblance to the acclaimed design of the new global Ford Fiesta subcompact. The fog lamps -- now standard -- are better integrated into the overall design of the front fascia, and its signature two-bar chrome front grille and chrome accents around the headlamps have been darkened for added differentiation.

"The new coupe looks really sporty," said Thomas Tang, co-founder of http://www.focusfanatics.com/ and Ford Focus owner. "It is great to see that Ford values our feedback and is willing to make quick changes."

"The new front fascia, 17-inch sport wheels and fog lamps remind me of the old Focus SVT models," Tang added.

For differentiation, the high-end Focus SES will feature a standard high-mounted spoiler that is incorporated into the design of the roof. The high-mounted design contributes to Focus' overall muscular stance. A decklid spoiler will remain part of the Focus SE exterior design.

New premium-painted Dark Chrome 17-inch aluminum wheels, also standard on SES, complete the coupe's redesigned exterior.

Sounds 'Bad' and Goes Faster -- With More Control

The 2009 Focus SES coupe features more horsepower and a throatier sound, thanks to a new sport-tuned exhaust. The SES coupe with a four-speed automatic transmission will have a new 4.2 final drive ratio to deliver quicker off-the-line acceleration for a faster 0-60 mph time.

A new option for 2009 is electronic stability control (ESC), which uses sophisticated sensors and the anti-lock braking system to help correct skids that can lead to accidents.

Fuel-efficient Powertrains

The 2009 Focus Coupe is equipped with a 2.0-liter, Duratec 20 dual-overhead-cam (DOHC), inline 4-cylinder engine that delivers 143 horsepower when mated to a five-speed manual transmission and 140 horsepower when paired with a four-speed automatic transmission.

Also available is a super-clean, 130-horsepower Duratec 20E engine that qualifies Focus as a Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV). The 20E's tailpipe emissions are cleaner than some hybrid gas-electric vehicles'. The Duratec 20 and 20E in Focus Coupe are mated to a five-speed manual transmission and achieve EPA-estimated fuel economy of 35 mpg.

SYNC Standard on Focus SES