The 2012 Ford Focus is gearing up for its North American launch with a sporty five-door hatchback and sleek four-door sedan.

Both Focus bodystyles share a sporty character, marking the next evolution of Ford’s acclaimed kinetic design form language. With its striking front end, sleek profile, dramatic rising beltline and athletic stance, the new Focus signals the rewarding experience awaiting a driver.

The all-new Ford Focus four-door has a drag coefficient as low as 0.297, compared to the current model’s 0.320. The slippery Focus shape and steeply raked windshield contribute to significantly reduced drag. Optimized aerodynamics help to reduce Ford Focus wind noise at speed and contribute to improved fuel efficiency.

The 2012 Ford Focus features new active grille shutters to block airflow through the cooling system when not required. In addition to an aerodynamic improvement at higher speeds, active grille shutters reduce underhood temperatures at low speed, increasing thermal efficiency.

The 2012 Ford Focus is fitted with a completely new 2.0-liter gasoline direct-injection DOHC four-cylinder engine that combines high-pressure direct injection and twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) for enhanced performance and fuel efficiency. This engine delivers more power than the current 2.0-liter Duratec® unit featured in the North American Focus, while contributing to projected fuel economy gains of more than 10 percent.

To maximize its performance and economy advantage, the engine is mated with the latest dry-clutch six-speed Ford PowerShift automatic transmission. A high-efficiency dual dry-clutch design, the transmission alone can help to reduce fuel consumption by up to 9 percent compared to a traditional four-speed automatic. This advanced transmission is also offered with SelectShift Automatic™ functionality, allowing drivers to manually control gear selection.

For drivers preferring a stick shift and clutch pedal, Ford Focus offers a five-speed manual transmission alternative.

The all-new 2012 Ford Focus goes on sale at North American Ford dealerships in early 2011. It will be manufactured at Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich.