The end of an era: Ford stops producing the Focus after 27 years

The end of an era: Ford stops producing the Focus after 27 years

An era is coming to an end: Ford has stopped producing the Ford Focus after it had been on the market since 1998. The last unit of the popular compact car rolled off the assembly line at the Ford plant in Saarlouis on November 17, 2025, marking the end of a 27-year success story. How Ruhr24 reported, the Focus was not only a direct competitor to the VW Golf, but also the best-selling car worldwide four times. In total, more than 12 million units were sold, which shows how popular the model was with drivers.

The Saarlouis factory has produced vehicles for many years, but times are changing. Ford has announced that it is not planning any successor models with combustion engines as demand for classic compact cars is decreasing and SUVs and electric vehicles are increasingly becoming the focus. As many observers note, the automobile market is undergoing fundamental change Deloitte analyzed.

The look forward

Ford's decision to stop production of the Focus is also related to the closure of its Saarlouis site. Loud Car Motor and Sport The last vehicle will be transferred to the Saarlouis City Museum, while the penultimate vehicle will be raffled off among employees - the proceeds will go to a charitable initiative.

In the future, Ford wants to bring a purely electric model onto the market in Valencia, which could be seen as a successor to the Focus. This new strategy shows that Ford will now increasingly focus on electric vehicles, with new models from 2026. The remaining models in Germany now primarily include the Kuga and the Puma, while the range of classic combustion engines continues to decline.

The challenge of electromobility

According to the aforementioned Deloitte study in Germany, the acceptance of electric vehicles is significantly influenced by challenges such as charging infrastructure and vehicle range. Many consumers prefer charging at home, but often face issues related to access to home charging stations. In addition, charging times at public stations remain a key concern for many drivers.

With just 7% of EV sales in the first quarter of 2025, Ford is still lagging behind competitors like VW, which have reached almost 19%. However, consumers are increasingly interested in the combination of financial incentives and innovative technologies to compensate for the higher costs of electromobility and increase acceptance.

The decision to discontinue the Ford Focus model is unpleasant, but at the same time it marks a shift towards a future characterized by electric vehicles. It remains exciting to see how the market will develop and what new impulses these changes will bring with them.