New Ford Focus Mule First Spy Photos

Automotive spies have caught the upcoming Ford Focus while it was out cold weather testing in northern Sweden. Two different mules were spotted by the spy cameras, a sedan and a wagon. Strangely the sedan looks like it's riding higher than normal sedans.

At this early stage in its development the car is just a powertrain and chassis mule but it does give a small idea as to the design direction Ford may be going. It is suspected that the Iosis Max concept recently unveiled in Geneva is a source of inspiration for some of the upcoming Focus' design cues, particularly in MPV form like the concept. 

The third generation Ford Focus is expected to hit the showroom floors in late 2010 based on the car's current 6 year production life cycle. Ford assembles the Focus at different locations around the world and in 2007 the Australian Industry Minister Ian MacFarlane said Australia would begin its manufacture in 2011. Some reports contradict this by claiming it will debut simultaneously in North America, Asia and Europe in 2010.

Past generation models have come in various shapes such as sedan, hatchback, coupe convertible and three-door hatch. The next-generation global car will be be modified as an EV for the American market in order to accommodate batteries. That US version, to be called the Focus RV, should be able to travel about 160km (99 miles) without a recharge. The RV will begin selling in 2011.