FORD’S new Focus will be cheaper than the outgoing model when the first drivers take delivery of the car on January 1, 2005.

However, higher specification models will have a price increase to take account of extra equipment.

The Ford Focus CL has been replaced by a model called Studio and will be priced at £10,895 on the road for the 1.4-litre 3dr variant. It represents a saving of £250 over the outgoing CL.

The new LX has air-con as standard for £11,945, where it was a £500 option on the £11,800 outgoing car. There is a new Sport derivative which sits between LX and Zetec and is priced from £12,220.

Zetecs are priced from £13,095. Ghias are only available as five-door or estates and start at £14,670, while the new Titanium is also available as a three-door priced from £14,925.

Euro IV diesel models are available in each of the manual 1.6 TDCi and 2.0 TDCi for a £300 premium over the Euro III compliant versions, with prices for EU IV starting at £14,645 on the road for the 1.6 TDCi LX.