Folding roof for Focus

Ford has given the official go-ahead for a convertible version of the new Focus.

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Ford has given the official go-ahead for a convertible version of the new Focus.

The manufacturer says the four-seater convertible should go on sale late in 2006. It will be closely based on the Vignale concept car seen at the Paris Motor Show in September.

Expensive cabin materials, such as aluminium, may be lost on the production car, as well as some of the concept’s body detailing. However, the open-top Focus will use a folding metal roof and so directly rival cars such as the Peugeot 307 CC and Renault Megane coupe-cabriolet.

The roof will fold away into the boot of the car at the flick of a switch to transform the car from coupe to cabriolet.

Prices are likely to start at around the £20,000 mark, as Ford is likely to provide only top-end petrol engines with the car.

Pininfarina will build the Focus cabriolet for Ford at its plant in Turin. The Italian firm already manufactures the Streetka convertible for Ford.

• Volkswagen confirmed that it will build a metal-roofed cabriolet based on the Golf platform earlier in the year. Vauxhall is also developing a coupe-cabriolet version of the Astra. Both competitors are also expected to make their debut in 2006.