All-new Ford Focus revealed - Focus on emissions

Ford is celebrating the 10th birthday of the Focus, and it's marking the event by introducing a new word to the Ford vocabulary: Econetic.

Econetic is the label that Ford will apply to its forthcoming range of ultra-low-CO2 models.

The Focus is first to get the treatment, with 89bhp and 108bhp 1.6-litre diesels capable of 65.7mpg.

You'll save in other ways, too. With CO2 emissions of only 114g/km (89bhp engine) and 115g/km (108bhp version), you'll pay only £35 a year in road tax and will be exempt from the London congestion charge under the proposed new fee scale.

Ford points out that both undercut the forthcoming VW Golf Bluemotion's 119g/km.

They're not one-off models just to grab a few headlines, either. Every other Focus 1.6 diesel now spits out fewer than 120g/km of CO2 as a result of a package of simple but effective measures.

This includes recalibrating the engine management and power steering systems and using low-friction oil in the transmission.

A six-speed, twin-clutch semi-automatic gearbox - similar to VW's smooth, slick DSG - is now available on the Focus.

It's standard with the new 108bhp 2.0-litre diesel and an option with the 135bhp version of the same engine.

Ford calls its new semi-auto gearbox Powershift, and it works the same way as DSG, pre-selecting the next gear (up or down) so that it is ready to come in the instant the driver nudges the gearlever fore or aft. Fully automatic operation is also possible.