The Ford Focus has been around since 2000, coming out as a 2001 model. It’s had a minor re-working over the past few years, but by and large it’s still pretty much the same Focus that arrived in 2000. For some reason Ford has left us with the first-generation model here in North America while Europe has moved on to a second-generation that I think is much better looking. Anyone that’s been to a Champ Car race over the past couple of years would have seen a V-8 version of the Focus running around the track between events … I’m sure though that most people would have been happier if Ford had just stuffed a V-6 into the engine bay and sold it to the general population instead of showing us a one-off that we’ll never get the option of purchasing.