Next Ford Focus To Gain New Edge. Again.

Ford design’s schizophrenia with the US-market Focus appears set to continue with a coming 2008 restyling.

When first introduced in North America as a 2000 model, Ford’s compact was a stylistic risk taker inside and out. Marked by bold curves intersected with hard lines at unusual angles, the original iteration took major chances in the design department (especially with the 3-door), and by most accounts, it succeeded.

Then in 2004, the Blue Oval’s engineers sobered-up, noticeably squaring off the car’s styling and adopting more ‘mature’ cues with both the exterior and interior.

Judging by the latest spy pic courtesy of Brenda Priddy’s snappers and the Detroit News, model year 2008 will bring with it another facelift, this time going in the opposite direction by adopting the bold horizontal chrome grille bars of Ford’s Fusion, giving the Focus’ countenance an edgier schnoz.

The D-News is also betting on some mechanical revisions and styling updates, which will have to keep the Honda Civics and Nissan Sentras of the world at bay until “at least 2010.” By that time, the Euro-market Focus is expected to be on its first facelift… of the NA car’s replacement.

U.S. version of Ford Focus to get mild facelift