FORD 2004 FOCUS ESCORTS 2005 PROTOTYPE DOWN LINE, 2003-12-04 (photo)

A 2004 Ford Focus (front, R) escorts a 2005 Focus prototype (back, L) down the "Customer Acceptance Line" at Ford Motor Company's Wayne Assembly Plant December 4, 2003 after Ford unveiled the 2005 Focus in Wayne, Michigan. Ford said it would spend $240 million to consolidate North American production of its Ford Focus car in Michigan, transferring work from a Mexican plant. The $240 million will be spent over the next four years, as Ford adds on to its Wayne, Michigan, plant that already builds Focus sedans and wagons in order to build the Focus hatchbacks currently assembled in Hermosillo. After a rough launch in 1999, Ford has recently begun touting the compact Focus again, saying its quality problems have been fixed, as evidenced by Consumer Reports giving the Focus a "recommended" rating this year.