In 1998, Ford was ready to replace the prehistoric Escort about 5 years too late, and the Focus was the car which was going to take that brand leading mantle. And boy, it did that and so much more.
Looks, handling, technology and practicality, the Focus had it all in spades and set the scene for Fords market success for the coming 20 years.
This example is a pre-facelift Mk1 Focus CL 1.4 in one of the rarest colours ‘Bright Atlantic Blue’ (also called Malibu Blue) which is something close to a melted crayon, or maybe a Milky Way wrapper. The paint is still in very good shape and the car will be receiving paintwork to the front bumper and a few other small touch ups. The car also has its factory wheel trims which aren’t perfect, but are still very presentable.
Inside it’s a very different place to the outgoing Escort with lots of triangular lines and sharp angles, softened with oval blower vents. Despite being a low spec example it does have electric front windows and has been updated with a Bluetooth MP3. The seats retain that Escort-esque comfy velour which have worn brilliantly and you’ll see a few Escort layovers like the gear knob and similar door handles.
Engine wise the 1.4 16v runs beautifully, showing just under 99k miles the 5-speed manual gearbox is still tight and precise, it pulls well in every gear and gets itself up to speed with surprising ease, making it an easy older car to use day-to-day. 42mpg (ish) also makes this old girl an economical thing to live with.
As modern-classic Fords go, a Focus is still just as great as it was 26 years ago, looks good, goes well, handles beautifully and has enough space for the majority of tasks you can throw at it. Plus, when was the last time you saw an early Focus looking this nice?!
Tickets will launch on June 6th and the LIVE draw will be on Sunday 12th July 2026 at 8:30pm
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