Ford Is Reportedly Developing A Focus-Based Ute In Australia

Ford is allegedly developing a Focus-based pickup/ute in Australia, Wheels reports.

The Australian publication claims to have seen engineering documents from within the car manufacturer’s local You Yangs proving ground that detail a vehicle codenamed ‘P758’. This vehicle uses the Focus C2 platform and is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder coupled to the 8F24 eight-speed automatic transmission.

Limited details about this specific engine are known, but since the latest-generation Focus is not sold with such unit, it is speculated that it could be the 2.0-liter turbo four found in other Ford products, where it’s good for 245 HP and 275 lb-ft (373 Nm) of torque.

Ford Courier

Wheels reports that the engineering document explains the C2 platform underpinning the test mule is a Russian-market version of the architecture. Other than these pieces of info, little else is known, but this isn’t the first time such a vehicle has been talked about.

Back in July 2018, a report asserted that Ford was developing a successor to the Fiesta-based Courier sold in Brazil. It was stated at the time that such a vehicle would be underpinned by the same platform as the latest-generation Focus, and there’s a strong possibility that the P758 could be it.

It remains to be seen if it will be sold outside of South America, but there have reportedly been discussions within Ford to also sell a small pickup/ute in the United States – and, we gather, since it’s been developed Down Under, where the genre is popular, maybe there as well.