Ford's stylish range of small vehicles just got a whole lot wider with the announcement that the fun and exciting Focus Coupe-Cabriolet will join the line-up in 2007.

"The elegant new Focus Coupe-Cabriolet will arrive in the second half of the year and will introduce Focus to a whole new group of customers" said Ford Australia President Tom Gorman.

Designed in partnership with Pininfarina S.p.A, the Focus Coupé-Cabriolet exudes elegance and style with the hardtop up or down.

Its distinctive rear is characterised by unique tail lights linked by a chrome strip bearing an embossed Focus logo to give the new model a premium feel. This is further enhanced by a unique front bumper shape and distinctive wheel arches.

Inside, the car’s dashboard layout follows the style of other Focus models, but with a new colour scheme developed to distinguish it as a flagship and complement the car's striking exterior.

"Focus Coupé-Cabriolet is a full four seater offering the comfort expected of a well appointed touring car," said Mr Gorman.

"It will be offered with a manual or optional automatic transmission so enthusiasts of all driving persuasions, be they weekend cruisers or those wanting a more involving drive, will be able to experience and appreciate this appealing new model."

The new Coupé-Cabriolet retains the Focus model's inspired and involving driving dynamics. This has been achieved by basing the Coupé-Cabriolet on the inherently rigid four-door Focus saloon underbody and front body structure and ensuring that most new body parts are made from high-strength steel.

It’s also big on practicality - with the roof closed, the Focus Coupé-Cabriolet offers 534 litres luggage capacity and with the hardtop stowed, there is 248 litres of luggage space.

"The clever two-piece folding hardtop takes just 29 seconds to open or close," said Mr Gorman.

Safety is paramount and the Focus Coupé-Cabriolet has additional features to assist its passive safety performance. In addition to standard front and side airbags, the vehicle is designed to help protect passengers in the event of a vehicle rollover.

If the system detects an imminent roll, two safety roll-bars "fire" and extend out by up to 20cm to provide a supportive safety strut along with the strong windscreen pillars to help protect the car's occupants.

Additional details regarding the new model, including specifications, price and on sale date will be released closer to the late 2007 launch.

"Focus Coupé-Cabriolet is a fun, stylish and sophisticated model that will join the outstanding Focus XR5 Turbo as a natural and exciting extension of the Focus brand," said Mr Gorman.