Ford Focus - Pictures

On the road: it has lost the roof, but the Focus still rides superbly, even on the standard 17-inch alloy wheels. The CC feels stable at speed, but the weighty diesel in the nose takes the edge off the car’s handling.

Interior: as with the Astra, the cabin has been left unchanged during the conversion. This obviously saves money, but means there’s little sense of occasion. The driver’s seat is mounted a touch high, so your head is in the

Roof: for safety reasons, the Focus’s top can’t be used on the move, but it rises in 26.7 seconds, 2.5 faster than its rivals’ roofs. It’s a shame there’s a clanking noise from the bootlid during its opera

A-pillars: in order to add stiffness to a convertible body, the windscreen pillars are often extended and lowered. This may look more rakish, but it means it’s easy to bang your head when getting in. The Astra has the same fault.

Rear seats: the bulky two-piece roof means a lot of room has to be made for the folded top, so passenger space has suffered. Legroom of 590mm is less than that in a MINI, and there’s no throughload facility in the backrest, eithe