Ford has been stabbing at the concept of a world car for decades. The Escort of the 80s, intended as one design shared among continents, wound up getting split into two cars staring at each other across the Atlantic with the same name and face but almost no parts. (They got all the good ones.)For the 90s, Ford asked partial partner Mazda to donate the Protégé's blueprints for a new basic design, then insisted on finishing the second half of the job with Ford powertrains, interiors, and assembly. Certain models had more Mazda content than others. This Escort was better, but the operation was still messy.As the Escort's run came to a close, Ford simply turned to its German office with the message "go make a new car and call us when it's ready." So they did, and once we got our own copy of the aptly-named Focus, it quickly became the world's best-selling car. It didn't hurt that Ford got to enjoy full credit for the car and pocket the development savings. Looks like they nailed it.Citizens of Earth get a new Focus for 2005 - except for ones living in the western hemisphere. The local bosses figured that we worry more about low prices than dynamic advances, making Europe's all-new Focus too good for us. Right or wrong, we're getting the old car dressed in a fresh wardrobe, so Ford's compact car divergence begins anew.