PARIS, France – Automotive and business journalists from around the world are gathering in France ahead of tomorrow's opening of the Paris Motor Show.  Making an early impact, Ford is staging a special eve-of-show preview event this evening, when it will introduce many of the important new products and technologies it will be displaying at the Show.

The event will be hosted by Ford Motor Company president and CEO, Alan Mulally and Ford of Europe chairman and CEO, Stephen Odell, who will also take part in a high-profile press conference on the Ford stand tomorrow morning.

The press conference will be screened live from 9.15 am CET. To view it, go to http://live.fordmedia.eu/ (Please note that bandwidth restrictions may cause delays and limitations).

Commenting ahead of the media event, Stephen Odell stressed that Paris was a very important show for Ford. "For the first time, we'll be showing all three of the next-generation Focus body styles – four-door, five-door and Wagon – not only together, but in their final production form before going on sale in the next few months," he said.

"We also have the global reveal of the flagship model of the Focus range, the all-new, 250 PS Focus ST which goes on sale in 2012. Like all the Focus models, the Focus ST is a great car that will help to burnish the Blue Oval's brand image."

The Ford of Europe chief added that the Focus story showed "the power of the ONE Ford path we are following."