Ford Focus: World Best-Seller?

This translates to 27 000 more than the perennial best-seller - the Toyota Corolla.

Ford made the announcement at its assembly plant in Rayong, which opened in May 2012 and produces its Focus.

Taking on toyota's flagship

The Ford Thailand plant, has the capacity to produce 150 000 cars a year for sale in Thailand, Vietnam, Australia and other countries in the region.

The Focus is sold in more than 100 countries worldwide, including South Africa. It's a strong seller in the US, where sales are up 31%.

The Corolla still rules the US, where it outsold the Focus by nearly 27 500 in the first half of 2012, and could still top the Focus globally.

In August 2011 the Focus was ahead of the Corolla in sales but Toyota's flagship pulled ahead, outselling the Focus by more than 259 000 vehicles.