Automakers perform studies all of the time, normally to determine how consumers view a certain product or how consumers feel a product could improve. Ford,->ke31 however, has commissioned a different study of the psychological type. In this case, the study was commissioned to help the company better understand the link between car color choice and personality. As one might expect, there is a huge difference when you break down the results based on gender.

Ford’s study determined that men who prefer red cars are generally more organized, while those who take to dark blue cars are more conservative. Men who like silver, well they easily remain calm under stress. When it comes to women, those colors mean practically nothing – showing few, if any, character traits. So now, you’re probably asking yourself just why we’re talking about personality and character traits, right? Well, there is a good reason.

During the study, it was found that black and red were in the top four color choices of men and women. It was found that combinations of these two colors appealed to those that are drawn to situations that get the adrenaline pumping, regardless of gender. With that information in hand, Ford put together a couple of two-tone schemes for the Ford Focus,->ke440 dubbing the resulting cars the Focus Red Edition and Focus Black Edition. Keep reading to find out more about these two cars and what Ford did to make them worthy of special attention.

Continue reading to learn more abut the Ford Focus Black & Red Editions.

What makes the Ford Focus Black & Red Editions Special

John Mcleod, the chief designer of vehicle personalization of Ford in Europe, said, “Red and black are traditionally sporty colors, so the two together make a very sporty combination, ideal for thrill-seekers. This car isn’t for the average person.”

So what is so special about these cars? If you’re looking for advanced aero kits or engine upgrades, you’re going to be disappointed. What you will get, however, is a rather sporting looking two-tone color scheme on either model. The Focus Red Edition is painted primarily in Race Red, with Panther Black accents. The Black Panther treatment is applied to the mirror caps, grille surround, and most notably, the roof. Moving over to the Focus Black Edition, you’ll get the same two colors, only contrasted – the main color is Panther Black, while the mirror caps, radiator grille, and roof are painted in Race Red.

As you look at the images of both models, you’ll notice Ford made it a point not to go overboard on the accenting, while still providing a very appealing color scheme on both. Both cars share red-painted calipers, but Ford painted the front splitter on the Black Line Series in Race Red as well. The splitter on the Red Series didn’t receive the same accent treatment. In addition to the color scheme, both cars also take on a set of 18-inch alloy wheels that are exclusive to these models. Sports suspension has been equipped on both models, but this will only be noticeable to the driver, as the suspension doesn’t alter the cars ride height or stance. Personally, I prefer the Black Series with Race Red accents, but I wouldn’t be that disappointed if I could only get my hands on its contrasted brethren – I guess as far as the study goes, it would say I’m a risky thrill seeker.

As I said before, there are no performance upgrades to speak of – aside from that sports suspension, of course – but Ford took the time to put some work into the interior. Starting off with the leather steering wheel, the normal stitching was replaced with red stitching. This treatment also transfers over to the shift boot, floor mats, and even the handbrake handle. I think Ford was trying to be careful about going overboard on the interior.

Personally, I would prefer a few contrasting panels inside – maybe vent surrounds, door inserts, or the steering wheel spokes – but I was happy to see that the front sports seats also received the red contrast sticking. That’s at least enough to remind you that you’re not rolling around in your everyday Ford Focus. Outside of the red stitching, the interior is identical to the standard focus, but if you get your hands on one of these models, feel free to modify them yourself and post comments below with images.

Either model can be optioned with a 1.0-liter or 1.5-liter gasoline-powered engine. For those that prefer an oil burner, 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter TDCi diesel engines are also available. Regardless of engine configuration, both models send power to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission. At this point, Ford has not announced what markets these two cars will be available in, though I assume Europe is the main target, given none of the current models in the U.S. offer any of the aforementioned engines. A quick look at Ford’s U.K. site shows that the Red edition starts out at £21,995 ($31,576,) while the Black Edition starts out at £22,520 ($33,550.) It should be noted that official specs on the website say both models come with 17-inch wheels, but the most recent press release claims the models come with 18-inch wheels.

Ford Focus

The Ford Focus was introduced back in 1998 as a replacement for the aged Ford Escort and Ford Laser. Since then, it has seen three different generations, with the most recent generational change taking place in 2010. We saw a refresh of the third-generation model back in 2014, and the next design is slated to drop in 2017. In the U.S., the Focus is offered with a 2.0-liter, inline four-cylinder, a 2.3-liter four-cylinder or a 107 KW electric motor. In the European market, the base-model is offered with several variations of the 1.5-liter diesel, a 1.6-liter four-cylinder, and a 1.0-liter turbocharged unit.

Read our full review on the Ford Focus here.