Ford will debut their 2007-spec Focus on next month's Rally of Finland, with a host of revisions aimed at making the car faster.

The key changes over the current model driven by world championship leader Marcus Gronholm and Mikko Hirvonen include a more powerful engine and a series of new components which have knocked 20 kilos off the car's weight.

Team chief Malcolm Wilson said: "Both Marcus and Mikko have completed plenty of kilometres [in the new car] in testing and they are encouraged.

"Our designers and engineers have worked extremely hard behind the scenes and they are pleased with the car.

"There are few visible modifications on the outside but it is underneath the skin where most of the changes are found and I'm looking forward to seeing the rewards in Finland and beyond."

Wilson added that the reason the car was not introduced earlier in the season was because the team wanted to make sure it was fully reliable before pitching it into competition against the Citroen C4 of Sebastien Loeb.

Finnish star Gronholm, 39, has already won four times this season to build a nine-point lead over Loeb in the world championship. The 2000 and 2002 title winner is aiming for a seventh victory in eight years on his home event.

Jamie O'Leary / Eurosport