Who will win the Ford Focus?

Readers, prepare to meet thy bloggers. With entries closed and the first stage of judging almost completed, the Ford and Carsales team is positively vibrating with excitement as we head towards the pointy end of the Ford Focus Ultimate Test Drive competition.

David Katic, Ford's general manager of marketing, told Carsales Network the response to the Ultimate Test Drive has been overwhelming. "We're really pleased with the effort and the quality of the entries – they're just outstanding. It's been hard to pick our 12 finalists but we're confident we've found the right people to put the all-new Focus to the test. I can't wait to see what they come up with once they get their car."

Analysing the final entry count, the state-by-territory rundown reflects population distribution. Of a total 313 entries, the eastern seaboard states dominated to the tune of around five out of six.

NSW 91
VIC 80
QLD 77
SA 26
WA 23
TAS 7
ACT 7
NT 0 (Pity. A car like the new Focus on that Stuart Highway...)
Intergalactic postcodes 2

Not surprisingly, entries with text and still images outnumbered videos by more than eight to one, with 281 and 33 respectively. (Have you ever tried to make a coherent moving picture? Not easy, not easy at all -- though most of the 30-odd did a great job...

We're contacting the 12 lucky bloggers next week to lock them in for the next phase (don't worry, they don't even need a key to start it, let alone unlock it). Each will shortly take possession of a new Ford Focus and put it through a series of tests outlining its high technology, its interior comfort and one the best sorted chassis in the business. As they conduct and complete each test, they'll be blogging the results.

They'll no doubt be relieved to know we won't be asking them to verify its five-star Euro NCAP crash rating.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. First up, we'll kick off proceedings with a meet-the-winners day. We'll say hello, brief them on their cars and introduce them to all those high-tech features and get to know them a bit.

You'll find out who they are, what they're like and what motivated them to enter the competition (as if we didn't know already), and perhaps what we can expect on their blogs as they show us what it's like to park a whole new way of life in their carport over the next six weeks.

Bloggers, prepare to meet thy motor...

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