Work continues on the next-generation Ford Focus as spy photographers have caught the redesigned sedan undergoing hot weather testing in Europe.

Dressed in heavy camouflage, the prototype has an evolutionary design that appears to be a tad sportier than the current model.

Styling details are hard to make out but we can see the car features a familiar grille that is flanked by new headlights with LED daytime running lights. Moving further back, the hood appears to be lower than on the current model and the windscreen looks to be a bit more rakish. A closer inspection also reveals a more dynamic greenhouse and a slightly more pronounced shoulder line.

The sportier styling is noticeable at the rear as the car adopts a sleeker roofline that enables it to eschew small windows behind the rear doors. We can also see this particular prototype has a single exhaust tip and a relatively tall trunk.

Ford has been tight-lipped about the model but it is expected to be longer and wider than the current sedan. Speculation also suggests we can expect an assortment of three- and four-cylinder engines as well as plug-in hybrid and electric variants further down the road.

The next-generation Focus will go into production in the second half of 2019 and most models bound for North America will be built in China.

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