Ford (NYSE:F) has a winner on its hands with its Focus line of compact cars.

In fact, the company says that brisk sales of the Focus will likely propel it past Toyota‘s (NYSE:TM) popular Corolla to become the world’s best selling car this year.

If the Focus does snag that title, it will be due to international sales. Back at home, the Focus is a strong seller, but the Corolla continues to outpace it in U.S. sales, the Associated Press notes.

This isn’t the first time Ford has thought itself on track to beat the Corolla. In 2011, a late year surge in Corolla sales allowed it to top the Focus by about 100,000 units.

In the first six months of the 2012, Ford has sold 489,616 Focus models – which come in sedan and hatchback versions – around the world.

That puts the Focus about 27,000 units ahead of Corolla’s worldwide sales, but the Corolla has outsold the Focus in the U.S. by 27,500 cars during the first half of the year.

Still, Focus sales have jumped 31% in the U.S., compared to last year.

Shares of Ford moved up about 1% in Friday pre-market trading, while Toyota shares slipped fractionally.