Ford Fusion

[benyl]

Ford will launch its Fusion with discount

http://www.freep.com/money/autonews/...e_20050827.htm




Automaker plans 3.9% rate for car

BY SARAH A. WEBSTER

Ford Motor Co. will launch its most important car since the Ford Taurus -- the 2006 Ford Fusion -- with incentives in September, a top company executive said Friday.

"It will have an incentive," said Steve Lyons, group vice president of sales, marketing and service at Ford.

While Lyons said he didn't expect the Fusion will be launched with a cash-back rebate, he did say it would likely be sold with a discounted interest rate of 3.9%.

There also will be a program on the Fusion that will match a customer's down payment up to $500 and another $500 in bonus cash for customers who finance the vehicle through Ford Credit, said Ford spokesman Jim Cain.

The 2006 Ford Fusion starts at $17,795, and the potential discounts bring the price down $1,000.

The midsize Fusion sedan replaces the Ford Contour, which was phased out in 2001, and to some extent the larger Ford Taurus.

As such, it is viewed within Ford as the most important car launch in years and it will be a direct challenger to the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, two of the most popular sedans in America. Consumers purchased 813,760 of those two vehicles in the United States last year.

"It's the car equivalent of the F-150," Lyons said, comparing the Fusion to the company's popular pickup truck, which is the best-selling vehicle in the country. Consumers purchased 534,659 F-150s through July this year, about 4.2% more than last year.

Robert Hinchliffe, an automotive analyst for UBS Inc. in New York, said the discounts on the Fusion were probably necessary because of employee pricing in the market. Employee pricing on the Ford Five Hundred large sedan pushes the price within just $2,200 of the Fusion's base price. The Five Hundred starts at $22,840 but is now selling at $19,995 under the Ford Family Plan.

"With employee pricing pushing the price of the Five Hundred down, I think it probably pushes the price folks are willing to pay for the smaller vehicle down as well," Hinchliffe said.

Ford has not decided whether to extend its employee pricing beyond the Sept. 6 end date.

[sputnik]

Sharp looking car!

This is closer to what the MKV Jetta should have looked like.

[C4S]

Is that the one share with Mazda 6 or the Volvo?

[civic_stylez]

i can see that car doing well for ford, its about time they bring out a decent car other than the new new mustang because ford really needs help...

[Raz]

and maybe they'll make a version with a manual transmission!


































































Nope, probably not.

[sputnik]

Originally posted by Raz
and maybe they'll make a version with a manual transmission!

Nope, probably not.

There are 3 transmission options.

- 5 spd standard
- 5 spd auto
- 6 spd auto

And 2 engine options

- 2.2L 4cyl 16v
- 3.0L V6 24V

http://www.auto123.com/en/new/carinf...sion&year=2006

[Phy]

That's not bad looking for a Ford.

Nitpicks: The taillights are kinda Civic-y, with the triangular wrap-around. But then, so's my Nissan.

The interior... Well, if you've ever been in a first-gen Probe, take out the nifty moving control console, and the worst of the '80s design touches like the rectangular wiper and cruise control switches, and wrap the whole shot in black leather, and you've got the inside of the Fusion. What with all the rectangles, and the exact same font on the gauges, it's almost eerie.

Not that I mind. I kinda miss the inside of my Probe.

[rc2002]

Looks like a 4th gen prelude from the back and a 5th gen prelude from the front.

[Zephyr]

Wow a Legacy back and a cadillac front, how original.

[eckostyle]

the front lights remind me a little of the latest gen preludes, and the taillights remind me of the 92-96 preludes

still not bad though

[A2VR6]

So is this based on the mondeo platform?

[Xtrema]

It's a Mazda 6.

[Phy]

Well no wonder it reminds me of the Probe.

[jaysas_63]

i would never drive it, but its definatley an improvemnt over their current line of sedans

[Gurpy]

that looks pretty good for a ford.

[benyl]

Stone-Cold Fusion
By Basem Wasef
Date posted: 09-01-2005

Back in 1986, the Taurus was heralded as the car that would save Ford Motor Company. And it did. Now, 20 years later the same monumental responsibility has been thrust upon the 2006 Ford Fusion.

Although its outgoing Taurus sold 6.7 million units in its 21-year run, Ford has never really offered a proper midsize sedan to battle the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, and Toyota Camry — until now. Positioned with neat alliteration between the Focus and the Five Hundred, Ford hopes the Fusion will bridge the long-standing abyss in the company's product lineup.

A Mazda Underneath
Although it's based on a Mazda 6 chassis that has been lengthened over 2 inches and widened over an inch, the Fusion is Ford's first completely digital car, featuring computerized design, engineering and testing. The results, according to Ford, are improved interior and exterior panel fit, tighter tolerances, more efficient aerodynamics, and increased torsional stiffness (by 12.7 percent) without adding weight.

Visually, the Fusion appears smaller than its competitors, though the spec sheet indicates differently. It's greater in wheelbase, overall length and width than the Honda, Hyundai and Toyota.

Inspired by the 427 sedan concept car from 2003, the Fusion's styling is slick and uniform. Body panels are smooth and flush, and come across as looking expensive for the price point. Although its face recalls the somewhat staid Cadillac STS, its clear-lensed taillights are pure 20-something tuner.

Three Models/Two Engines
Three models are offered: the base S, which starts at $17,995; the SE; and the top-of-the-line SEL. Each comes standard with the same 2.3-liter, all-aluminum, DOHC four-cylinder that's used in the Mazda 6. It makes 160 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 150 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm and can be paired with a five-speed manual or five-speed automatic.

If you want V6 power you have to step up to the SE model. Its optional 3.0-liter six-cylinder, which is also borrowed from the Mazda, makes 221 hp at 6,250 rpm and zings the price up to $21,275. Although still more expensive and less powerful than a 2006 Hyundai Sonata GLS V6, the Fusion SE V6 is cheaper than its Japanese competition.

The V6 SEL costs about $22,000 and features 17-inch aluminum wheels, automatic temperature control, upgraded interior trim, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with redundant stereo and climate controls. Add all the stand-alone options and the price can climb as high as $26,000.

Perhaps the biggest foul in the Fusion's specs are its lack of a manual transmission with the V6. Despite this V6 being paired with a five-speed manual in the Mazda, it's only partnered with a six-speed automatic in the Fusion.

Nice and Roomy
Fusions come in three different interior color schemes based on trim levels, and our SEL model featured a discreetly tasteful charcoal interior with off-white top stitching and piano black accents. The large analog gauges are also a high point, clearly indicating Ford's desire to step up the quality of its interiors. Seat comfort is also good.

Most textures are nicely finished and the secondary controls are ergonomically sound, though cabin temperature was inadvertently raised on more than one occasion by an awkwardly positioned steering wheel-mounted climate control button. In keeping with the domestic theme of supersized excess, Fusions offer six cupholders for five passengers.

Head and legroom measurements are just within the competition's range, and its 15.8 cubic feet of trunk space places it ahead of the Accord but behind Camry and Sonata in the cargo room department. The Fusion's trunk opening is extra large, however, and its rear seats drop flat with the pull of a lever.

Fusing With the Road
During the several hours we spent driving the SEL-trimmed V6 Fusion on North Carolina's winding Blue Ridge Parkway, the car felt well sorted, composed and connected to the road.

Torque peaks at 205 lb-ft at 4,800 rpm, but feels evenly spread across the power band thanks to the V6's variable valve timing. Ford estimates a six-cylinder Fusion can run from zero to 60 mph in the mid-8-second range, which would make it significantly slower than the last V6 Accord we tested, which hit 60 mph in 7 seconds flat.

The six-speed automatic transmission was the weak link in our V6 Fusion's driving dynamic. Though the six-speed automatic offers well-chosen ratios that maximize the engine's torque curve, it often hunts for the correct gear during aggressive driving. Enter a turn with a slight scrub of speed, and the transmission upshifts. Heavier throttle application will eventually kick the transmission down another gear, though it takes a heavier right foot than it should.

Enthusiasts will also no doubt disdain the transmission shifter's single low gear "L" option. A traditional 3-2-1 option would offer more driver control.

Equipped with V-Rated Michelin Pilot tires and the same four-wheel independent suspension as a Mazda 6, we weren't surprised that the Fusion felt stable and handled predictably. Hard driving yielded some understeer, but torque steer is kept in check, and the Fusion was well mannered for a car of its size.

Steering feel is positive at high speeds and the four-wheel disc brakes provide strong stops, though initial pedal feel is a bit soft. Ford engineers indicated that complaints of excessive brake dust and roughness have been addressed, implying that softer pads have been incorporated into the Fusion.

Although the car we sampled had antilock brakes, the feature does not come standard on all models. Instead, it's available as part of the Safety and Security package, which includes side airbags, first- and second-row side air curtains, and an anti-theft perimeter alarm. A traction control system is also optional, but stability control, which is standard on the Hyundai Sonata, isn't available on the Fusion.

The Verdict
Transmission indecisiveness and lack of stability management aside, the Fusion is a solid performer that feels well equipped to battle the competition. It's aggressively priced and the top trim levels are nicely finished and appointed. Ford seems to have done its homework and finally produced a car that can compete with the finest from Japan and Korea.

At the end of the day, though, it's the public that will decide whether the 2006 Ford Fusion is good enough to save the Ford Motor Company.

[Phy]

So it's a Probe being marketed as a Taurus.

Y'know, with my Ford sympathies, I could get behind that.

[theken]

that aint a bad looking car

[max_boost]

Is it just me or the front headlights look like the 5th gen Prelude and the rear taillights look like the 4th gen Prelude?

[sputnik]

Originally posted by max_boost
Is it just me or the front headlights look like the 5th gen Prelude and the rear taillights look like the 4th gen Prelude?

Originally posted by richardchan2002
Looks like a 4th gen prelude from the back and a 5th gen prelude from the front.