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Gasoline Electric Hybrid Ford Fusion March 2005It's not every day that a Mustang convertible is upstaged by a mid-size sedan.But on the opening day of the Ottawa-Gatineau International Auto Show this week, the pedestal in the Ford sales area was reserved for the new Fusion sedan -- not the new Mustang, not the Lincoln pickup or hybrid Escape SUV, but the middle-of-the-road sedan. The symbolism is not lost on Joe Hinrichs, the young new chief executive of Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd. "If you look at the Canadian market, this is the heart of the market. It's a very important product for us," said Hinrichs, 38. Coming off a year in which its market share slid more than any other carmaker in Canada, Ford is banking on a fleet of new passenger models to reverse the slide and finally plug a hole once filled by the Ford Taurus in its glory days. The Fusion, expected to hit dealerships in the fall, is front and centre in that strategy. Built on the platform of the award-winning Mazda6, the Fusion combines muscle-car styling with sleeker touches that hint at Japanese influences. But Hinrichs admitted it will be hard to duplicate the success of the Taurus, which has sold nearly half a million units in Canada since it debuted in 1985. "Because the market is becoming so segmented, you can't just offer one car for the entire market," he said, noting that many customers have swapped their sedans for small SUVs or station-wagon-like "crossovers" vehicles. The company will instead offer drivers a range of options in the passenger category, including the compact Ford Focus, full-size 500 sedan and Freestyle crossover. That combination must score big if Ford is to reverse its sales decline. One need only look across the showroom floor to see that competition will be stiff. The four-door, five-passenger Fusion, which will compete with the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, has an unusually large trunk with more than 15 cubic feet of room -- and that's before the split rear seatbacks are folded down. There will be two engines available initially: A 160-h.p., 2.3-litre, Duratec double-overhead cam four-cylinder engine and a 210-h.p. 3.0-litre double-overhead cam V6. In the 2008 calendar year, Ford plans to add a gasoline-electric hybrid version of Fusion. Exterior styling is some of the best from any domestic maker in a while. The Fusion, originally the "Futura" until Ford realized Pep Boys trademarked the moniker for a brand of tires, is based on the 427 concept car. Thankfully, the best elements of the concept, including the sleek shape, jewelled lights and brightwork, were spared from beancounters and focus groups. Inside, the Fusion's design features chrome-trimmed gauges, an analog clock and a logical arrangement of controls in the centre of the dash. Because buyers like to personalize their cars, three interior colour schemes will be offered -- stone, camel and charcoal black with oatmeal-coloured stitching. Accent options include wood grain, carbon fibre or piano black. The steering wheel has fingertip controls for cruise control. SOURCE: Canada.com | ||
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