**6-speed manual transmission available on 4-cylinder
**6-Speed automatics across the entire lineup
**Hybrid models come with a CVT transmission
**AWD is only optional on V6 models
Guys this is a work in progress. I want a one-stop post for everyone to come to for simple, fact-based information on the new Fusion. It's an important car for Ford and needs to be given the proper amount of attention on our Ford forum.
So just for the sake of asking..
Does anybody know why they retired the 'Contour' name in favor of 'Fusion'
when they were so quick to change the 'Five Hundred' back to 'Taurus?'
At the time ford wanted as many models as possible to start with the letter F (ford freestyle, ford five hundred, ford fusion etc). unfortunately that did not generate high enough sales numbers so ford ditched that and thus thats a key reason for the name change from contour to fusion. And in the case of the 500 it was for two reasons
1. The five hundred name was not as familiar to customers as the Taurus nameplate and Ford realized that the new name was not working (in terms of sales) and decided to bring back the Taurus nameplate to try and win back customers
2. The 500 itself was a bad car that was underpowered and lacking in exterior and interior styling. When it was redesigned Ford wanted to correct all of those flaws
And I do believe that the press release a few months back said that the Focus was for mid-2010 so it got moved up to the Fiesta (and maybe Super Duty) time frame
I'm just (still) using "C2" to mean the next/global gen
(until Ford tells us its real name) cuz I've been saying "C2" for sooo long
but
imho Mercury's "small vehicle" will be global-Focus-based
plus
that "whitespace vehicle" will be a Merc too!
(I'd better stop before I start re-listing my whole Ideal Lineup)
I know its Focus based i just dont know if the Focus and Mercury will come out at the exact same time. And remember Ford did not release everything they are bringing out in the press release, they still have many things up their sleeves.
The Fusion looks great. Always liked the current one, but this one looks to be leaps and strides better. now let's hope for the same improvements in the interior...
Not quite but your close i did see two Nude testers out and about at MPG and the tailights are pretty similar but expect them to be more like Jalopniks renderings that they posted awhile back
Now what Ford should do is kill the dud Taurus (as if the name change did anything to lacklustre sales) and stop spending on its replacement, but rather redo the Falcon in order for it to become the global car. Make the Mondeo a Mercury, also in Europe, and allow it to be all-out with its upscale intentions, rename the Euro Fusion to Flex or something with the generational change and introduce a Ford Falcon priced to kill the Skoda Octavia and Hyundai Sonata.
The Falcon and 7th generation Taurus will merge into either in my12 or my13 under the new RWD profram. Also there will be no Sonata in Europe by then. It is getting replaced by the i40 which will be reduced n size to compete more with the Mondeo.
The front looks much more integrated and finished...the current model has these big gaps in the grille work that make it look as if it left the assembly line too soon.
1. The Mondeo is already larger than the Sonata. Check your facts. The latest slew of European small family cars are only smaller than the USDM Accordion.
2. The i40 will indeed replace the Sonata - worldwide. It might happen that the estate will not make it to the US, but all in all Sonata will be replaced by the same model - as concerns the name, God only knows.
3. How will Taurus and Falcon merge in 2012 if there is a 2010 Taurus in development, and it is FWD???
That was the whole Taurus plan that igor told us almost a year ago. A new on the existing platform for my10 then a all new RWD Taurus for my12 but since rwd has basically been pushed back a year, that would make it for my13.
That is much nicer than the outgoing Fusion. I had a rental Fusion for a couple of days last year, it was OK. It handled very nicely, much better than a rental Camry I had -- why do people buy those things, I'll never know. I hope Ford does exceptionally well with this car.
well as far as the Taurus/Falcon Merger is concerned - it is on hold - BF will soldier on with US engines for a little longer than expected.
However - yes, according to sources - the Superman taurus was just a stop gap for a few years. Now it seems it might get its full 5 year run .. besides -it looks perfectly executed ... so it deserves it.
I would not call the 2010 a facelift .. it moves from the D3 (Taurus) to the D4 (D3-2 if you will) (MKS) - a LOT of change goes with that. IT is a a re body of the MKS - not a facelift of the 09 Taurus ...
Igor
I cant say i agree with them making the next Taurus have a 5 year livespan. 4 yes, but not 5. That just seems a little long in the tooth much like the Explorer is now.
there is nothing old about the Taurus - it is true Gen2 in ford's nomenclature
remember their plan:
- top hat changed every 3 years - facelift, all new, facelift - all new (3,6,9, 12)
- platform changed every 6 years - facelift, all new (6,12)
so 2010 is the 6 year mark: all new top hat on a facelifted platform.
the 2011 Focus is the same thing, as will be the 2012 Kuga/Escape and 2013 Fusion
the 2010 is an all new car - everything yo ucan touch, or feel while driving is new .. it will do just fine for 5 years.
The explorer (besides being ill timed) failed on looking identical sincewhne 2000?
^^^^
Are you sying the next Kuga/Escape will be allnew for us and Europe? I thought we wee getting a facelifted Kuga as the Escape and then in 3 years an all new one for us and them.
Why not? It is an all-new (by auto industry standards) large car, I'd say 5 years is a bit too short, assuming a facelift in between. I question the need for a large FWD car seeing the direction the market is heading, especially given Falcon's flagging sales in Oz and nonexistence in important markets (Middle East, China, Latin America).
the 2011 Focus is the same thing, as will be the 2012 Kuga/Escape and 2013 Fusion
Wait a moment... THREE more seasons for the zombie Escape? This segment is far too important... And Ford bothers building yet another mid-to-large people mover...
Why not? It is an all-new (by auto industry standards) large car, I'd say 5 years is a bit too short, assuming a facelift in between. I question the need for a large FWD car seeing the direction the market is heading, especially given Falcon's flagging sales in Oz and nonexistence in important markets (Middle East, China, Latin America).
Wait a moment... THREE more seasons for the zombie Escape? This segment is far too important... And Ford bothers building yet another mid-to-large people mover...
And what is so zombie about the Escape. t has the best gas mileage in its class, the Hybrid as well. And next year most likely it will get flex fuel.
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