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New Ford Fusion Brings More
Technology, Expected Triple Crown of Best-in-Class Gas,
Hybrid, Plug-In Efficiency
• New Ford Fusion is the first sedan to offer gasoline,
hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, each with
expected top fuel economy, underscoring Ford's
commitment to give customers the power of choice
• With seven must-have technologies, including a Lane
Keeping System, adaptive cruise control, active park
assist and MyFord Touch®, the all-new Ford Fusion shows
how Ford is delivering features customers truly want and
value
• Customers can choose from Fusion's widest-ever
portfolio of fuel-efficient powertrain options including
EcoBoost™, hybrid and plug-in hybrid engines; automatic
and manual transmission offerings and auto start-stop
technology
• Revealed in North America as the midsize Fusion sedan,
this all-new car signals the next-generation Ford Mondeo
for world markets
DETROIT, Jan. 9, 2012 – Ford's all-new Fusion brings
alive the next generation of more expressive vehicles
from Ford and is the first sedan to offer gasoline,
hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions – each expected to
deliver top fuel economy and an engaging driving
experience.
Featuring a sleek silhouette and fresh face, the all-new
Fusion is the latest in a series of vehicles from Ford –
following the 2011 Fiesta subcompact and 2012 Focus
small cars – developed to satisfy customers everywhere
looking for leading fuel efficiency, helpful
technologies and game-changing looks.
"Our vision for Fusion was clear – deliver the very best
of what 'One Ford' stands for," said Derrick Kuzak,
group vice president of Global Product Development. "We
brought our global teams together around a blank slate
with the charge to develop a midsize car with ground-
breaking design and jaw-dropping fuel economy – one that
featured technologies to help make our customers safer
and better drivers. This car is the result."
Fusion is revealed in North America in S, SE and
range-topping Titanium series and points to the next
Ford Mondeo for world markets.
For more information on the importance of the midsize
car market, please follow this link:
http://youtu.be/7C2ipp5A7gQ
Triple-crown fuel efficiency
New Fusion is expected to deliver best-in-class fuel
economy across customers' choice of gasoline, hybrid and
plug-in hybrid sub-segments, delivering on Ford's
commitment to be the fuel-efficiency leader – or among
the leaders – with each new model brought to market.
Fusion brings the broadest selection of fuel-efficient
powertrains in the midsize car segment. It offers hybrid
and plug-in hybrid alternatives, a pair of EcoBoost™
four-cylinder engines, a normally aspirated
four-cylinder engine, an automatic start stop system to
shut off the engine at stationary idle, front-wheel
drive and all-wheel drive applications, and a choice
between automatic and manually shifted six-speed
transmissions.
The 1.6-liter EcoBoost is expected to deliver
best-in-class four-cylinder non-hybrid fuel efficiency
of 26 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway. The
2.0-liter EcoBoost engine – paired with a paddle-shifted
six-speed SelectShift Automatic™ transmission, available
19-inch wheels and tires and all-wheel drive with the
ability to send additional torque to the rear – is the
Fusion performance option.
The Fusion Hybrid – 2010 North American Car of the Year
– continues to innovate and evolve with all-new
lithium-ion batteries that save weight and generate more
power than previous nickel-metal hydride batteries,
while raising maximum speed under electric-only power
from 47 mph to 62 mph.
Fusion Hybrid also features an all-new 2.0-liter
Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder gasoline engine,
significantly downsized from the previous 2.5-liter unit
while maintaining performance standards. This innovative
powertrain is anticipated to deliver best-in-class fuel
economy of 47 mpg in city driving and 44 mpg on the
highway.
Fusion Hybrid fuel economy stands to outperform the 2012
Toyota Camry Hybrid by 4 mpg city and 5 mpg highway and
the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid by 12 mpg and 4 mpg,
respectively.
Topping the fuel-efficiency ladder is the Fusion Energi
plug-in hybrid, aiming to be the most fuel-efficient
midsize car in the world. Arriving this fall, Fusion
Energi is anticipated to deliver more than 100 MPGe, a
mile per gallon equivalency metric for electrified
vehicles. This is 8 MPGe more than the Chevrolet Volt
and 13 MPGe more than the projected efficiency of the
Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid model.
The next-generation Fusion 1.6-liter is the first
automatic-transmission Ford product offered with an
automatic start-stop system. It shuts off engine power
smoothly when the car is stopped and seamlessly restarts
as the driver releases the brake pedal, helping Fusion
to reduce fuel consumption and emissions by
approximately 3.5 percent.
Fusion looks out for you
The all-new Fusion offers an unprecedented portfolio of
driver assistance and convenience technologies based on
sensors, cameras and radar that enable the car to see
and respond.
Fusion can help drivers maintain proper lane position,
adjust vehicle speed to changing traffic conditions,
identify suitable parking spaces and help park, even
aiding drivers backing out of parking space where
visibility is obstructed. Specific technologies include:
• Lane Keeping System: This class-exclusive technology
consists of three elements to help a driver maintain
proper lane position. Using a small, forward-facing
camera behind the inside rearview mirror, the system
"looks" down the road, monitoring lane lines to
determine that the car is on course. The system will
alert a driver if drowsiness or erratic lane-keeping is
detected. The second element warns a driver with a
steering wheel vibration if the Fusion drifts too close
to lane markings. Finally, lane keeping aid will
actually apply pressure on the steering to help bring
the car back into proper lane position
• Adaptive cruise control: Using forward-looking radar,
this system "looks" down the road when activated,
slowing the Fusion when slower traffic is detected
ahead. Adaptive cruise control enables collision warning
with brake support to help slow the car if the potential
of a crash is detected
• Active park assist: Employing sensors, this technology
can identify a suitable parallel parking space,
calculate the trajectory and steer the car to properly
position it within the spot. All a driver need do is
operate accelerator and brake pedals
• Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with
cross-traffic alert: Sensors in both Fusion rear
quarter-panels are able to detect traffic in a driver's
blind spot, providing both audible and visual warnings
if traffic – unseen by the driver – is detected. BLIS
technology enables cross-traffic alert, warning the
driver of oncoming traffic when backing out of a parking
space with obstructed views, such as between two large
vans
The power of voice
The all-new Fusion offers the latest iteration of Ford's
award-winning, industry-exclusive SYNC® communications
and entertainment system, which enables voice-activated
communication through a driver's mobile phone and
interaction with the car's audio system.
Fusion also offers the latest version of MyFord Touch®,
allowing a driver to interact with vehicle systems
through voice control, a touch screen tap or a
conventional button.
Both SYNC and MyFord Touch – powered by SYNC – help
reduce the potential for driver distraction through
voice-controlled functionality, allowing drivers to keep
hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.
Different, by design
"The previous Fusion was an easy purchase for a customer
to rationalize," said Chris Hamilton, chief exterior
designer for the next-generation model. "Our design goal
for the new car was to give the mainstream sedan buyer a
top-drawer visual experience, adding some emotional
appeal to an already sensible choice."
These five elements provided direction for the design
team behind the all-new Fusion:
• Silhouette innovation: Fusion's sleek profile sets it
apart from the powertrain/cabin/trunk "three-box"
designs synonymous with midsize sedans
• Perceived efficiency: Fusion character lines sweeping
to the rear and thin roof pillars suggest the car is
nimble and light on its feet
• Refined surface language: Fusion demonstrates that a
tasteful, well-executed design does not require add-ons
or visual clutter
• Technical graphics: Fusion's functional design
elements such as headlamps, LED taillamps and polished
exhaust tips communicate enhanced technological
capability
• New face: Fusion signals the next evolution in Ford
global design language for midsize cars and smaller
Inside, the new Fusion offers a sporty, driver-oriented
environment with next-generation seating that brings
expanded functionality. A higher center console supports
the driver-centric theme and yields clever storage for
items a driver wants to keep handy.
Additional passenger space was designed-in by moving the
instrument panel toward the windshield, contributing to
the cabin's airy, open environment. Thinner, lighter
frames support comfortable next-generation seats trimmed
with fabric using recycled sustainable yarns.
Craftsmanship plus dynamics equals feel
Fusion design delivers on the promise of high visual
quality, with improved materials, elevated levels of
craftsmanship and attention to detail.
Interior surfaces are softer to the touch and interior
and exterior gaps are minimized, while extra care has
been taken to upholster or cover each edge and every
surface a customer can touch. When the trunk lid is
opened, for example, a spring-loaded cover automatically
conceals the trunk latch hardware.
"The holistic goal of our craftsmanship process is to
see that Fusion not only delivers a superior visual
experience but also feels like quality to the customer,"
said Adrian Whittle, Fusion chief engineer.
Key contributors to how the Fusion feels are the ride
and handling components that maximize vehicle dynamics.
"This really is a driver's car," said John Jraiche,
program manager. "Fusion is even more fun to drive with
specially tuned electric power-assisted steering (EPAS),
a MacPherson strut front suspension and an all-new
premium-level multilink rear suspension – comparable to
Audi and BMW configurations."
Careful tuning by Ford's vehicle handling and ride team
has yielded a Fusion with a dynamic character that will
please a well-seasoned enthusiast while increasing the
confidence level of less-experienced drivers.
Fusion interior quiet reaches a new level with acoustic
underbody shields and weight-saving sound-absorption
material; both minimize road and powertrain noise while
boosting aerodynamic efficiency to help save fuel. The
all-new model adds content such as a full-perimeter hood
seal to be among the midsize sedan segment leaders in
giving drivers a quiet ride.
Fusion Hybrid and Fusion Energi models also are equipped
with active noise control. This feature uses the audio
system to mitigate extraneous road noise while enhancing
powertrain sounds.
Strength and safety
Fusion is designed with customer safety in mind.
Engineers increased its body strength by 10 percent,
using more high-strength steels such as boron, and added
dual first-row knee airbags and adaptive front airbags
that vent and tether to conform to a specific occupant's
size, position and seatbelt usage.
The Fusion safety team targeted top-of-the-line ratings
in each public domain safety benchmark, including
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ratings,
the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety
Pick and top ratings in world markets where the car will
be sold.
The most prominent example is Fusion's front-end
architecture, as the same car must face simultaneous –
and seemingly conflictive – standards across regions.
The car's front end is equipped to meet head-on and
offset barrier standards for North America while still
conforming to European standards for pedestrian
protection – thanks to hours of computer modeling and
180 validating crash tests.
Fusion will be produced at Ford's Hermosillo, Mexico,
manufacturing facility, soon adding production at
AutoAlliance International Plant in Flat Rock, Mich. The
car will appear in Ford showrooms in North America and
South America later this year. Mondeo will be introduced
next year in Asia and Europe. |
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