With smoke machines, lasers, 360 degree giant monitors, and cars continually driving onto the stage, these Ford stage show planners really don’t mess around when it comes to dramatic unveils at the NAIAS. Ford is obviously really excited about their sleek new plugin hybrid Ford Fusion, and we can see why. The brand new Fusion is sexier than previous models, and is certainly one of the better looking mid-size sedans out there — and the fuel efficiency is pretty spectacular too.
The 2013 Fusion is the latest rendition of Ford’s mid-sized sedan, and it’s poised to go head to head with theToyota Camry – the current best-seller in its class. The 2013 Fusion trades the 2012 model’s shuttered fascia for a streamlined hexagonal grille and a sharply set array of headlights – design elements descended from the EVOS concept car that Ford unveiled at last year’s Frankfurt Auto Show. Hard-cut lines give the 2013 Fusion an aggressive profile similar to that of the Fiesta and the Focus.
In terms of power trains, the 2013 Fusion will be available in both a 47 mph hybrid model and a plug-in hybrid Fusion Energi model, which will be capable of achieving the equivalent of over 100 miles per gallon. The car will also feature a range of next-gen technological advancements like a system that alerts drivers when they stray from their lane, a blind-spot warning system, and a system that automatically parallel parks the vehicle – a boon for city drivers!
“We did this deliberately different than other manufacturers,” explained Ford’s Derrick Kuzak. “Other manufacturers create one vehicle thats unique and put a lot of cost into that. Here at Ford we call it the power of choice. The automobile industry is about economies of scale. We put five different power trains into the Fusion – that means customers have the choice of five different platforms. One-offs cost a lot of money and with the Ford Fusion we wanted to drive down costs.”
Whereas in the past Ford released different versions of the same car for different regions of the world, the 2013 Fusion will be rolled out across the globe – Ford has conducted intensive customer research on the car’s design to ensure that the car resonates with international markets.
+ Ford
