Ford to unveil new Fusion in Detroit in January
Ford Motor Co. plans to introduce a new-generation Fusion sedan in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The Fusion has become a key part of Ford’s strategy to move away from being a truck- and SUV-oriented manufacturer by offering a competitive range of passenger cars, Mark Fields, Ford’s president of the Americas, told The Times at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
“This caps off the whole redefinition of our lineup,” Fields said.
Over the last year Ford has brought out the Fiesta subcompact and the Focus compact sedan. And at the L.A. Auto Show, Ford showed off its new-generation Escape, which has morphed into a small, fuel-efficient crossover.
Fields said the four vehicles compete in segments that make up a broad swath of the auto market.
Although aged, the Fusion continues to do well in the U.S. auto market. So far this year Ford has sold almost 207,000 Fusions, making it the sixth-best selling vehicle in the U.S. and the third-best selling passenger car.
It will face stiff competition in 2012. Toyota recently came out with a new-generation Camry, which historically has outsold the Fusion. General Motors plans to bring out a new version of its Chevrolet Malibu. Volkswagen has just started to bring a newly designed Passat to its dealerships. And both the Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata continue to sell well.
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