Jump to content

Ford Fusion moves into top ten list


Recommended Posts

  • Replies 146
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Ford is working to reduce incentives on the Fusion.

 

Next month all cash incentives for the Fusion will be reduced and Ford will only give taco coupons for Taco Bell.

 

Ford expects to save $2K on each Fusion sold.

 

:shades:

 

Hermosillo Stamping & Assembly plant in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico are making outstanding cars today. :happy feet:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

LINK

 

Fusion continues to astound.....

 

 

This is great news and the Fusion is a great car. However, I wish Ford would quit stating that the Fusion gets up to 34mpg when the Fusion S is only model that obtains it and it's not available to us. I have seen exactly TWO Fusion S's, and one was in Bill Brown Ford's fleet area, and other was parked on Hines Drive. That is it. They are not on dealer lots and not for sale from what I can see to general public. Maybe you can order one, but I doubt it. It seems to me you would see them on road if that were true since it comes with decent feature list and gets 10% better fuel mileage than SE model. I hate when these manufacturers use their base model fuel mileage in advertising, and it's largely unavailable to public. Looks to me like 99.5% of 2010 Fusions on road get either 27mpg highway or 31mpg depending upon gas engine option and assuming FWD. I know the Hybrid beats those numbers and makes up 10% of those Fusions sold.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is great news and the Fusion is a great car. However, I wish Ford would quit stating that the Fusion gets up to 34mpg when the Fusion S is only model that obtains it and it's not available to us. I have seen exactly TWO Fusion S's, and one was in Bill Brown Ford's fleet area, and other was parked on Hines Drive. That is it. They are not on dealer lots and not for sale from what I can see to general public. Maybe you can order one, but I doubt it. It seems to me you would see them on road if that were true since it comes with decent feature list and gets 10% better fuel mileage than SE model. I hate when these manufacturers use their base model fuel mileage in advertising, and it's largely unavailable to public. Looks to me like 99.5% of 2010 Fusions on road get either 27mpg highway or 31mpg depending upon gas engine option and assuming FWD. I know the Hybrid beats those numbers and makes up 10% of those Fusions sold.

 

You want a Fusion S? Order one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seems as though Fusion demand may soon out-pace Mex capacity.

Any thoughts as to where or how Ford could increase production?

 

Which is better? To barely meet demand and keep incentives low, or have two plants building them, have probable overcapacity and push incentives higher and profits lower. Also, I doubt if Hermosillo is working three shifts 7 days/week and 24hrs./day. However, maybe someday Ford will have made the Fusion so successful that it will need two plants building them like with Taurus back in 80's and early 90's. Right now though, barely meeting demand is a nice problem to have for a change. I bet Ford will be overly cautious on this problem though. Not that long ago, Ford couldn't build enough Mustangs, and now that problem is no more. The competition in mid sized vehicles is so great and getting more competitive all the time with new entries and redesigned models every year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

HMO may be getting close to 3 shifts, and that's in a down market. To sustain share in a more normal NA market, Ford will need a 2nd facility for the Fusion (albeit not -exclusively- for the Fusion triplets).

 

Or maybe add a second line at Hermosillo where costs are lower. The beauty of Hermosillo is that Ford can offer a feature laden vehicle for an affordable price with great quality. Add in the uncompetitive operating agreement with the UAW, and I vote for Fusion production staying at Hermosillo. Ford has the edge in mid sized vehicles with this business model, and I hope they keep it. I hope Ford adds jobs here in states, but keep the Fusion at Hermosillo. Don't lose that edge. This edge even checkmates the transplants here. Ford has a one-two punch with Fusion and Fiesta Mexican based and no one can match up with it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They will most assuredly not spend the half a billion or more required to add another assembly line at Hermosillo---and since Ford is making, and will continue to make the Focus in the US with UAW labor---it's incorrect to assume that building the Fusion at HMO is essential.

 

Consider: Ford builds another assembly at HMO and they have added 240k units of capacity to the plant (in order to profitably amortize the cost of construction); that's far more capacity than the Fusion needs at present (equates to maybe 350k Fusion sales stateside), so you're digging a hole for yourself.

 

Not to mention that refitting is underway at Louisville & (apparently) programmed for KCAP.

 

Furthermore, the idea of 'retaliating' against the UAW when the key component of the agreement was non-financial (the no-strike clause) is tantamount to cutting off one's nose to spite one's face. The UAW ain't going away, and if Ford acts in a manner to antagonize its membership, they'll pay the price sooner or later.

Edited by RichardJensen
Link to comment
Share on other sites

HMO may be getting close to 3 shifts, and that's in a down market. To sustain share in a more normal NA market, Ford will need a 2nd facility for the Fusion (albeit not -exclusively- for the Fusion triplets).

 

AAI, Auto-Alliance in Flat Rock Mi seems to have excess capacity. It has flex assembly capability currently building FWD Mazda 6 and Mustang. I wonder if it would make economical sense to ship items like stampings, interiors, etc. from Mex to Mi to assemble high-end models.

Currently engines and transmissions are shipped from here too there.

Edited by soupy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You want a Fusion S? Order one.

That's what I would do. Keep in mind that there is currently high demand for the 'S' model Fusion and Milan. Donlen's 2010 Production Update page states:

 

"Lead time on S model (POG) may increase by 2-4 weeks - Fusion"

"Orders requesting package codes 100A or 101A may increase lead time by 4 weeks or more - Milan Base (MOH)"

 

And congratulations to Ford for the continual improvements it has made to this top notch product assembled at a top notch manufacturing facility.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ford is working to reduce incentives on the Fusion.

 

Next month all cash incentives for the Fusion will be reduced and Ford will only give taco coupons for Taco Bell.

 

Ford expects to save $2K on each Fusion sold.

 

:shades:

 

Hermosillo Stamping & Assembly plant in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico are making outstanding cars today. :happy feet:

 

 

Just curious, how much profit did Ford get from old Taurus. I remember that when I went to buy my taurus 7 years ago, during bargaining the price, the sales representitave told me that Ford only earned several hundred bucks from each taurus. Now Ford can get 2K from each Fusion. That is really amazing. How did they do that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just curious, how much profit did Ford get from old Taurus. I remember that when I went to buy my taurus 7 years ago, during bargaining the price, the sales representitave told me that Ford only earned several hundred bucks from each taurus. Now Ford can get 2K from each Fusion. That is really amazing. How did they do that.
With help from "Whiz kids" who are very skilled in mathematics. :)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

AAI, Auto-Alliance in Flat Rock Mi seems to have excess capacity. It has flex assembly capability currently building FWD Mazda 6 and Mustang. I wonder if it would make economical sense to ship items like stampings, interiors, etc. from Mex to Mi to assemble high-end models.

Currently engines and transmissions are shipped from here too there.

IF (and I think this is a huge IF) HMO capacity falls short, AAI would be a good choice to "flex" the Fusion. Shipping stampings does not make sense (Does HMO body shop have the excess capacity ? Stamping have little strength prior to assembly, so they are subject to damage in transit.)

 

There are suppliers in the MI area that could supply the interiors.

 

I'm certain that Ford is looking at alternatives, but nothing is going to happen until after HMO is on 3 shifts. With the nationwide unemployment at 10.2 and rising, no one is predicting big sales increases for 2010CY.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Shipping stampings does not make sense (Does HMO body shop have the excess capacity ? Stamping have little strength prior to assembly, so they are subject to damage in transit.)

 

Every single major stamping for the F-150 is shipped from Michigan to Kansas City, MO. Dearborn Stamping makes every single assembled door, hood, and roof and the rest comes from Woodhaven. I don't see a problem with it going the other way.

 

That being said, good for Ford.

 

But I would hold the Fusion party until we see sales in a non CFC year, and there is still a long way to go. Honda has sold 244k+ Accords and Toyota has sold 294k+ Camry/Solaras in the same period of time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Except Ford would have to pay Mazda for using the facility if they use over half its capacity, IIRC.

 

They are currently running at less than half capacity now with both the 6 and Mustang.

 

Something will happen at this plant before/at '11 negotiations. Somebody will be moving out, or another product will be going in. Or both.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just curious, how much profit did Ford get from old Taurus. I remember that when I went to buy my taurus 7 years ago, during bargaining the price, the sales representitave told me that Ford only earned several hundred bucks from each taurus. Now Ford can get 2K from each Fusion. That is really amazing. How did they do that.

 

When I bought my 2002 Taurus SES Sport, I was considering a Focus Station Wagon sport model with the leather seats, and fog lights, but with incentives at the time the Taurus was a better deal. So I bought the Taurus and happy I did. The vehicle has not given me any trouble and drives and looks like new.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's what I would do. Keep in mind that there is currently high demand for the 'S' model Fusion and Milan. Donlen's 2010 Production Update page states:

 

"Lead time on S model (POG) may increase by 2-4 weeks - Fusion"

"Orders requesting package codes 100A or 101A may increase lead time by 4 weeks or more - Milan Base (MOH)"

 

And congratulations to Ford for the continual improvements it has made to this top notch product assembled at a top notch manufacturing facility.

 

The Fusion S must be going to obscure fleet services, because I don't see them on dealer lots, in dealer new vehicle prep areas, or on the road. And I live in Ford country where the Fusion is number one in sales. They are nowhere to be found in Western Wayne County. I see plenty of Focus S models, but not Fusions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...