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Next Fusion spied


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2 hours ago, ausrutherford said:

Looks like the Fusion and Evos share front door stampings and mirrors. 

 

 

They share a lot more than that. All the windows are the same. Headlights too. I bet you the basic unibody is identical until after the C-pillar. 

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2 hours ago, bossman351 said:

 

I'm starting to wonder if Ford is considering reversing it's decision to get rid of all it's sedan's in N. America. I can see how the maverick replaces things like the focus in terms of price point and practicality, while also being a much better all around vehicle than the focus in basically every way. But I don't see the maverick appealing to midsized sedan buyers as much. Maybe they're realizing they're leaving money on the table by not offering at least one sedan and decided to bring it back. I don't see why you would have engineers testing this next gen sedan so frequently in America if they had no plans to actually bring it here. 

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Lots of international vehicles come to the US for testing validation, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Ford US is bringing back a Fusion but yes, it’s interesting……

 

Just noticed something, it has Chinese characters below rear right tail light…….

Edited by jpd80
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44 minutes ago, DeluxeStang said:

 

I'm starting to wonder if Ford is considering reversing it's decision to get rid of all it's sedan's in N. America. I can see how the maverick replaces things like the focus in terms of price point and practicality, while also being a much better all around vehicle than the focus in basically every way. But I don't see the maverick appealing to midsized sedan buyers as much. Maybe they're realizing they're leaving money on the table by not offering at least one sedan and decided to bring it back. I don't see why you would have engineers testing this next gen sedan so frequently in America if they had no plans to actually bring it here. 


There is no money to leave on the table with sedans especially if you consider they’d have to add a factory at this point.  It’s just not worth the investment,  And I doubt there is enough profit to import them.   Best hope is a BEV sedan but even then utilities and trucks are more important,

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36 minutes ago, akirby said:


There is no money to leave on the table with sedans especially if you consider they’d have to add a factory at this point.  It’s just not worth the investment,  And I doubt there is enough profit to import them.   Best hope is a BEV sedan but even then utilities and trucks are more important,

 

They still have underutilized FRAP, though, and we know its height limitations.

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4 hours ago, jpd80 said:

Lots of international vehicles come to the US for testing validation, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Ford US is bringing back a Fusion but yes, it’s interesting……

 

Just noticed something, it has Chinese characters below rear right tail light…….

Well that's unfortunate. I know engineers test vehicles planned for other markets, and if we only saw them testing this once or so here, I would write it off as that. But it's just odd to me that it's been seen testing here over, and over again. Just seems like it's taking up the time of their test engineers, which would be better spent testing vehicles actually intended for the American market. It also seems like if this product was intended for China only, it would make more sense to test it on Chinese roads to see how it performed in that environment. Rather than spending so much time testing it in an area where you're never going to sell it.

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3 hours ago, akirby said:


Thats true, but then why did they cancel Continental.

I think the issue with the continental is it was expensive enough to the point where it only appealed to a small audience. But it was cheap enough to where they didn't profit enough off of each sale. Kind of a lose-lose situation. I think if they revived the continental as something like Lincoln's ev flagship, with bold styling and outlandish tech with excellent luxury features, and charged six figures for it, it would actually have a stronger business case. Apparently, Ford was going to make the next gen continental an ev SUV, is was the one that was going to use Rivian's platform. According to people who saw it, is was gorgeous, with many calling it Curic's best design yet. Which is saying something, because the s550 and aviator were both stunning. It's a shane the Rivian project got canned, but maybe they'll revive it, or use that design on another ev if they can.

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26 minutes ago, DeluxeStang said:

Well that's unfortunate. I know engineers test vehicles planned for other markets, and if we only saw them testing this once or so here, I would write it off as that. But it's just odd to me that it's been seen testing here over, and over again. Just seems like it's taking up the time of their test engineers, which would be better spent testing vehicles actually intended for the American market. It also seems like if this product was intended for China only, it would make more sense to test it on Chinese roads to see how it performed in that environment. Rather than spending so much time testing it in an area where you're never going to sell it.

All I’m saying s that lots of Ford global vehicles find their way to the US for various tests and maybe evaluation.

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11 minutes ago, DeluxeStang said:

I know, I know, it's probably just wishful thinking from my end haha.

Back in the 2000s, there was an Aussie RHD Falcon getting around Detroit, everyone was excited until it was discovered to be Ford design chief, Jay Mays personal car..

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I've said it before and I'll say it again... Someone at Ford has no sense of proportion or stance, and it's whoever has designed this and the last  generation of Mondeo / Fusion. 

 

The rear wheel arches look awful. Far too small. The rear of the car looks like it's permanently sagging. The space between the top of the arch and the window line is far too great, and it's emphasized by the crease line and the kick up of the third window. 

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Gee... all this discussion and comments for a prototype vehicle that has a new interior with updated screens, etc. and slightly revised exterior with blacked-out roof treatment. Basically, just looks like a next generation Fusion/Mondeo that can't be expected to be sold in North America and to the average consumer wouldn't look all that different. Points to the general problem with all the CUV/SUV vehicles on the market now in that the majority look alike and you can't tell the difference between them until you're up close!   

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Notice the trailer hitch coming out of what looks like a 2 inch receiver?

 

That's the North American (NA) standard hitch and receiver assembly, a Rest Of World (ROW) car would most likely have the hitch ball on a swan neck that disappears under there somewhere. While it's possible Ford just wanted to do some testing with a trailer and kluged on a NA hitch, it's possible too that this sedan will be sold and hopefully built here.

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4 hours ago, justins said:

I've said it before and I'll say it again... Someone at Ford has no sense of proportion or stance, and it's whoever has designed this and the last  generation of Mondeo / Fusion. 

 

The rear wheel arches look awful. Far too small. The rear of the car looks like it's permanently sagging. The space between the top of the arch and the window line is far too great, and it's emphasized by the crease line and the kick up of the third window. 

I don't know man, it looks considerably better than something like the current Camry imo. Looking at the design sketches, that wasn't an issue. Implying the faults you discussed came as a result of platform limitations and engineering decisions, rather than being a conscious choice of the designers.

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17 hours ago, akirby said:


Thats true, but then why did they cancel Continental.

 

Company-wide directive at the time to drop sedans in the US?  And I guess once all other CD4 products in the region were gone, didn't make sense to have supply contracts for such a relatively low volume model?

 

5 hours ago, ice-capades said:

Gee... all this discussion and comments for a prototype vehicle that has a new interior with updated screens, etc. and slightly revised exterior with blacked-out roof treatment. Basically, just looks like a next generation Fusion/Mondeo that can't be expected to be sold in North America and to the average consumer wouldn't look all that different. Points to the general problem with all the CUV/SUV vehicles on the market now in that the majority look alike and you can't tell the difference between them until you're up close!   

 

I disagree - aside from general silhouette being similar to the last gen, this looks like an all new model - next gen sure, but it's a far cry from the slight nip/tuck refresh of the '17 Fusion (or whatever year it was, I don't remember anymore) that you're implying it is.

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On 1/7/2022 at 7:07 PM, jpd80 said:

Lots of international vehicles come to the US for testing validation, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Ford US is bringing back a Fusion but yes, it’s interesting……

 

Just noticed something, it has Chinese characters below rear right tail light…….

 

That and "Mondeo". Definitely not NA spec. 

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Unfortunately there are still ZERO plans for another Ford branded sedan in North America but I have heard some serious consideration taking place about the Zephyr for Lincoln but it’s purely speculation. The business case for the Lincoln sedan was/is for it to be a BEV only like the Model 3 and not sure where that stands. Importing from China is most likely the only way they can justify it at 15,000-20,000 units a year. The product plans have been changing like the wind blows. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many programs stopped, shelved, restarted and then stopped again before.

 

Priorities seem to be pouring resources into F-Series family, Bronco family, Explorer (upcoming family), Maverick (upcoming family), Mustang Mach-E, plus Expedition and to some degree Ranger because of its global importance.

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2 hours ago, ExplorerDude said:

Unfortunately there are still ZERO plans for another Ford branded sedan in North America but I have heard some serious consideration taking place about the Zephyr for Lincoln but it’s purely speculation. The business case for the Lincoln sedan was/is for it to be a BEV only like the Model 3 and not sure where that stands. Importing from China is most likely the only way they can justify it at 15,000-20,000 units a year. The product plans have been changing like the wind blows. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many programs stopped, shelved, restarted and then stopped again before.

 

Priorities seem to be pouring resources into F-Series family, Bronco family, Explorer (upcoming family), Maverick (upcoming family), Mustang Mach-E, plus Expedition and to some degree Ranger because of its global importance.

Thanks for that great insight into what’s happening behind the scenes, Farley and his VPs must be so busy arranging and rearranging plans in the wake of soaring interest in BEVs, getting the mix right is extremely challenging.

 

Its a pity that there wasn’t BEV compact and mid sized cars developed in parallel with the Mustang Mach E, but I understand why it didn’t happen under Fields in 2014-2017, he just couldn’t see or embrace Bill Ford’s the bigger picture.

 

here-is-a-complete-overview-of-the-musta

 

 

 

 

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6 hours ago, jpd80 said:

Thanks for that great insight into what’s happening behind the scenes, Farley and his VPs must be so busy arranging and rearranging plans in the wake of soaring interest in BEVs, getting the mix right is extremely challenging.

 

Its a pity that there wasn’t BEV compact and mid sized cars developed in parallel with the Mustang Mach E, but I understand why it didn’t happen under Fields in 2014-2017, he just couldn’t see or embrace Bill Ford’s the bigger picture.

 

here-is-a-complete-overview-of-the-musta

 

 

 

 

 

I think it is a challenge of the market in general. Not only does Ford have to find what the BEV take rate will be, COVID and supply restrictions are forcing changes too.

 

I would not want to be a product and supplier strategist right now. 

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This transition is rough for legacy mfrs who have to anticipate not only market trends but also government regulations in multiple countries and technological advances.

 

Ford is also trying to take advantage of these vehicle sub brands (families) which is a brilliant move.  It’s already paying dividends with Bronco Sport.

 

I think Ford’s biggest weakness has been changing product plans so often.  In most cases the changes probably made sense at the time but it ends up delaying new products even longer and the longer you delay the more chance the market has changed.

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10 hours ago, ExplorerDude said:

Priorities seem to be pouring resources into F-Series family, Bronco family, Explorer (upcoming family), Maverick (upcoming family), Mustang Mach-E, plus Expedition and to some degree Ranger because of its global importance.

 

Transit must be included in this list too, correct? I can't imagine it wouldn't be, it (along with F150) are the foundation of their plans for continued/expanded small business services.

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