The New Ford Fusion Unveiled

"Fusion is purpose-designed to help young, modern, urban-minded families get the best out of the city. Inside, it's people-focused, spacious and practical, with higher seating for greater visibility. Outside, Fusion's tough on-road presence is confident and protective, compact and manoeuvrable." Martin Leach Vice President - Product Development Ford of Europe

Ford Fusion is the latest addition to Ford's new generation of small cars. Fusion distils the best aspects of small hatchbacks, MPVs and SUVs to become what Ford is calling an "Urban Activity Vehicle." Fusion offers generous, family-sized space with a small-car footprint; a rugged, individual style offering protectiveness outside with comfort and convenience inside. Fusion stands out from other small cars with its higher, command-post driving position for all-around visibility, practicality and affordability. Fusion offers the urban family a safe, secure and confident environment, with a choice of fuel-efficient powertrains: Ford's TDCi common-rail turbodiesel offering 68 PS and 160 Nm of torque, or Ford's Duratec 16V petrol engines, available as either a 1.4-litre, 80PS, or a 1.6-litre, 100-PS variant. March 2002 (Newstream) -- It's easier to manoeuvre the new Ford Fusion into a tight city parking space than it is, perhaps at first sight, to define the ruggedly stylish next product in Ford's new generation of small cars. Fusion makes its public debut at the 2002 Geneva Motor Show as the momentum of Ford's product-led resurgence builds.

Ford Fusion is a different car. It bridges conventional vehicle segments and small-car stereotypes, creating its own niche as the first 'Urban Activity Vehicle' (UAV). Its introduction provides further proof of Ford's commitment to leadership in the small car market, with a mix of mainstream and niche products.

"Fusion is the second derivative from our new small car architecture and illustrates how we have engineered it to accommodate a spectrum of user lifestyles," said Philip Maguire, Ford of Europe's vehicle line director for small cars. "This new vehicle reflects the growing diversity and changing expectations of our urban customers. It takes strengths that are typically associated with other vehicle classes and combines them into a single small car product."

Fusion has its own unique presence - urban confidence. Family-sized interior space with a small-car footprint. A rugged protectiveness outside with comfort and convenience inside. A commanding driving position for reassuring all-around visibility but with the agility and economy of a small car.

Fusion's modern, individual style and generous interior space can fit with many different lifestyles and customer requirements, but Ford expects it to appeal especially to young urban families - mainly with children - who are looking for a smart, tailored answer to their complex transport needs.

Sitting comfortably

Thanks to exterior dimensions that are longer (4020 mm), wider (1708 mm) and taller (1503 mm) than the typical small car, Ford Fusion provides a new level of space for today's modern urban family. "Fusion is versatile enough to deal with people, their gear and their baggage, but without sacrificing the small-car manoeuvrability they require," said Paul Butcher, Fusion package engineering supervisor. "Fusion is ready for anything - family, friends, shopping, baby equipment, wheelchairs or suitcases for a getaway weekend." Fusion's spaciousness is shared by both front and rear-seat occupants. Benefiting from their command-post position, front-seat occupants have strong outward visibility and easy ingress-egress. Headroom (1017 mm), legroom (1045 mm) and shoulder room (1358 mm) are comfort oriented. Rear occupants also enjoy high levels of comfort, including knee clearance of 34 mm to complement its generous headroom (981 mm), legroom (943 mm), and shoulder room (1325 mm). Fusion's versatile luggage and stowage space includes:

Standard luggage volume of 337 litres that can handle bulky items without fuss. 60/40 split rear seatback that folds flat to provide an extended, rear load length. This makes Fusion especially suited to carrying bulky loads, like flat-packed furniture and even apartment-sized pre-fabricated kitchen cabinetry. Easy slide-out capability for cargo items, thanks to the lack of a lip between the floor and rear bumper. Load-floor height level with the top of the dished rear bumper when the rear tailgate is open. Fold-flat front passenger seat that allows added loading versatility for long items and the capability for use as a picnic table on family outings. Elevated front seating position which allows for additional stowage space to be provided under the passenger seats. Extra stowage space on the fascia, including a flip-top bin, similar to the Ford Galaxy. Extending Ford's Intelligent Protection System

The new Fusion features advanced safety technology, including its standard Intelligent Protection System of dual-stage front air bags. "Fusion's safety is founded on the robust body structure developed for Ford's new generation of small cars," said Stuart Black, Fusion body engineering manager. "Fusion's body structure makes extensive use of high-strength steels to create a robust body structure for rigid occupant protection and energy-absorbing crumple zones." The Intelligent Protection System, which includes dual-stage front air bags and crash severity sensing, tailors air bag deployment to the type and severity of the frontal impact. It is part of a package of up to six airbags available to Fusion customers:

Thorax-protecting side airbags are available for the front seat occupants in the event of a side impact. Optional inflatable side curtains provide side-impact head protection of the front and rear seat passengers. The curtains inflate to cover the full length between the vehicle's A- and C-pillars. Fusion also features three-point safety belts in all five occupant positions, and the body structure has been design to minimise footwell intrusion in a frontal crash. Fusion's decoupling brake pedal assembly is designed to minimise driver lower leg injuries.

Powering real-world fuel economy

The all-new Ford Fusion features three contemporary engine choices. "The Fusion engine range includes the latest common-rail diesel engine technology and two petrol engine choices, all designed to deliver real-world fuel economy to customers," said David Myers, Fusion powertrain manager. Fusion engine choices include:

The compact, lightweight 1.4-litre Duratorq TDCi aluminium turbodiesel engine features new-generation common-rail injection technology. It achieves peak horsepower of 68 PS and 160 Nm of torque. This drive-by-wire common-rail diesel is engineered for driveability, economy and new levels of diesel engine refinement. Duratec 16V, the double-overhead cam petrol engine with variants featured in the Ford Focus and the new Ford Fiesta, is offered in two configurations - an 80-PS 1.4-litre, and a 100-PS 1.6-litre variant. Both engines also are equipped with a precision electronic throttle, for responsive and economical performance. Driving Quality

Ford Fusion has been engineered to deliver outstanding driving quality in the Ford small-car tradition, while maintaining great stability in a car that is relatively tall for its footprint. Thus, it is aimed at providing just the right combination of agility, stability, precision and comfort to reflect both its urban toughness and its occupants' need for a comfortable sanctuary. "Extensive engineering has been devoted to the Fusion's body structure, suspension and steering systems," said Mark Stanton, Fusion vehicle engineering manager. "Development centred on optimising the stiffness and compliance of suspension components for robustness and dependability." Fusion's rear twist-beam suspension features a thick section for robustness, while, at the front, anti-roll bar and springs also have been optimised for stiffness. The calibration of the suspension system was critical to achieving the ride comfort target for Fusion. Inside its tough exterior, Fusion is designed to cocoon its occupants from the shocks of city driving. The vehicle's ability to handle speed humps and uneven road surfaces is central to its occupant comfort. Dampers were tuned to provide additional stability using 'force velocity measurements' at low, medium and high speeds. Damper pistons, springs, valve plates and rods have been optimised to provide a balance of ride comfort to match Fusion's lively handling and agility in an urban environment.

Designing for urban families

Ford Fusion was designed around the space requirements of families living in an urban environment. Its design is characterised by solidity, structured with a protective shell to withstand the rigours of city life. "Fusion has styling cues that combine the solidity, robustness and road presence of an SUV, the large package space of an MPV and the dynamic, agile qualities of a small car," said Mark Adams, the vehicle's chief designer. "For families wanting the most out of the urban environment, it's an appealing combination."

Fusion design elements include:

Higher driving position to provide strong outward visibility and easy manoeuvrability in urban driving situations and parking. Body height and wheel designs optimised for ground clearance and ride comfort, in order to combat speed humps, kerbs and other urban driving challenges. 'Cubed-out' architecture to maximise seating space. Squared-off rear header and flat load floor provide generous and versatile luggage space. A sense of authority in the context of a compact, urban vehicle. Fusion imparts a strong impression of purpose and strength from the front. It has a high, proud hood line, with a prominent grille and lozenge-shaped headlamps separated from the grille by sheet metal. According to Adams, Fusion's contemporary exterior design was inspired - in part - by modern athletic shoes: "The front and rear bumpers wrap around to integrate with the wheel lips and lower body sides, creating much of the effect of side cladding, to enhance the practicality of the vehicle and convey a rugged sense of protectiveness, Adams explained. "Like a cross-trainer's mouldings and sole protect its wearer's foot, Fusion defends against car-park dings and scratches that are an inevitable fact of life in the urban environment." The rear of the car is 'cubed out' to emphasise its functionality. The vertical tailgate cuts into a deep rear bumper depression, to lower the lift-over height, with a low-mounted licence plate near the bottom edge. A stand-alone, enlarged Ford oval accentuates the rear panel below the backlight and expresses the vehicle's confident stance. From the side, Fusion's Day Light Opening (DLO) window arrangement has a one-piece appearance which communicates the feeling of space, while the deep glass area signals the command-post driver visibility. Despite this airy feel, Fusion still has a sporty, dynamic roofline. The lower body tucks under for improved ingress/egress, especially for children and short adults. This design feature helps give Fusion its poised and confident stance. Fifteen-inch wheels and P195/60R15 tyres are standard, contributing to Fusion's unique driving quality. The wheel/tyre profile helps convey Fusion's 'planted' stance and handling stability. The alloy wheel designs reinforce a sporty, solid character, and will be available in a sporty five-spoke design and a seven-spoke luxury wheel option. Fusion's interior features the same uncompromising approach to ergonomic design as its Ford small-car cousin, the all-new Fiesta, but is executed in a more rugged and practical connotation. Fusion's fascia has a solid structured look, emphasised by four vertical bands that give the impression of supporting straps. The instrument binnacle is lozenge-shaped with ergonomically placed controls. Its centre stack is strong and dominant, with clear, well laid-out controls. It also flows onto the top of the instrument panel to form a pop-up storage compartment.

Identifying an unmet need

Fusion will occupy what Ford has identified as 'white space' in the current small-car market. "We believe that there is an unmet need in the small-car marketplace," said Morten Hannesbo, Ford of Europe small car brand manager. "Ford Fusion fills that white space by fusing three characteristics in one. Fusion is all about making an intelligent choice to give you the combination of added confidence, practicality and small car agility. It needs to be versatile but still look good. It needs to project a tough on-road presence but that doesn't mean customers need an off-road vehicle. Nor do they need a large people carrier that is difficult to park in town." Fusion's protective character communicates functionality, freedom and independence. All of these traits appeal to the target Fusion customer. Ford expects Fusion to appeal to buyers who are socially aware and value trust, honesty and personal responsibility. These are people whose expectations are for functionality above frivolity and for a vehicle that is straightforward and uncomplicated. The vehicle will be central to their busy lives, and although they want to get the most out of their urban lifestyles, they, too, feel the need for sanctuary from the irritations and challenges of city driving. usion will also appeal for its affordability and value for money. Outstanding real-world fuel economy and a strong focus on low cost of ownership characterise Ford's entire new generation of small cars.