Ford Fusion to Boost Dearborn's Stakes in the Car Game

Fusion to Introduce New Blue-Oval Brand Image

Ford has a new man in charge of North American design, Peter Horbury, and the upcoming Fusion will be his

The upcoming Fusion will be Peter Horbury's first stab at remaking the blue oval brand's image. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada)

first stab at remaking the blue oval brand's image.

First indications of market response to the Fusion are causing analysts to believe that the person who oversaw design of Ford's Premier Auto Group in 2002, and its Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo brands, has created a midsize sedan with a great deal of segment appeal.

Its base price of $17,995 USD should only heighten interest of new car buyers, which should help Ford reach its targets of 160,000 Fusions sold annually. Just in case you were trying to figure out how much $17,995 USD is in Canadian dollars, the direct exchange equals $22,173.62, as of yesterday. But more accurately, cars that sell in the U.S. for a similar price to the Fusion's base price sticker

Its base price of $17,995 USD should only heighten interest of new car buyers, which should help Ford reach its targets of 160,000 Fusions sold annually. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada)

closer to $20,000 in Canadian currency when they're sold here. For instance, the Hyundai Tucson SUV starts at $17,495 in the U.S. and $19,995 in Canada. If Ford manages to bring the Fusion into Canada at $20-$21,000 CAD, they'll have a serious contender on price alone.

But the Fusion won't make it necessary for Ford dealers to sharpen their pencils on every deal, as its high style and award-winning Mazda6 roots. That's right, the new Fusion shares much with the midsize Mazda under the skin, including mechanicals, suspension components and electronics. And if you've driven the Mazda6, you will know this is a very good thing.