Ford Bold Moves - Episode 14: The Untold Truth
Ding, ding... Round 14 for the Ford Bold Moves web-based documentary has begun, and it's all about the Fusion's quality record, which at this point is perfect. That's right, no recalls during its launch year of 2006 and none reported yet so far for the 2007 model. "Fix or Repair Daily" may not apply to the Fusion, but consumers are still more likely to trust a Camry over the competition when it comes to quality, but them's the breaks, kid. What can Ford expect after launching the Focus in 1999 with wheels that fell off and engines that combusted externally? Frankly, the Fusion had to be hit on the quality front, and so far the Hermosillo plant deserves credit for cranking out some solid vehicles. But now that we know what Ford will be offering Europeans in the form a mid-size sedan, i.e. the next-gen Mondeo, can we, you and the remaining cognoscente of cars in North America, continue to recommend the Fusion? C'mon Ford, make a real bold move and bring over your Euro lineup from the Mondeo on down.
[Source: Ford Bold Moves]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
noub 9:19AM (10/02/2006)
hi, please stop saying that all we have in europe is great and what you have in US is bullshit. Ford has done this past year a huge work in term of design, and this in both side of the see !
the fusion and the edge are great product (by the way, we will wait in europe 18 months before having a CUV in sale). If course the galaxy and S-max are great, the new mondeo seems great too but there is nothing compare with the original iosis concept !!!
Franckly, looking at the fusion and at the mondeo, it is similar !!!
It is true that you miss the new focus (which is a very good car but in term of design, it is really flat, in europe, we expect the next generation !), but now, you know that we will share between europe and US the platform and even the car models !
Now for the small car, you will have to wait the next release of fiesta (2008-2009) and the next release of focus (2010). This is due to the fact that in europe, a car life cycle is 6 to 7 years max !
I am sure the next gen of mondeo and fusion will also share their platform ! but that later (around 2012).
What is important now is to judge all the cars that come out, the fusion and the edge are great, now ford in the US has to change successfully the F150 and why not the expedition, and the explorer ! work on their engine, they have a new V6, they have to have new v8 and I4 and let the "european size car" come to the market within a 2 or 3 year timeframe.
Then, if all the car coming out from now are successful, ford will be back on track !
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Hamud 9:25AM (10/02/2006)
I think the Fusion is a great car, it shows that Ford can really do good, reliable and good looking cars, and although i agree with the idea that they should take the Euro line to the north-america, i also think that the Fusion has conquest its space and should coexist with the Mondeo.
Here in Brazil we have the SEL I4 Fusion and the Mondeo and i must say that both models are great in terms of quality, performance and comfort. But something has to be highlighted here, the Mondeo is made to be the TOP notch of the Euro line, while the Fusion is the second car of the North-america line. So the Mondeo has the duty to be better.
Anyway, i would be very happy if i could afford any of these two cars... maybe someday.
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JackOfShadows 9:26AM (10/02/2006)
If it isn't built in the United States by American workers, I don't give a dam how good it is, I won't buy it.
America First!
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Seabass 9:34AM (10/02/2006)
"If it isn't built in the United States by American workers, I don't give a dam how good it is, I won't buy it.
America First!"
Then I guess you'll be buying a Toyota, Honda, BMW, or Mercedes sometime soon. Some of their models are built inside America by American workers. Let's not forget how some Amerian compalies are getting their vehicles built in Canada and Mexico. Please think before you say something stupid and ignorant like you just did.
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Jason 9:35AM (10/02/2006)
Credibility can be lost in an instant, and take years to regain. I'm excited to see the Fusion is doing well. I don't plan on purchasing another car/truck till 2011, but that's enough time for Ford to show they can consistently deliver good products.
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Avinash Machado 9:38AM (10/02/2006)
Ford should sell both the Mondeo and the Fusion in the US. The Mondeo should be positioned as a sporty sedan while the Fusion should be postioned as an mainstream sedan for those looking for a alternative to yhe ubiqitous Accord or Camry. Perhaps the Mondeo could even be badged the Mercury Mystique as the 1990's version was.
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MikeW 9:48AM (10/02/2006)
Ford better not 'rest on its laurels' because all Hyundai/Kia has to do is put a 6 speed automatic in the Sonata/Optima and Ford is sunk, powertrainwise-weak base 2.3 I4, old, weak, unrefined 3.0 V6.
Summer/Winter tires is better than all-season tires & Haldex. Ford knows that.
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noub 10:02AM (10/02/2006)
I am not sure that a mondeo would do well beside the fusion. Maybe the good solution would be to extend the fusion model with a station wagon and maybe a coupé !
The other crucial point for ford will be the restyling of the 500, which is technically a good car but is not appealing !
If they manage to do a great job plus the new engine and transmission, they will have a good (not great) car line-up (don't forget that the european small car arrives naturally !!) and they will just have to focus on the next gen ! without doing the same error !
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Don T. 10:02AM (10/02/2006)
John Neff is right. Ford needs to bring a car like the Mondeo here. It would give them the cred they need at a time like this. Yeah the Fusion is a step in the right direction, but Ford needs a homer, and this car could do it. And #1 (noub) what the hell are u trying to say? The cars Ford sells here can't begin to compare to those sold in Europe, everybody knows that. Please try to make more sense in the future.
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infinihertz 10:15AM (10/02/2006)
Don T, I can't speak for noub, but it's possible that being from Europe, English isn't his native language - in which case I think he/she is doing a pretty good job.
I agree that the Mondeo is a sweet car. I'd like a really good midsize from Ford. Although I'm impressed with the Fusion (and may get one in a year or so), it's not so amazing to me that I want it that much more than a Focus.
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infinihertz 10:17AM (10/02/2006)
...And just as a follow-up to myself, I kind of think that a European (noub) might be more qualified to comment on Ford's European offerings than most of us.
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Don T. 10:35AM (10/02/2006)
Mr. Ifithertz, thanks for the language lesson, but I wasn't slamming his poor English. I am slamming his hilarious assumption that the cars Ford feeds us are as good as those overseas. Any true car enthusiast KNOWS the difference. Spend more time reading what people on sites such as this have to say and you might learn something. So go buy yourself a Fusion while the rest of us who know something about what a good car looks and drives like wait for the Mondeo.
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noub 10:52AM (10/02/2006)
hey Don T, really, have a look at the current european ford line up, and you will see !
the ka can not compete anymore (will be changing in 2008)
the fiesta is really no appealing (while it is a good small car !)
the current mondeo, I even do not argue about that !
really, they have the focus which is a awesome car (but weak at the design level !). Just look at the focus CC, this is the most horrible CC in europe ! they have just replace the galaxy (the old generation was awful).
As I told you, in europe, we can see that one year or 2, ford is no more selling good cars but is selling beautiful car as well.
But it takes time to replace the entire line up. That the same problem you have in US. I am sure that you will see some progress within 3 year and the old bold move will end in 2012 with the replacement of the 500 and the fusion !
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Jeff 10:53AM (10/02/2006)
If noub is really European and knows as much as he or she does about Ford's american situation, its probably a safe bet that he or she is a car enthusiast.
Don T. you gotta relax a little. All noub said was that we gotta stop saying that the US lineup is bullshit compared to Europe, which is definitely true. What does Ford have all that special in Europe? For sure there's the focus, that's a given... The Fusion vs Mondeo issue is debatable. I personally think they both look awesome, the fusion even looks more nimble than the bulkier looking Mondeo in my eye. So far the Fusion has a perfect quality record. Its bullshit to say the fusion is bullshit compared to the Mondeo. All we've even seen are pictures for christ's sake.
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infinihertz 10:57AM (10/02/2006)
Don T, I'm sorry I misinterpreted you comments about noub. However, if you (re-)read what I wrote, I said the Fusion isn't so amazing to me that I want it more than a Focus. I also said the Mondeo is sweet, and I'd like a good midsize car. Perhaps I should have spelled it out more clearly that I would rather have a Mondeo than a Fusion - I was merely stating that I might eventually get a Fusion if nothing better comes along.
I've been reading and commenting on this site for months and know full well what the general opinions here are (besides, how many Mondeo posts have there been in the last couple weeks?), and I'm even agreeing with you in this case about the Mondeo being good. I'm not sure why you're so adversarial. Bashing me for misinterpreting you and then going on to misinterpret me is kind of... unproductive.
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rwdmtparkingonly 11:20AM (10/02/2006)
The Fusion is a re-bodied Mazda6 down to the double wishbone front suspension (premium to struts).
http://www.fordvehicles.com/cars/fusion/features/specs/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Fusion_(North_America)
That makes it a damn good car. The 3 liter engine is weak, but from what I've seen that's also the best engine availiable in the Mondeo.
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rwdmtparkingonly 11:22AM (10/02/2006)
My links didn't go through correctly:
http://www.fordvehicles.com/cars/fusion/features/specs/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Fusion_(North_America)
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Ralphie 11:39AM (10/02/2006)
The best Ford that it needs to import, which it used to, is the Fiesta! That was/is a great car and was only here for two years or so before the "world car" Escort came along.
Ford needs a small subcompact car that can drive like crazy and handle like it's on rails and they have it already at hand in the Fiesta.
BRING IT BACK, FORD.
There was an aftermarket company called BATS I believe that was in Pennsylvania I think. It had pickup, great economy and we always stuffed more people and parcels inside than anyone could believe.
FIESTA!!!!
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infinihertz 11:37AM (10/02/2006)
rwdmtparkingonly, thanks for the links - I keep forgetting Wikipedia has such detailed car stuff. Somehow the ending ")" didn't make it into the link though.
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noub 12:33PM (10/02/2006)
fiesta will be back in the US in 2009 !
that the time for the european next generation !
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