Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Ford
Ford working on high-performance Fusion GT, EcoBoost 'Stang on hold
"The poor man's Audi S4." That's what Motor Trend is tentatively dubbing the Ford Fusion GT, an EcoBoost-powered, SVT-massaged version of the automaker's staid sedan. According to the buff book, Ford will equip the Fusion GT with a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, producing around 340 hp, still short of the engines 415 hp capabilities. Instead of trying to shovel that much grunt through the front wheels, Ford will tap Haldex to supply a part-time all-wheel-drive system to aid grip and limit torque steer, and it's possible that a paddle-shifted six-speed auto 'box could be part of the package.The Fusion GT would be the fourth model to benefit from Ford's line of EcoBoost engines, which currently power the Lincoln MKS, Ford Flex and forthcoming Lincoln MKR. Four-cylinder versions are in the pipeline and are expected to power the entry-level Fusion in 2010, along with a high-performance version of the Focus and another version of the Edge crossover. EcoBoosted sixes are also rumored to be motivating Ford's downsized F100 pickup, but according to MT, a blown V6 for the next Mustang is on hold.
[Source: Motor Trend]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
why not the LS2LS7? 12:07PM (7/07/2008)
Why isn't it called the Fusion SHO?
This sounds like a poor man's S4 (more like A6 2.7T) in more ways than one. Slathering all that drivetrain on will make the mpg rather lousy, ensuring the poor man who buys it will remain a poor man.
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Joe 12:10PM (7/07/2008)
Because it isn't a Yamaha powered Taurus. That's why.
Travis 12:14PM (7/07/2008)
god forbid they actually bring the Focus RS over here... no, they have to develop a "hot" version of a current sedan instead.
Joe 12:39PM (7/07/2008)
I guess you don't read Autoblog too often.
Ford IS bringing the Euro Focus over here when it does it's next refresh, which should be for the 2010 or 2011 model year. Ford is going to utilize the platform that the Euro Focus is based on, and build it in the US for our market. The same is going to happen for the next iteration of the Fusion. The Fusion will be based on the current Mondeo, and they will eventually become the same car.
why not the LS2LS7? 12:46PM (7/07/2008)
There were two Taurus SHOs, only one was Yamaha powered. And the Fusion is the same market segment as the Taurus, just tries to be sportier.
The name pairing seems like a natural to me.
But put a stick in it, unlike the 2nd Taurus SHO, okay?
PhattyDre16 3:06PM (7/07/2008)
Actually LS2LS7, the Fusion is in the midsize sedan segment while the Taurus is now a full-size car. Yes, I know, the Taurus used to be a mid-sizer, but then it got replaced by the Fusion. The Taurus is just a rebadged 500.
henrykrinkle 1:06PM (7/07/2008)
Both the V6 and V8 SHO's were Yamaha collaborations.
Joe 1:24PM (7/07/2008)
The first and second generation SHOs were powered by a 220HP Yamaha designed V6. The third generation SHOs were powered by a 235HP Yamaha designed V8.
The SHO is a Taurus, not a Fusion. You wouldn't start making Mustang Talladegas, would you? No, even though a Torino occupied the same market segment as the Mustang, back in the 60s and 70s, it was specific to the Torino, NOT the Mustang.
Joe 1:25PM (7/07/2008)
The first and second generation SHOs were powered by a 220HP Yamaha designed V6. The third generation SHOs were powered by a 235HP Yamaha designed V8.
The SHO is a Taurus, not a Fusion. You wouldn't start making Mustang Talladegas, would you? No, even though a Torino occupied the same market segment as the Mustang, back in the 60s and 70s, it was specific to the Torino, NOT the Mustang.
Travis 1:45PM (7/07/2008)
to Joe - sorry, my post should've read "God forbid they actually bring the Focus RS over here in a time frame that actually means Americans will still be interested in it...
Ford saying that they will finally grace our shores with the new Focus sometime in 2010 or 2011 is insulting, and the fact that performance versions follow a few years after the initial release means we're not seeing an RS or an ST till 2012 or 2013. Yup, I'm glad that Ford's spending their time trying to make a sporty version of the Fusion, instead of trying to get their new, smaller, more fun-to-drive vehicles here on a faster timeline (looking at you, Fiesta and Focus). Yay, go Ford!!
why not the LS2LS7? 2:51PM (7/07/2008)
The 2nd SHO (V8) was a Duratec. Yamaha modified? Okay. Still a Duratec, not a Yamaha-designed motor.
Randy 2:57PM (7/07/2008)
My two cents!
Good - Fusion SHO
Better - Fusion FPV
Best - Fusion SVT
Leave GT to the Mustang! Create another class of sport within the same company! :)
The Future!
Mustang GT + (GT line of cars)
Taurus SHO + (SHO line of cars)
Fusion SVT + (SVT line of cars)
Provides different levels of bad-ass!
Randy
jordan 11:20PM (7/07/2008)
ls2ls7:
It's hard to refer to this as a Duratec-minded motor. Same bore and size per cylinder, yea, but that's it. The 2.5 that it shares the same size with doesn't have the same nightmare-ish cam failures associated with it.
henrykrinkle 9:42AM (7/08/2008)
LS2LS7,
Not simply modified by Yamaha, but completely built and tuned by Yamaha in Japan using a Ford supplied Duratec block. Then the completed engines were sent back here for installation into the cars. The block may be Ford but everything that makes that engine a SHO is due to Yamaha.
It's a Yamaha engine, just admit it.
soccernamlak 10:11AM (7/08/2008)
LS2LS7: The Gen3 SHO was NOT a Duratec engine. It was a Yamaha engine from start to finish. The Duratec engine and the Yamaha engine are completely different. The only similarities they shared in those years was they both used the AX4N Transmission, but even those had different bolt patterns.
Vintage 12:08PM (7/07/2008)
That's actually a pretty cool idea.... though I think 340 is a bit much. Instead 275 would be okay, with some decent weight reduction.
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TKOsoccer03 12:22PM (7/07/2008)
275 isn't high performance.
C'mon.. a Taurus has 265.. is that high performance?
Vintage 12:28PM (7/07/2008)
It would be with less weight to drag around. 340hp = craptastic MPG. I'd rather have a 250-300hp engine with less weight than a 350-400hp engine with more weight.
It's nice to be efficient, nimble, and fun. It kinda sucks to be powerful, inefficient, and heavy.
Pacman 12:33PM (7/07/2008)
High performance is more than just the raw HP number. 275 in a tiny Aveo would be insane but 275 in a huge Ford Taurus is normal.
Vintage, I dont know how they would be able to reduce the weight in any significant way while keeping the cost down and/or maintaining the features most people would require in a car like this. Less weight would be great but that should be accross the lineup and not just this GT version. If they can manage decent fuel economy out of 340 I say go for it, if not I could go for 275 if the performance is sufficant. Decent economy for me would be 19/28 at the very least.
why not the LS2LS7? 12:48PM (7/07/2008)
The idea that 275HP in a family car is normal is going to have to change. Engines are not miracles, HP comes from burning fuel (and air), and fuel costs a lot more now. People will just have to recalibrate.
200HP was normal or even sporty for a car that size 10 years ago, it will likely have to be so again.