January 5, 2002

L.A. Auto Show
Ford Fusion for young city dwellers

J Mays, Ford vice president of Design, introduces the Fusion concept vehicle at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show. Click image to enlarge.

Los Angeles, California - The Ford Fusion concept, an 'urban adventure vehicle' designed with young city dwellers in mind, foretells what Ford believes could be the next potential hot vehicle segment. Ford is showing the Fusion concept to test consumer interest in a new niche crossover vehicle that combines car-like ride and handling, maneuverability for city driving, affordability for young people and the versatility of a SUV all in one package.

"Fusion could be part of a very hot new segment," says Jim O'Connor, Ford Division president. "We have a knack for knowing what customers want, sometimes even before they know it. Fusion could be the start of something special."

As a crossover vehicle, Fusion intentionally blurs the lines between an SUV and a car. It also underscores Ford's plans to remain the world's SUV leader with new vehicles and new offerings for customers.

"Fusion takes SUVs in an entirely new direction," says J Mays, Ford vice president of Design. "It's a vehicle that thrives in the city. It's small enough to squeeze into tight parking spaces, yet tall enough to offer the look, feel, ground clearance and 'command-of-road' seating position SUV drivers crave. On top of all that, it adds edgy new looks that stand out in a crowd, which is very appealing to young people."

Click image to enlarge

The concept is derived from Ford's critically acclaimed all-new European Fiesta and carries some of the sharp design cues that make the small car one of Europe's best sellers. The design is characterized as "refined ruggedness." More like a stainless-steel diver's watch than a hiker's backpack, it features precision forms and technical accent lines, appealing to a sophisticated yet youthful taste with the wide, tall stance that identifies it as an SUV.

One quickly noticeable technical design highlight is the new bi-xenon headlamp system that provides exceptional levels of light for seeing and being seen at night. Fusion's wheelbase is 98 inches with a 58-inch track. The Fusion is fitted with 18-inch aluminum wheels that add to its urban appeal and all-season tires that provide the performance and grip needed in adverse weather.

The Fusion is a four-door, four-passenger vehicle with enough cargo space to meet the needs of the city-dweller or suburban commuter. Because the Fusion is targeted at youthful buyers, it also serves as a test-bed for the latest in consumer electronic conveniences. The driver and front passenger stay in touch and in-the-know with excellent controls and displays, while seated in comfortable bucket seats covered in rugged graphite twill cloth. To meet the needs of the 21st century, an integrated navigation system was developed for the Fusion concept in cooperation with Visteon. In addition to navigation assistance and modern Internet functions, such as downloading news, pictures or music, the system offers the transfer of real-time traffic and parking information into the moving vehicle. Additionally, the system can provide information on airline flight schedules so if a flight arrival or departure is delayed, drivers of the Ford Fusion concept will know before arriving at the airport.

Friends and family will find the rear seats are the best in the house thanks to an advanced, integrated multimedia system. While the driver concentrates on the road and the front passenger navigates, rear-seat passengers can be entertained with movies, games, or access to the World Wide Web. With an Internet connection, a break from driving can also be turned into a productive work stop for communication with business partners, an online shopping foray, or even a videoconference opportunity.

Each rear-seat occupant can select a preferred entertainment, from DVD/video, console games or Internet browsing. Two high-resolution monitors are integrated into the rear of the front seat head restraints and can be operated independently, via remote control, or through a central control module, while headphones prevent driver distraction.

Technical details:

• Two high-resolution color TFT monitors with 7-inch screens

• Connections for current PC components and game consoles

• DVD or video player

• Video camera playback possible

• Plug-and-Play (laptops, video games, consoles, camcorders)

• 12-volt power supply

• Four headphone connections

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