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Mulally makes it official: Next Focus and Fusion based on global platforms


escapen
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Despite not being official, we've known for some time that Ford CEO Alan Mulally wants to increase the number of platforms shared by its U.S. and European divisions. It's something Ford fanboys have been demanding for some time, and yesterday Mulally officially confirmed that the next-gen Focus and Fusion would be global vehicles, sharing platforms with their counterparts across the pond. This will be in addition to the B-class car that's coming in the form of the new European Fiesta small car that will slot below the Focus in Ford's U.S. lineup.

 

The amount of overlap between Ford in the U.S. and Ford of Europe was one of the first things that surprised Mulally when he arrived at Ford exactly one year ago. He's quickly set about fixing the redundancy, but we won't likely see the fruits of his labor until 2010 or 2011 when the next Focus is expected to debut for both markets.

 

Ford execs have said that these cars will wear different styling and be tuned differently, but we've heard from inside the Blue Oval that a conflict between U.S. and Euro designers is growing, with the former group upset that its delicate balance of three-bar grilles will be upset by the Fiesta, and possibly other models, arriving with Ford of Europe's "Kinetic Design" theme.

 

[source: Automotive News, sub. req'd]

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Despite not being official...

Ok...

 

...Mulally officially confirmed...

Um...

 

He's quickly set about fixing the redundancy...

Ok...

 

...we won't likely see the fruits of his labor until 2010 or 2011...

Um...

 

 

The only thing clear here is that this article is hogwash.

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well meelan, i was just trying to give fusion owners current news about its future... this story has gotten so many hits over at GM insider news and it does not even concern the livleyhood of thier products, im surprised nobody cares about the future of these products!

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Mulally has been trying to move forward what Trotman said years ago. I don't know how the other foreign companies operate, but based on feedback from former co-workers that left for Nissan, it's no different. NissanUSA is a seperate fiefdom of Nissan and there's alot of culture clashing between Tenn and Japan. Ultimately, they sign the checkbook.

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well meelan, i was just trying to give fusion owners current news about its future... this story has gotten so many hits over at GM insider news and it does not even concern the livleyhood of thier products, im surprised nobody cares about the future of these products!

 

Don't get me wrong, escapen... I appreciate the post. Just want to point out what's between the lines here. That article has more holes than a Saigon whore.

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  • 4 months later...
anybody know when the redesigned fusion will debut,and at which autoshow?

 

Either Chicago in February or New York in March or April - if it makes it this year. There is a chance it won't show up until next spring. But the hybrid will definitely be here later this year.

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  • 1 year later...

i know its alot late but, I have now just seen a new fiesta, still tiny but doesn't look as much as a toater on wheels anymore. 2- i use to own a contour well no duh. and as you probably know escapen the contour was the american modeo. and i'd love to know that the fusion is now the new american mondeo though Ford does have a euro fusion. :happy feet: or :banghead: can't decide

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  • 1 month later...

The Euro Fusion looks nothing like the US one, I don't even think it's a sedan?

 

Would be nice of them to unify the product line though. Probably save them a lot of money and bring over some of the more refined european styling along with it. The reason I like my new Fusion so much is it reminds me of something that came out of Germany, not Michigan ;)

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i know its alot late but, I have now just seen a new fiesta, still tiny but doesn't look as much as a toater on wheels anymore. 2- i use to own a contour well no duh. and as you probably know escapen the contour was the american modeo. and i'd love to know that the fusion is now the new american mondeo though Ford does have a euro fusion. :happy feet: or :banghead: can't decide

 

 

The Euro Fusion looks nothing like the US one, I don't even think it's a sedan?

 

Would be nice of them to unify the product line though. Probably save them a lot of money and bring over some of the more refined european styling along with it. The reason I like my new Fusion so much is it reminds me of something that came out of Germany, not Michigan ;)

 

Hi guys. :D The current Fusion/Milan/MKZ have absolutely nothing in common with the European Fusion, or the Mondeo (sorry contour2fusion). The European Fusion is a stretched version of the last generation Ford Fiesta, and looks wise resembles a sort of mini-SUV/MPV.

 

Eventually, the U.S Fusion/Milan/MKZ will adopt the next generation Mondeo underpinnings, but that is a few years off.

 

Hope this information helps.

 

Good luck. :beerchug:

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