goauto - "Ford provides a glimpse of Falcon’s future"

[johnydep]

Could it be...the Falcon metamorphosis??

Originally Posted by http://iselect.goauto.com.au/mellor/...nthly?readform

By TERRY MARTIN FORD

Ford has revealed the sleek and sculptural medium-sized car that will be launched in Australia as the fourth generation Mondeo in more than a year’s time.

Although the redesigned car enters production in the US and Mexico later this year for the North and South American markets as the Fusion, the Blue Oval has confirmed that the new Mondeo will not be introduced in Europe and Asia – including Australia – until 2013.

The Fusion/Mondeo is a fresh example of Ford’s more emotional design language that differentiates the brand from the more conservative Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, and which also points the way to the styling of the forthcoming next-generation Taurus and Falcon large cars.

The new Fusion is billed as the first sedan to offer petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains and also carries a range of “must-have technologies”, including a lanekeeping system, adaptive cruise control, active park assist, blind-spot warning and ‘MyFord Touch’ internet capability.

“Our vision for Fusion was clear – deliver the very best of what ‘One Ford’ stands for,” said Ford’s group vice-president of global product development, Derrick Kuzak.

“We brought our global teams together around a blank slate with the charge to develop a mid-size car with groundbreaking design and jaw-dropping fuel economy – one that featured technologies to help make our customers safer and better drivers. This car is the result.”

While the diesel engine line-up for Mondeo will be revealed closer to its European launch in the first quarter of next year, Ford claims best-in-class fuel economy for the US-spec Fusion in the petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid sub-segments.

The straight petrol line-up comprises 133kW/233Nm 1.6-litre and 177kW/339Nm 2.0-litre EcoBoost direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder engines and a naturally aspirated 126kW/230Nm 2.5-litre four.

Although fitted standard with a six-speed manual, the 1.6 will also offer a six-speed automatic paired with an engine idle-stop system – the first such combination for Ford.

The 2.0-litre is billed as the performance option, mating with a six-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission and to be available with 19-inch wheels and tyres and all-wheel drive.

The Fusion Hybrid downsizes to a new 2.0-litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder petrol engine – reduced from 2.5 litres displacement – and switches battery technology from nickelmetal hydride to lithium-ion.

Ford claims the hybrid “maintains performance standards” – combined output is a projected 137kW and 176Nm – and can outperform key petrol-electric competitors such as the Toyota Camry Hybrid and Hyundai Sonata Hybrid in terms of fuel consumption.

Maximum speed under electric-only power rises from 75km/h to 100km/h. The ‘Energi’ plug-in hybrid version is expected to deliver more than 100mpg-e – a miles per gallon equivalency metric for EVs used in the US – and outperform the Chevrolet Volt and Toyota Prius plug-in. Indeed, Ford...............http://goautomedia.cdn.on.net/mags/i...onthly_034.pdf

EDIT: Link to goauto Falcon quote - http://iselect.goauto.com.au/mellor/...nthly?readform