The attractive new 2013 Ford Fusion has done wonders for the brand in the highly competitive midsize sedan segment - the vehicle is up nearly 22 percent compared to last year. But that sales momentum may soon hold steady due to low inventory levels of the new Fusion across the United States.
According to a report in The Detroit News, citing automotive data and Ward's Auto, Ford currently has a 39-day supply of the Fusion. That might sound fine, but a normally healthy average is about a 60-day supply. If Ford were to stop production on the Fusion today, there would only be enough vehicles available to get through another five weeks of sales, according to the News.
Currently, Ford produces the Fusion at its three-shift assembly plant in Hermosillo, Mexico, and will add production at its facility in Flat Rock, MI later this year. A Ford spokesperson told The Detroit News that when Flat Rock production comes online, the automaker will need to rush new stock out to the regions with the most demand for the Fusion. Ford has doubled its coastal retail market share, with huge amounts of growth in areas like Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami, the News reports.
The Hermosillo plant is capable of producing roughly 300,000 Fusions annually, and Flat Rock should be able to make another 100,000 or so each year. This added production in Michigan - more than 8,000 units each month - would easily allow Ford to catch up to segment-leaders like the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry.
According to Ford, in a statement obtained by the Detroit News, "The condition could result in customers detecting a fuel odor, or in some cases, observe evidence of a fuel leak on the ground." Ford continues, "While a fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire, there have been no reports of fires. We are not aware of any accidents or injuries attributed to this condition."
In addition to all of this, Ford is recalling 500 examples of its 2013 Lincoln MKZ equipped with engine block heaters. The Detroit News states that, according to Ford, the insulation on the engine block heater's electrical cord may crack in cold temperatures.
Lastly, an extra 23 Ford Fusion models are being recalled due to potential impairment or loss of steering control. The News says this is due to faulty steering gears that may have been built without an internal retaining clip.
Since launching, the 2013 Fusion has been the subject of a number of recalls, two of which have involved the potential for engine fires. The fresh-faced 2013 Lincoln MKZ has had its own share of problems, with early production woes leaving many dealers without cars. Instances like this are causing Ford to rethink its vehicle launch strategy, in which the automaker will work better to smooth out the new car launch process, with the goal being fewer quality issues and recalls.
We've gotten our grubby little digits on the dealer order guide for the as-yet-unreleased 2014 Ford Fusion thanks to an anonymous tipster, and while there isn't much that's unexpected, there are some meaningful equipment changes to report after the rakish sedan's first year on the market.
Mechanically, the big news is, of course, the recently confirmed availability of the 1.5-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder paired with a six-speed automatic. The powertrain replaces the 1.6-liter automatic setup of 2013, though if you want a manual transmission, you'll still get the extra .1-liter of displacement.
On the equipment front, there are newly available rear inflatable seatbelts - as seen previously on the Explorer - along with a new heated steering wheel and cooled seat option on Titanium and Titanium Hybrid models (the latter two options will be late availability).
On the 2014 Fusion's color and trim palette, new paint hues include DarkSide and Sunset (replacing Bordeaux Reserve and Ginger Ale), and later in the model year, a light gray ("Soft Ceramic") interior will become available on Titanium models. Brick Red leather seating is optional for Titanium Hybrid models.
Speaking of the gas-electric variant, there will also be a new entry-level Hybrid S model joining the SE (2013 model shown) and Titanium variants - presumably it will come with a lower price tag, but we don't have MSRP information as of yet. However, we do know it will go without equipment including a power driver's seat, rear seat HVAC ducts, keyless-entry pad, satellite radio and heated side mirrors - integrated turn signals and all.
We're set to record Autoblog Podcast #329 tonight, and you can drop us your questions and comments via our Q&A module below. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #329
Earlier this week, reports were swirling 'round the internet about the 2014 Ford Fusion getting a new 1.5-liter three-cylinder EcoBoost engine. That was... half correct. Ford today confirmed that the 2014 Fusion is, in fact, getting a new 1.5-liter EcoBoost mill, but it has four cylinders, not three.
The new 1.5-liter engine will be the fifth EcoBoost powerplant from Ford Motor Company. Initially to be built at the automaker's Craiova, Romania plant, it will also be offered in the Fusion's twin, the Mondeo, in other markets. This engine will debut at the Shanghai Motor Show next month, and the 1.5-liter is of particular importance in the Chinese market - there is significant tax relief in the People's Republic for vehicles powered by engines with a capacity of 1.5 liters or less.
At a media briefing Thursday, Ford declined to divulge exact power or fuel economy numbers, though Joe Bakaj, vice president of powertrain engineering, told Autoblog that power output should be similar to that of the current 1.6-liter inline-four, and that overall efficiency will be "better than the 1.6." Our earlier report stated that the 1.5-liter four will produce 177 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque - losses of 1 hp and 7 lb-ft versus the 1.6-liter engine. Ford states that the 1.5-liter four will feature many of the same technologies used on the company's 1.0-liter EcoBoost inline-three, including an integrated exhaust manifold that recaptures much of the engine's heat.
Ford will release more information regarding the 1.5-liter engine later this year, including availability in the 2014 Fusion. Earlier, we reported that the 1.5 would only be available with Ford's six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission, though the 1.6 would be kept around for those preferring the company's six-speed manual setup.
Scroll down for more information about the 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine in Ford's press release.
Just one year after launching the all-new 2013 Fusion, Ford is reportedly set to alter the sedan's powertrain lineup with the addition of a new 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder EcoBoost engine. A member of Blue Oval Forums apparently got their hands on the ordering guide for the 2014 model year Fusion, and this 1.5-liter mill is set to be introduced with late availability.
This lines up with other news about the Chinese-market Mondeo being offered with a new 1.5-liter EcoBoost - a derivative of the 1.0-liter triple that will come to North America under the hood of the Fiesta. In the Chinese application, the larger three-pot engine produces 177 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, which is very close to the current 1.6-liter inline-four's output numbers of 178 hp and 184 lb-ft.
What's interesting, however, is that the 1.6-liter engine will reportedly still be offered in the Fusion, but only with the six-speed manual transmission. The smaller 1.5-liter EcoBoost will only be mated to a six-speed SelectShift automatic, and will feature start/stop. This means that while the 1.5 is slightly down on power compared to the 1.6, it could easily improve fuel economy numbers, allowing the Fusion to regain the title of having the best mileage in the segment, likely besting the 38 miles per gallon of the Nissan Altima. Currently, the Fusion 1.6 is rated at 23 mpg city and 36 mpg highway.
Blue Oval Forums also states that the 2014 Fusion will get a number of other changes, including an optional heated steering wheel, cooled seats, summer tire options for select models, and a couple of new exterior paint colors.
A Ford spokesperson could not be reached for comment at this time, but stay tuned for updates as they become available.
