Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Hot on Facebook
Uproar After NC State Agent 'Fixes' Girl's Lunch Preschooler has to eat chicken nuggets instead of mom's meal »

Ford Buffs Green Image With Fusion

The highly anticipated hybrid will start appearing at dealerships this spring

By Jim O'Neill,  Newser User

Posted Jan 5, 2009 8:34 AM CST
Email

(Newser) – Ford’s 2010 Fusion hybrid will debut this spring with an EPA rating of 41mpg city and 36mpg highway, writes Joseph White in the Wall Street Journal, but reaching those underwhelming numbers could be a tough ride for most consumers. Complicating Ford's tough sell are anemic gas prices, writes White, but the Fusion represents the direction Ford—and other American automakers—will need to take to compete with foreign carmakers' more accelerated leap into the green segment.

Ford, while better-positioned than its US rivals, is not expecting the moon from its foray into the eco-friendly market. "The most important thing," says a Ford exec, "is that millions of people think of Ford as a fuel-efficient carmaker."

The company sign hangs over the tailgate of an unsold 2008 F-350 pickup truck at a Ford dealership in the southeast Denver suburb of Centennial, Colo.
The company sign hangs over the tailgate of an unsold 2008 F-350 pickup truck at a Ford dealership in the southeast Denver suburb of Centennial, Colo.   (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
This photo provided by the Ford Motor Co., shows a 2010 model Ford Fusion Hybrid in Los Angeles, Calif., on Dec. 10, 2008.
This photo provided by the Ford Motor Co., shows a 2010 model Ford Fusion Hybrid in Los Angeles, Calif., on Dec. 10, 2008.   (AP Photo/Ford Motor Co., Sam VarnHagen)
The 2010 Ford Fusion Sport is seen on display during media previews at the Los Angeles Auto Show Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008, in Los Angeles.
The 2010 Ford Fusion Sport is seen on display during media previews at the Los Angeles Auto Show Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008, in Los Angeles.   (AP Photo/Ric Francis)
Ford Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2008, before a Senate Banking Committee hearing on the auto industry bailout.
Ford Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2008, before a Senate Banking Committee hearing on the auto industry bailout.   (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 2 comments
Newser001
Jan 4, 2009 10:22 PM CST
One question troubles me... Is Ford still leasing Toyota technology, as they've been doing so, all along - Or this a radically new approach for them; new technology, new idea's, home grown?
nick
Jan 4, 2009 9:30 PM CST
For the first time in twenty years, I'm rooting for Ford. I think they've finally seen the error of their ways ... and now the light at the end of the tunnel.

There is no 'American carmaker' any more
The Motley Fool

Still, an uncertain future for automakers
Detroit Free Press

 
General Motors • Toyota Prius • Ford • hybrid car • Ford Fusion

More Newser Stories

Automakers Pushing 'Connected' Cars

Ford Recalls 129K Cars: Wheels Might Fall Off

Car Sales Jumped 14% Last Month

GM Teams With LG on Electric Cars

Ford, Toyota Join Forces on Hybrid System
NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne