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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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 OPINION 
2

Ford Buffs Green Image With Fusion

The highly anticipated hybrid will start appearing at dealerships this spring

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(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)
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2 comments
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nick
Jan 5, 09 9:30 AM 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. Reply
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Newser001
Jan 5, 09 10:22 AM 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? Reply
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