Ford's Fusion Makes Big Gains in Midsize Segment with Record Year

BEVERLY, MASS. (01/12/2012)(readMedia)-- Competition in the midsize sedan market is fierce, but according to recent sales figures, Ford is quickly surpassing competitors with the popularity of its Fusion. Last year, 248,067 Ford Fusion sedans were sold in the United States, marking the vehicle's best-ever year of sales and making it Ford's best-selling car in 2011.

By the end of 2010, the Fusion had increased its midsize-sedan market share by 5.2 percent since its first full year at Ford dealerships in 2006. As Fusion sales increased by 54 percent during that time period, competitors like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord saw sales decreases of 27 and 20 percent, respectively. With record sales for 14 of the last 15 months, the Fusion appears to have gained even more ground on its midsize competitors in 2011, moving further up the list of the annual top 10 best-selling vehicles.

"The Fusion is a popular choice with buyers because it's dependable, affordable and consistently recommended by automotive researchers and reporters," said Jeff Klein, general sales manager of Beverly, Massachusetts Ford dealership Thomas Ford. "The current Fusion's popularity is backed by a number of solid recommendations from customers and experts alike, and we've already started to hear positive feedback about the next-generation model months before it even goes on sale."

The all-new 2013 Ford Fusion was revealed at the Detroit Auto Show this week, a debut teased with a digitally camouflaged version of the car in a video game app released by Ford in December. The app encouraged users to race the Fusion through virtual worlds to earn access to daily video clips demonstrating key features found in the new Fusion. Players were finally able to unlock a full view of the car in the game following its show debut, but they'll have to wait until next fall to get their hands on a real model at dealers.

One key technology found in the new Fusion will be its Lane Keeping System (LKS), a safety feature designed to keep drivers from accidentally drifting outside their lane. LKS uses a windshield-mounted digital camera that analyzes lane lines to determine when a vehicle drifts at speeds above 40 mph.

The LKS system first alerts the driver with a yellow icon in the instrument cluster and by vibrating the steering wheel. If the driver continues to drift the vehicle outside of its lane, the LKS icon turns red and the system uses the electric power-assisted steering to gently nudge the steering wheel in the direction of the original lane. A third level of warning both vibrates and nudges the steering wheel, but warnings cease when the driver responds by accelerating, braking or turning the steering wheel.

"Ford has ensured that the Fusion proactively protects its passengers," added Klein. "The popularity of the car can be attributed to a number of things, but safety is definitely on the minds of all car buyers, and there is no doubt that the Fusion delivers in that area."

About Thomas Ford:

Thomas Ford, located in Beverly, has been a fixture in the North Shore of Massachusetts for over 40 years. They base their success on their dedicated sales and Ford service departments' commitment to customer satisfaction. It's never been a better time to be a Ford owner, and Thomas Ford encourages you to stop by their dealership to discover why. For more information, call them at 978-922-0059, visit their web site at www.thomasford.com, like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ThomasFordAuto or stop by their dealership at 211 Rantoul Street in Beverly, Massachusetts.