SOUNDBITES: FORD FUSION, 2010 MOTOR TREND CAR OF THE YEAR
Earlier today Motor Trend Magazine named the 2010 Ford Fusion as their pick for Car of the Year award. According to Jonathon Richards, Fusion Marketing Manager, the Fusion bested a field of 23 contenders — including the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, BMW-7 series and Mercedes-Benz E Class.
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| Cut #1: |
"It's huge recognition that the team has improved the vehicles from last year to this year, brought out a world class Hybrid with fuel economy that really can't be beat in the industry at least the mid-size segment, I think it's being recognized by consumers who are buying our products in greater numbers than they were last year." :18 sec. |
| Sales of the new Fusion Hybrid are strong, accounting for almost 20 percent of total Fusion retail sales. And more than 60 percent of Fusion Hybrid sales have been to customers coming from import brands – mostly Toyota and Honda – according to information from Product Information Network, a division of J.D. Power and Associates. Fusion is now among America's Top 10 selling vehicles and the No. 1 selling domestic car, Richards says this award will help to perpetuate that sales momentum. | |
| Cut #2: |
"Sales are significantly up last year to this year and we expect this award to have a big impact on how consumers view the Ford Fusion. One thing we do know about consumers buying the Ford Fusion is that they look to third party independent verification of their intended purchase and Motor Trend would certainly do that." :19 sec. |
| Richards says the reason Ford Fusion beat out the competition is simple. | |
| Cut #3: |
"Well, I think it boils down to a couple of things… this is Motor Trend, and Motor Trend likes cars that drive really, really well, and in the mid-size segment that's the Camrys, the Accords, the Altimas the Ford Fusion there is really no car that handles as well as a Ford Fusion does. It looks great, it handles great, it gets unbelievably good fuel economy it's the most fuel efficient mid-size sedan in America." :14 sec. |
| Ford Fusion is America's most fuel efficient mid-size sedan for both hybrid and conventional gasoline models. The Fusion Hybrid with a certified 41 mpg rating in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, tops the Toyota Camry hybrid by 8 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway while the four-cylinder Fusion with best-in-class highway fuel economy at 34 mpg, tops the Toyota Camry four-cylinder by 2 mpg. According to Richards, car buyers are so passionate about Fusion that they are choosing to buy the high series models – Hybrids, SEL and Sport. | |
| Cut #4: |
"With the breadth of product of Fusions that you have… from four-cylinder, to six-cylinder, to Fusion Sport and Fusion Hybrid, there really is no reason for a mid-size sedan, mid-size segment customer to shop anything other than the Ford Fusion." :15 sec. |
| Sales data indicates that high series models account for 50-percent of sales with customers also embracing technology offerings like voice-activated navigation, SYNC and Sony Audio. |