Is the Fusion on the chopping block?

Car/truck/automotive news and discussion
kevm14
Posts: 15712
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Is the Fusion on the chopping block?

Post by kevm14 »

http://www.motortrend.com/news/report-f ... 6CACA606AC

This came as a surprise.

This just seems dumb and I don't know that mirroring FCA is the recipe for success.
Ford has said it will offer fewer car nameplates in the future. It’s reallocating $7 billion from cars to trucks and SUVs including the upcoming Ranger.
Maybe they have no idea how to restyle it from here.
kevm14
Posts: 15712
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: Is the Fusion on the chopping block?

Post by kevm14 »

Fusion US annual sales (2017 is incomplete).
2006 142,502
2007 149,552
2008 147,569
2009 180,671
2010 219,219
2011 248,067
2012 241,263
2013 295,280
2014 306,860
2015 300,170
2016 265,840
2017 YTD * 209,623

Those don't seem like bad numbers to me.

Camry.
2006 448,445
2007 473,108
2008 436,617
2009 356,824
2010 327,804
2011 308,510
2012 404,886
2013 408,484
2014 428,606
2015 429,355
2016 388,618
2017 YTD * 387,081

Accord.
2006 354,441
2007 392,231
2008 372,789
2009 287,492
2010 282,530
2011 235,625
2012 331,872
2013 366,678
2014 388,374
2015 355,557
2016 345,225
2017 YTD * 322,655

Altima.
2006 232,457
2007 284,762
2008 269,668
2009 203,568
2010 229,263
2011 268,981
2012 302,934
2013 320,723
2014 335,644
2015 333,398
2016 307,380
2017 YTD * 254,996

Malibu.
2006 163,853
2007 128,312
2008 178,253
2009 161,568
2010 198,770
2011 204,808
2012 210,951
2013 200,594
2014 188,519
2015 194,854
2016 227,881
2017 YTD * 185,857

Sonata.
2006 149,513
2007 145,568
2008 117,357
2009 120,028
2010 196,623
2011 225,961
2012 230,605
2013 203,648
2014 216,936
2015 213,303
2016 199,416
2017 YTD * 131,803

Optima.
2006 38,408
2007 40,901
2008 44,904
2009 37,527
2010 27,382
2011 84,590
2012 152,399
2013 155,893
2014 159,020
2015 159,414
2016  124,203
2017 YTD * 107,493

Passat.
2006 54,208
2007 37,183
2008 30,034
2009 11,138
2010 12,497
2011 22,835
2012 117,023
2013 109,652
2014 96,649
2015 78,207
2016 73,002
2017 YTD * 60,722

Legacy.
2006 84,442
2007 78,428
2008 66,876
2009 30,974
2010 38,725
2011 42,401
2012 47,127
2013 42,291
2014 52,270
2015 60,447
2016 65,306
2017 YTD * 49,837

Mazda 6.
2006 66,203
2007 57,575
2008 52,590
2009 34,866
2010 35,662
2011 35,711
2012 33,756
2013 43,638
2014 53,224
2015 57,897
2016  45,520
2017 YTD * 33,402
kevm14
Posts: 15712
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: Is the Fusion on the chopping block?

Post by kevm14 »

2017 YTD.

OK so they are in #4. Is that grounds for scrapping it? I don't see why.

Toyota Camry 343,750
Honda Accord 300,540
Nissan Altima 236,797
Ford Fusion 192,179
Chevrolet Malibu 169,229
Hyundai Sonata 123,295
Kia Optima 100,412
Volkswagen Passat 57,707
Subaru Legacy 45,244
Mazda 6 31,626
Chrysler 200 18,125
Buick Regal 10,554
bill25
Posts: 2583
Joined: Thu Oct 31, 2013 2:20 pm

Re: Is the Fusion on the chopping block?

Post by bill25 »

This is a strange decision. These seem to actually be pretty good cars. I don't generally hear about them having issues, and it is really the biggest car that Ford actually sells. (The Taurus is not very successful as far as I know)



So why cancel a pretty good car that sells well?
bill25
Posts: 2583
Joined: Thu Oct 31, 2013 2:20 pm

Re: Is the Fusion on the chopping block?

Post by bill25 »

or at face value of the headline:
Report: Ford Cancels Fusion Redesign for North America
Maybe they are continuing the car here, but decided they can't possibly make it look better!
bill25
Posts: 2583
Joined: Thu Oct 31, 2013 2:20 pm

Re: Is the Fusion on the chopping block?

Post by bill25 »

Ford CEO Jim Hackett said last month that customers are looking for a “bigger silhouette,” hinting the Fusion could grow in size or change significantly.
Maybe they are scraping the Fusion and Taurus platform and making a slightly bigger "Fusion".
kevm14
Posts: 15712
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: Is the Fusion on the chopping block?

Post by kevm14 »

I wouldn't look to the large car segment. Are they stupid or something?

Top 5 large cars

Charger
2010 75,397
2011 70,089
2012 82,592
2013 98,336
2014 94,099
2015 94,725
2016  95,437
2017 YTD * 88,351

Impala
2010 172,078
2011 171,434
2012 169,351
2013 156,797
2014 140,280
2015 116,825
2016 97,006
2017 YTD * 75,877

Maxima
2010 60,569
2011 58,737
2012 59,349
2013 53,896
2014 50,401
2015 40,359
2016 62,670
2017 YTD * 67,627

300
[data not available]

Taurus
2010 68,859
2011 63,526
2012 74,375
2013 79,960
2014 62,629
2015 48,816
2016 44,098
2017 YTD * 41,236

The Impala is actually doing pretty well but still pales in comparison to the leaders in the midsize segment. What they should do is improve the Taurus, and continue the Fusion lifecycle as normal. I don't understand the article. UNLESS....their margins on the Fusion are not good, and they think a large car will do better in terms of margin. I guess that is possible.
bill25
Posts: 2583
Joined: Thu Oct 31, 2013 2:20 pm

Re: Is the Fusion on the chopping block?

Post by bill25 »

I wonder if the fusion is a little smaller than the Camry/Accord. Maybe they want it on a level playing field?
kevm14
Posts: 15712
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: Is the Fusion on the chopping block?

Post by kevm14 »

That is a good question. Fuel Economy.gov actually makes this a really easy comparison.

Interior volume (ft^3)
Fusion: 103
Camry: 100
Accord: 106
Altima: 102
Malibu: 100
Sonata: 106

It is right in the middle of the pack here.
kevm14
Posts: 15712
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: Is the Fusion on the chopping block?

Post by kevm14 »

Let's do cargo (trunk) just in case that is a thing.

Luggage (ft^3):
Fusion: 16
Camry: 14
Accord: 17
Altima: 15
Malibu: 13
Sonata: 16

So the Accord is pretty large. The Fusion, again, is on the upper end of trunk space.
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