What’s ‘Green’ and Red Hot?
The hits keep coming for America’s most fuel-efficient midsize sedan, the Ford Fusion. The Fusion Hybrid has been honored as one of CAR and DRIVER magazine’s “10Best” cars for 2010, just weeks after winning the prestigious MOTOR TREND Car of the Year® award.
“CAR and DRIVER is always looking for those cars that are most engaging to drive, and in our experience, the Ford Fusion Hybrid is the first hybrid vehicle that really delivers a fun driving experience,” said Eddie Alterman, editor-in-chief, CAR and DRIVER, noting that the Fusion Hybrid is only the second hybrid ever to make the magazine’s “10Best” list.
“We were very impressed with how seamlessly the hybrid powertrain functioned,” Alterman said. “We were also impressed with Ford SYNC® and how seamlessly it worked.”
But Alterman says what really sealed the deal for the Fusion Hybrid is the simple fact that it’s fun.
“The vehicle is entertaining,” he explained. “It’s really fun to drive, and we had fun trying to improve our mileage using the SmartGauge™ technology.”
A total of 58 vehicles were in the running for the CAR and DRIVER “10Best” list. All of the contenders were put through a week of rigorous testing and judged based on three criteria: how well they perform their intended mission, i.e. luxury, sport; how engaging and fun they are to drive; and how much value they deliver.
Despite the slump in overall industry sales, 2009 has been a record-breaking year for the Ford Fusion. Sales are at an all-time high, with the Fusion Hybrid accounting for almost 20 percent of total Fusion retail sales. Perhaps even more significant, more than 60 percent of Fusion Hybrid sales have been to customers coming from import brands – mostly Toyota and Honda.
Fusion Hybrid awards and accolades
Additional awards and accolades for the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid include:
- “Top Safety Pick” rating from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
- 2009 Ward’s Interior of the Year Special Achievement Award for Best Graphic Display for SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide digital instrument cluster
- Great Car for the Long-haul Salesman by Kelley Blue Book kbb.com.
- Named one of America’s Top 40 New Cars by MOTOR TREND magazine
- Rated the #1 Hybrid Family Sedan by CAR and DRIVER in a recent comparison test by CAR and DRIVER
- Named 2009 Editors Choice for Fuel Sipper by CAR and DRIVER
- Named Best Hybrid for the Money in the Midsize Car segment by cars.com
- Named one of 2009 Top 10 Green Cars by Kelley Blue Book kbb.com
- Earned The Detroit News Readers’ Choice Award for “Best Value”
Quotes
“Being ranked one of CAR and DRIVER’s ‘10Best’ cars for 2010 is high praise indeed. In addition to being fun to drive, the Fusion Hybrid offers unsurpassed fuel economy that our customers truly appreciate with an EPA estimated rating of 41 mpg in the city and the ability to travel more than 700 miles on a single tank of gas.”
– Derrick Kuzak, Group Vice President, Ford Global Product Development
Corrections/Clarifications – December 11, 2009 at 19:21
And the Winner of the 2010 Motor Trend Car of the Year is…
No surprise here! The Ford Fusion – America’s most fuel-efficient midsize sedan – today was named MOTOR TREND’s 2010 Car of the Year®. The award comes hot on the heels of Fusion setting record-breaking sales for 2009.
The prestigious award from MOTOR TREND comes at a time when Fusion sales are already at an all-time high, further positioning the vehicle as a formidable contender in the competitive midsize sedan market.
To win the coveted Car of the Year award, Fusion outperformed the competition – including the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan – in six new categories: design achievement, engineering excellence, intended function, efficiency, safety and value.
The 2010 Fusion and Fusion Hybrid are the most fuel-efficient sedans in America. The new models offer more power; class-exclusive technologies, such as Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) and Ford SYNC®; and more total passenger and luggage capacity than the Toyota Camry.
The Fusion lineup expanded in the 2010 model year to include all-new Hybrid and Sport models and a new selection of gas-powered engines – all paired with six-speed transmissions – that deliver even more horsepower and better fuel economy.
Fusion: A hit from the start
The Ford Fusion has been generating excitement among journalists and consumers alike since the nameplate first launched in the fall of 2005. In fact, the introductory model – which marked Ford’s re-entry into the midsize sedan market – was a finalist for MOTOR TREND’s 2006 Car of the Year award.
Since then, Fusion’s popularity has continued to soar – and so have sales. Fusion set a sales record in April – the first full month of sales for the redesigned 2010 model and the new Fusion Hybrid – and overall sales are already at an all-time high for 2009.
With its quality unsurpassed by Toyota or Honda, best-in-class fuel economy, class-exclusive technologies and significant residual value improvement, the 2010 Ford Fusion is clearly delivering the key attributes that midsize sedan buyers want.
The new Fusion Hybrid model has played an important role in Fusion’s success. The vehicle delivers an EPA estimated 41 mpg rating in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, topping the Toyota Camry hybrid by 8 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway. It also offers innovative new technology – SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide – that coaches hybrid drivers to maximize fuel efficiency.
Quotes
“Ford has proven its resilience in these tough times by delivering to market a car with broad appeal to a broad range of consumers. The Fusion range has matured into a competitive roster of midsize sedans, able to compete with sales juggernauts such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. It is no surprise the Fusion now ranks in the top 10 best-selling cars in America.”
– Angus MacKenzie, MOTOR TREND Eitor-in-chief
“The Fusion brought a vast assortment of choice that has the potential to appeal to every type of driver, from the eco-conscious to the sport-minded. The Fusion’s combination of comfort, fuel efficiency, assortment and technology made it a clear winner among our panel of judges.”
– Angus MacKenzie, MOTOR TREND Eitor-in-chief
“The MOTOR TREND Car of the Year award is another testament of our commitment to delivering a world-class car lineup. Whether it is the best-in-class fuel economy or quality unsurpassed by Toyota or Honda, the Fusion and Fusion Hybrid are clear evidence that Ford is serious about our car lineup.”
– Derrick Kuzak, Goup Vce Pesident, Ford Global Product Development, who accepted the golden calipers on behalf of the Ford team
“Even at a time when industry-wide sales are down 26 percent, Fusion sales continue to grow.” – George Pipas, Ford Sales Analyst
“Data show that high series models account for 50 percent of sales. Customers are also embracing technology offerings like voice-activated navigation, SYNC and Sony® Audio.”
– Jonathan Richards, Fusion Marketing Manager
It Soars While Others Sink
Soaring sales of the Ford Fusion have made 2009 already a record-breaking year for America’s most fuel-efficient midsize sedan.
Sales for 2009 already have reached 151,137 units, eclipsing the previous Fusion full-year sales high of 149,552 in 2007. Importantly, Fusion sales are skyrocketing at a time when industry sales are the lowest they have been since the early ’80s.
Welcome to the Top 10
In the first ten months of 2009, Fusion sales were 15 percent higher than a year ago. Also, Fusion has moved among America’s Top 10 selling vehicles and the No. 1 selling domestic car.
The 2010 Fusion and Fusion Hybrid are the most fuel-efficient sedans in America. The new models offer more power, class-exclusive technologies, such as Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) and Ford SYNC®, and more total passenger and luggage capacity than the Toyota Camry.
The diversity of the 2010 Fusion lineup is drawing a growing number of customers to the brand. Sales data show that consumers are taking notice. Fusion Hybrid, Sport and SEL models account for 50 percent of sales. Data also show that customers are embracing technology offerings such as voice-activated navigation, SYNC and Sony® Audio.”
The hybrid attraction
Sales of the new Fusion Hybrid account for almost 20 percent of total Fusion retail sales. Perhaps even more significant, more than 60 percent of Fusion Hybrid sales have been to customers coming from import brands – mostly Toyota and Honda.
The Fusion Hybrid delivers an EPA estimated 41 mpg rating in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, topping the Toyota Camry hybrid by 8 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway. It also offers innovative new technology – SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide – that coaches hybrid drivers to maximize fuel efficiency.
According to early 2010 survey data obtained in the 2009 U.S. Global Quality Research System (GQRS), the 2010 Fusion Hybrid has the highest customer satisfaction ratings of any Ford vehicle ever. The survey was conducted for Ford Motor Company by RDA Group of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
Quotes
“It’s extraordinary that a car could set a sales record in an environment where overall industry sales are down 26 percent from a year ago.”
– George Pipas, Ford Sales Analyst
“There is no reason for customers shopping for a midsize sedan to look beyond the Fusion, because the lineup offers something for everyone – a Hybrid model, a Sport version and a new selection of gas-powered engines paired with six-speed transmission.”
– Jonathan Richards, Ford Fusion Marketing Manager
Do You Have What It Takes?
Are you a social media mover and shaker? Do your friends hang on your every word or at least enjoy your online photo galleries and YouTube videos? Most importantly, are you a Fusion fanatic? Then, your moment in the spotlight may have just arrived?
Ford is conducting a nationwide search for passionate 2010 Fusion and Fusion Hybrid owners to participate in Fusion 41, a consumer program designed to build awareness and excitement around the all-new 201 Ford Fusion.
The Fusion 41 program – named for the unsurpassed 41 mpg fuel economy that makes Fusion America’s most fuel-efficient midsize sedan, and the 41 participants – builds on the success of the Ford Drive One advertising campaign, which focuses on actual customers experiencing new Ford vehicles and sharing their stories with others. The Fusion 41 consumer story will come to life on the Internet, through social networking sites like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
How Fusion 41 works
Eight 2010 Fusion owners from throughout the country will be selected to participate in the Fusion 41. They will be chosen based on their passion for Fusion and their ability to share compelling information about the vehicle on the Internet. Applicants must have a current Facebook profile with a minimum of 100 friends and an active photo collection.
Each of the eight Fusion owners will then choose four friends or family members to join their team, and each team will be given a 2010 Ford Fusion or Fusion Hybrid to drive in an automotive relay race. To complete the relay, each team member must fulfill an assigned task within 41 hours, tracking competitive variables such as miles driven, stops made or the number of passengers picked up.
The winning team will be chosen based on their ability to complete the activities and provide proof by uploading photos and videos to various social media sites, including Facebook. The Fusion owner of the winning team will have their vehicle paid off, and team members will win free gas for one year.
2010 Fusion owners interested in competing in Fusion 41 may apply at www.fusion41.com between now and November 6.
Ford fuels social media
Research shows that social media sites are increasingly one of the best ways to reach out to consumers. Prior to the development of the Fusion 41 program, Ford expanded its presence on Facebook with a new application for its “Fusion + Hybrid” profile called “You Speak Green” that enables visitors to share their sustainable lifestyle suggestions. Since its launch in mid-July, more than 104,000 Facebook users have downloaded the application to their profile pages and 15,000 have posted tips.
Another example of Ford’s groundbreaking social media outreach is its support of the Fiesta Movement campaign to promote the company’s sporty, savvy new small car through social media agents. Agent postings have garnered significant numbers on social media sites, including more than 4.8 million YouTube views (www.fiestamovement.com), more than 600,000 Flickr views and more than 3.2 million Twitter impressions.
Quote
“Fusion 41 is a fun way to engage customers and get them talking about the all-new 2010 Fusion. There’s no better way to spread the word about our new products than by putting them into the hands of prospective customers and enabling them to experience our vehicles firsthand.”
– Jeff Eggen, Ford Car Experiential Marketing Manager
‘Fusion + Hybrid’ Facebook Friends Flock to ‘You Speak Green’ App
Debbie Santiago is turning off the lights when she leaves a room. Frances Ruiz is avoiding plastic water bottles in favor of an aluminum bottle. And Kameel Zakaria is using a rain barrel for watering his garden. These are just a few of the more than 15,000 people who have shared “green” lifestyle tips on the new “Fusion + Hybrid” Facebook app called “You Speak Green” – the latest example of Ford’s campaign to engage consumers on their own terms.
Drawing a crowd
Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are more popular than ever. That’s why Ford has increased its presence in the digital space to better enable an open dialogue with consumers about sustainable lifestyle choices in which personal transportation can be both environmentally responsible and fun.
Data suggest that social media sites are increasingly one of the best ways to reach out to consumers. According to Nielsen Company research, the total minutes spent on social networking sites in the U.S. has increased in 2009 by 83 percent year-over-year. Total minutes spent on Facebook increased nearly 700 percent year-over-year, growing from 1.7 billion minutes in April 2008 to 13.9 billion in April 2009, the most recent month reported.
The new Ford Fusion “You Speak Green” Facebook app is designed to encourage people to talk about ways to live sustainably and features a vine graphic that grows with each new eco-conscious comment, demonstrating the power of a collective effort through recycling, water conservation and other actions. Its design was inspired by the Fusion Hybrid’s innovative SmartGauge™ instrument cluster, which uses a similar leafy vine that grows as the motorist drives more fuel efficiently.
The app, which Ford created in collaboration with Wunderman-Team Detroit and social technology provider Vitrue, is an interactive component of the online “We Speak Car” campaign (http://www.fordvehicles.com/2010fusion/) that debuted in March. Since the app’s mid-July launch, more than 104,000 Facebook users have downloaded it to their profile pages and 21,000 have posted tips. You can download the “We Speak Car” Facebook app here.
Another example of Ford’s groundbreaking social media outreach is its support of the Fiesta Movement campaign to promote the company’s sporty, savvy new small car through social media agents. Agent postings have garnered significant numbers on social media sites, including more than 3.5 million YouTube views (www.fiestamovement.com), more than 440,000 Flickr views and more than 2.7 million Twitter impressions.
Fusion’s sales momentum
As more consumers become aware of the Ford Fusion and Fusion Hybrid’s fuel efficiency and innovative technologies, sales for both models are achieving all-time records. For August, Ford Fusion retail sales were up 132 percent year-over-year – a sales record.
Familiarity and favorable opinion of the Ford Fusion brand also is on the rise by as much as 65 percent compared with last year. There is increased interest in the Fusion by import shoppers, with almost half of Toyota Camry shoppers now putting the Fusion and Fusion Hybrid on their lists.
More than half of the Fusion and Fusion Hybrid’s buyers are leaving competitive brands, with 60 percent of Fusion Hybrid customers abandoning imports. Customers also are choosing well-equipped and fuel-efficient models, with the I-4 and Fusion Hybrid accounting for 71 percent of sales. Customers are also embracing Fusion technology offerings like navigation, SYNC® and Sony® Audio.
Quotes:
“The user response to the Fusion Facebook ‘You Speak Green’ app has been outstanding. By providing users tools to support and amplify their self expression and their point of view, we veer away from being intrusive and start to build a true relationship. That relationship will build brand awareness and consideration in an authentic way.”
– Adam Barrow, Ford digital marketing analyst
“Fusion and Fusion Hybrid, in particular, are attracting many car buyers to Ford dealerships who are new to the brand, and Ford’s presence on social media sites like Facebook is helping to drive showroom traffic by increasing awareness of the Fusion’s great fuel economy and innovative technologies.”
– Greg Scott, Fusion and Fusion Hybrid marketing manager