Our mothers and our coaches taught us how to be good sports. Well, at least our mothers did. Even so, it’s hard to hide the excitement and pride in winning Motor Trend’s Car of the Year^® award. The 2010 Ford Fusion brought home the honor, besting a field of 23 contenders including the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, BMW 7 series and Mercedes-Benz E Class!

In addition to this important award, sales of the 2010 Fusion are at an all-time high. The car is now among America’s Top 10 selling vehicles, and it is the No. 1 selling domestic car.

“Ford has proven its resilience in these tough times by delivering to market a car with broad appeal to a broad range of consumers,” said Angus MacKenzie, Motor Trend editor-in-chief.  “The Fusion range has matured into a competitive roster of midsize sedans, able to compete with the 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.”

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 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,” said MacKenzie.

The 2010 Fusion Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient sedan in America.  The new models offer more power; class-exclusive technologies such as Blind Spot Information System (BLIS™) and Ford SYNC^®; more total passenger and luggage capacity than the Toyota Camry; and better long-term reliability.

The Fusion lineup expanded in the 2010 model year to include all-new Hybrid and Sports models and a new selection of gas-powered engines – all paired with six-speed automatic transmissions – that deliver even more horsepower and better fuel economy.

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 Car of the Year^®.

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 version – and overall sales are already at an all-time high for 2009.

With its unsurpassed quality, 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.

“Even at a time when industry-wide sales are down 26 percent, Fusion sales continue to grow,” said Ford Sales Analyst George Pipas.  “That is extraordinary.”

The new Fusion Hybrid model has played an important role in Fusion’s success.  The vehicle delivers a certified 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.

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.

According to Fusion Marketing Manager Jonathan Richards, car buyers are so passionate about Fusion that they are choosing to buy the high series models – Hybrid, SEL and Sport.

“Data shows that high series models account for 50 percent of sales,” he said.  “Customers are also embracing technology offerings like voice-activated navigation, SYNC and Sony® Audio.”

Richards says the introduction of a Sport model is also drawing praise from Fusion customers as is the new six-speed SelectShift transmission.

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