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Ford Fusion Hybrid spied testing in Melbourne

By Tim Beissmann |

A left-hand drive Ford Fusion Hybrid has been spotted in Australia apparently undergoing testing by Ford.

CarAdvice reader Jeza snapped the Fusion Hybrid in city traffic in Melbourne. The Fusion is a mid-sized sedan that is not sold in Australia. It is manufactured in Mexico and sold in North America, Latin America and parts of the Middle East.

The sticker on the back of the vehicle says ‘Engineering Evaluation Vehicle’.

CarAdvice has contacted Ford Australia for comment about the Fusion Hybrid evaluation vehicle and we will update the story when we hear more.

The Fusion Hybrid was launched in the US in March 2009. It is powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, an electric motor and a nickel-metal hydrid battery.

It is capable of driving in electric-only mode up to speeds of 75km/h and has a combined power output of 142kW. The Fusion Hybrid has an EPA-tested (US regulation) combined cycle fuel consumption of 6.0 litres/100km and a range of 1125km.

Its fuel economy makes it more efficient than its medium hybrid competitors in the US –the Toyota Camry Hybrid, Nissan Altima Hybrid and Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid – and in 2010 the Fusion Hybrid was named the North American Car of the Year.

Thanks again to CarAdvice reader Jeza for the images. If you have any images or information that you think we may be interested in, please let us know via our Contact Us page.


 

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  • eskylid

    looks like ford poached the subaru designer and let him just fill that car full of emotional design…..

  • Steve-Poyza

    I love this car for the mere fact that it makes me laugh. It’s just so ugly. The tail lights are confused and the grille is strange.

    • http://www.caradvice.com.au Goose

      A bit like me really……confused,strange and appallingly ugly.

    • Lazybones

      Seriously I look at this and think we need an Ugly car tax.

    • fourl6

      American…
      enough said :-)

  • XA-Mont

    the rear panel/lights are just like a disproportionately squashed FG

  • Colt

    Drove one recently in the states, quite nice to drive, but interior is disappointing.

  • Shak

    What possible use could a smooth Melbourne highway be for ‘engineering purposes’ to Ford.

    • Road Warrior

      What makes you think it was Ford who was doing the testing…

      • http://www.fordnewsblog.wordpress.com benno5693

        Who would import a Fusion to do testing OTHER than Ford???

        • Road_Warrior

          Holden or Toyota, particularly the latter seeing as they have the Camry Hybrid and this Fusion is a hybrid. They were probably doing benchmark testing.

  • Ima Hogg

    I know I will get voted down but do you think this is testing because ford aus are going to introduce a Hybrid Falcon? I don’t know but I just hope this isn’t the replacement for the falcon. PLEASE FORD AMERICA KEEP FORD AUSTRALIA

    Ps: I know i’m a fanboy

    • http://www.fordnewsblog.wordpress.com benno5693

      Trust me, these Fusions here has NOTHING to do with the Falcon ;) (This isn’t the first one I’ve seen / or first time I have seen it).

      This would probably be some sort of local development for the all-new Mondeo of which the Fusion will share its platform… Other than that, it has me beat why FoA would have a current model Fusion in its EEV (Engineering Evaluation Vehicle) fleet…

      • MeestaNob!

        ^^this.

        BTW: Spam word Hummer, lol.

      • MattW

        Exactly. The next Mondeo / Fusion will be off the same platform, and its the usual procedure to body the test mules with the current generation sheetmetal. I reckon this just happens to be one from the US that is doing a tour around the various Ford testing teams around the world. If it was a test mule from the European side it would be a Mondeo body on it and noone would have noticed

  • Gibbo

    Is that an LPG sticker on the number plate? – LPG Hybrid maybe?

    • Vibe

      Nah, some states, Vic included, have special stickers for LPG, LNG and Hybrids now, so it’s probably the latter.

    • Aquahead

      No, it’s a Hybrid label, all Hybrids in Victoria (at least) have them to alert emergency crews that there are great big whopping batteries that can explode, leak, electrocute and generally become a nuisance in an accident. Same with LPG cars. 

      FYI, the Ford Australian Forums have had pics of Fusions on them for quite some time. Some were taken around Broadie and some were taken in Port Melbourne. So put 2 and 2 together…

      • Phil C.

        Putting 2 and 2 together.

        From another site. “There are eight key locations where we conduct engineering globally and there are three primary hubs – The Americas, Europe and APA centred here in Australia with a satellite facility in Nanjing China.”

        “And as these things are synchronised over time, it has enabled us to fill our factory – and we have been running (our proving ground) under 24 hour conditions because of the amount of work (Ford Australia) has.”

        Ford Australia is involved in design and evaluation for many different projects in the Ford world. Mondeo and Fusion are expected to unite on the next model cycle. Heck, Ford Australia are actually looking like they might design the next Mustang due in 214-15.

  • TheMenz

    I somehow think ford Aus might earn more green points by embellishing the falcon with the Territory Diesel before it goes hybrid.

    On another note, it does make you appreciate how nice the Falcon looks. I mean you can see the DNA in the Falcon they are clearly sisters.

    Sadly the Fusion got a whack with the ugly stick.

  • JD

    Falcon Hybrid

    Territory Hybrid

    hopefully this is in the making

  • billy

    Looks like it has been here testing for awhile.

    I have a feeling it has been here since early 2010.

  • ohrly

    this is america’s falcon? they are missing out big time!
    if its america’s mondeo… they are still missing out big time!

    Ford australia should be exporting the falcon!

  • Nick K

    I hope they replace the Falcon with this beauty! – Homer Simpson

  • Lester

    If Ford can introduce a turbo diesel hybrid Falcon, would be so amazing to see the fuel consumption figure maybe under 4L!
    Falcon sales number is dropping dramatically since 2010, and still far behind Camry/Commerdo, and even has trouble competing with Mazda 6 . If ford aus still can’t uplift their market shares , I can see that local manufactory and design lab will move to overseas

  • Onepoppa

    Two things to remember – first the number plate is far from new – we are now in the “Y” series – probably swapped from mule to mule. Second, this car is built off the US Mazda 6 platform – not exactly the same as the Japanese version, so it is a slighly smaller car than the Taurus which is being talked about as the successor to the Falcon, which is just fading away in the sales charts.

    Maybe a Fusion based car would match the forthcoming Holden Malibu which in time may well replace the Commodore.

    Just listen for the howls – but the Aussie big 6 cars have probably had their day in the sun.

  • TheMenz

    Onepoppa, there are so many factors at play in relation to future of what were Australia\’s favorite cars.

    To say they have to re-invent themselves is an understatement. To say that they should have been more proactive in delivering more fuel efficient options is perhaps less then fair. But to say the sun has set on them is perhaps equally unfair.

    The Commodore and Falcon are (relatively speaking) built on a shoe string. The quality and price are seriously unbelievable when you consider the development budgets and market size.

    Australian\’s take for granted that we even have an automotive industry and I find it unbelievable that as a nation we are so willing to simply allow our local products to disappear.

    This is a critical period in Australia\’s (ford and Holden\’s) automotive history. Now more then ever we need to be behind them. Falcon, Commodore and Territory are terrific products.

    CA perhaps we should chuck a couple on a boat and take them on a world tour and get some feedback from the yanks, the Europeans about them.

    Sure they are big and thirsty, but no market can claim to such a wonderful mix of European style handling with American style opulence.

  • Justin

    Had a good look at one of these a few months back – just around the corner from my house.

    Driven by German engineers. Couldn’t get much from them other than to say it isn’t as good as Mondeo – suspension / handling mainly – but nothing that couldn’t be fixed.

    NICE car though. Looks better in the flesh than in photos, esp. the front.

  • FusionLover

    I recently had the pleasure of driving a Fusion Sport AWD around Canada a few weeks ago.. Not a hybrid but an awesome car, in the dry, in the wet and in a lot of snow.. A brilliant drive
    What a great car! And I have a modded F6 Typhoon R-spec, 350+ rwkw. The Fusion is a level above in quality, and packed with features.

    Ford, bring it, it will sell!!!