Ford Fusion and NASCAR in 2006

**NIMBUS** · 07-11-2005 12:14 PM

Ford Motor Co. is putting a new face on its NASCAR Nextel Cup entry next year. The automaker is expected to announce as early as this week [Thurs July 14th in Charlotte] that the Ford Fusion will replace the venerable Taurus on North America's most popular racing circuit, said people familiar with the plan. After 20 years, Ford is pulling the plug on Taurus production early in 2006, and NASCAR rules require that race cars be based on showroom models. The Fusion arrives on dealer lots this fall. Fusion will enter the midsize car segment, where the competition dwarfs even the longtime rivalry between Ford and Chevy on the racetrack. In the midsize car market, it's Ford vs. Chevy vs. Toyota vs. Honda vs. Nissan.

Ford designed and engineered the Fusion to be more aggressive and nimble than the Taurus. It is priced starting at $17,995. Ford declined comment on specific plans to replace Taurus, promising to unveil details this week. NASCAR entries are subject to strict dimensional guidelines to ensure competitive racing, but to help sell the vehicles, manufacturers take great care to make certain that the cars on the track retain identifiable design cues.(Detroit News, 7-11-2005)

**nascarnation** · 07-11-2005 12:19 PM

sounds like the Roush boys will have to tool up a new style of vinyl headlight decals.........

**brickyard1911** · 07-11-2005 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by nascarnation

sounds like the Roush boys will have to tool up a new style of vinyl headlight decals.........

Go ahead boys, bump draft all you want, them Fusion nose pieces are on the way!

**Craigar1** · 07-11-2005 05:18 PM

Kind of ugly in the pictures, has anyone seen one on the road?

**Cygni** · 07-11-2005 07:55 PM

Reminds me of the CTS. I like it alot compared to the current american midrange: Taurus, Malibu, and Stratus

**brickyard1911** · 07-11-2005 08:10 PM

Pretty boring compared to this!

**jdessar** · 07-11-2005 08:25 PM

We (wife and I) just purchased a 2005 Chevy Cobalt.

It's a neat little car.

We have the LS Coupe with the Sport Appearance Package in Victory Red.

**Cygni** · 07-11-2005 08:41 PM

Pretty ATTRACTIVE compared to that new Charger. That thing is friggen hideous, imho.

The Charger is also a very different price class. You dont really want "radical in your face" styling in the midsize sedan world. Granny doesnt really want that.

I like the Cobalt too. Deffinitly head and shoulders better than the Cavalier it replaced.

**Toonces** · 07-12-2005 12:51 AM

I am surprised the 500 isn't the new car.

**Jim Wilke** · 07-12-2005 01:06 AM

Race on Sunday, rent on Monday.

**midtown** · 07-12-2005 07:04 AM

Originally Posted by Jim Wilke

Race on Sunday, rent on Monday.

**CrewChief** · 07-12-2005 07:28 AM

Originally Posted by Toonces

I am surprised the 500 isn't the new car.

I was to, it is a much better looking car then the Fusion. And no offense jdesser, not a big fan of the Cobalt either.

The Charger on the other hand is a sweet looking car, I grew up a Ford person, in an all Ford family but other then the new Mustang and the 500 to some extent they haven't come out with anything decent in years.

**jdessar** · 07-12-2005 07:32 AM

Originally Posted by CrewChief

And no offense jdesser, not a big fan of the Cobalt either.

That's quite OK.

To each their own.

**Jakester** · 07-12-2005 08:12 AM

The rear 3/4 view of the Fusion looks a heck of a lot like a Volkwagen Jetta with 'altezza' taillights.

**lkchris** · 07-12-2005 09:23 AM

Wonder if it's based on a Volvo as is the Ford 500.

**Craigar1** · 07-12-2005 10:24 AM

Not a Mopar fan, but that charger is definately the best looking car on this thread.

Cobalt would be a distant second.

I agree w/ the CTS comparison, but I'm not a big fan of that look, I guess.

**akhindallas** · 07-12-2005 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by Jakester

The rear 3/4 view of the Fusion looks a heck of a lot like a Volkwagen Jetta with 'altezza' taillights.

Eactly what I was thinking...Good old Ford, it only took them 8 years to copy the VW Passat as the 500 and about 5 years to copy the styling of the previous Jetta. Did they hire a bunch of laid-off VW design folks?

**gyc** · 07-12-2005 01:47 PM

Actually the designer of the 500 also designed the Passat if I'm not mistaken. Anyhow, I think the Fusion looks great. It's one of the first American mid-sized sedans I'd consider along with the Japanese and European models. However, I think being in NASCAR kind of cheapens it a bit, at least to me. Now if GM would ditch the Monte Carlo and either race a CTS or G6 instead....

Although I really wish NASCAR bodies looked more like the Trans-Am bodies and have Corvettes racing against Mustangs and Vipers.