Budd's Top Ten: Future Classics

The Shelby GT350, the Dodge Challenger Road Runner, the E-type V-12, the BMW Issetta, and the Porsche 959 are all fantastically rare and highly sought after classics that only a select few will ever be able to own. Unique styling’s, production numbers and equipment have made them a step above the regular old cars that are sought after by those who enjoy quality craftsmanship which has long since been extinct in the automotive market, a victim of corporate finances and efficiencies.

However, with car makers building car designed to be intriguing for only a single model generation and built as cheaply in high numbers as possible, will there be cars from the last decade that will be considered highly sought after classics in the next 20 to 50 years. Eventually, anything powered by an internal combustion engine and is operated by human control will eventually become a relic, however, this is my list of vehicles that will someday become something special to the collector.

 

Pontiac Solstice/Saturn Sky

My list begins with an oxy moron – an American sports car. Yes the Yanks will argue emphatically that the Corvette, Viper and several pony cars are sports cars, however, they haven’t produce a proper sports car since the Pontiac Fiero was killed off in the early 90’s. However, just before GM went tits up in 2010, they were producing some of the best low cost sports cars available on the market. The uniquely designed Solstice with its wildly extravagant brother, the Sky, were roadsters that brought the fight directly to the MX-5, Z4 and SLK. Not only did they give a RWD hungry public what they wanted, they were also great fun to drive and even quite tail happy. With the turbo versions coming online, the possibilities of the cars performance future was limitless, however, like the Fiero, we will never know what could have been. In 2010 GM fell into bankruptcy and as such closed up shop at Pontiac, effectively killing off the dynamic duo well before their prime. With low numbers, such great designs and performance and the way in which we lost them, the Solstice/Sky will no doubt be future classics.

 

Alpha Romeo 8c

Eventually every Alpha Romeo will become a classic, however, the 8C is something a little special. I don’t think its possible for Alpha to make an ugly car, but the 8C is just drop-dead gorgeous. An old-school super small and low body powered by a Ferrari V-8 should make it one of the great supercars of our time, except for one blatantly painful downfall - the car handles like a pig. Unfortunately, all those great historical roots, stunning looks and equally hypnotic sounds are all for not, and as such, sales are not living up to expectation. For a car with such world renown winning traits matched by equally momentous failures, the 8C will enviably become a classic in time.

 

Honda S2000

Honda doesn’t make rear wheel drive cars, they just don’t, until the mid 90’s, after filling the globe with high strung front wheel drive Civics, CRX’s and Preludes, ripe for aftermarket modification, they built a car that didn’t need any. The S2000 was the only proper front engine, rear wheel drive Honda to make it to North American shores and they did the job right. An often-overlooked offering in the roadster field, the S2000 matched huge performance and reliability from a ridiculous 2.0L engine with huge grin factor. While the front wheel drives would play around in autocrosses and track-days, the S2000 was by far the daddy.

 

Lexus LFA

Since the killing off of the Celica, Toyota had lost their way with auto enthusiasts, opting to build mundane machinery to attract a higher number of customers. You know you’ve lost a piece of male anatomy when you start calling a Camry Solara a sports car. Lexus was equally as painful building some of the most forgettable luxury sedans and SUV’s on the market. But then they turn around and do something so rash, so opposite from what they’ve been doing for so long, it was like an atom bomb went off in Toyota City. One of the most boring carmakers on earth built one of the most exciting supercars of all time. The LFA was originally designed with an F1-inspired V-10, full carbon-fibre body and hordes of electronic gismos and doo dads. But then when it came time for production, they didn’t think it was wild enough, and started all over again from scratch. The result is a car that bombards the senses in every way – visually, ecoustically and thought provokingly. It’s said that Toyota spent $2-billion developing the LFA, which means they will loose over $3.5 million for each of the 500 cars they sell. For being such an instantaneous Jekyll and Hyde moment of lunacy, the LFA is already a classic.

 

Ariel Atom

Not even Colin Chapman thought of building a car without body panels. Well the resurrected Ariel company did just that, building a road legal track-day special that takes minimalism to the extreme. Nothing more than a steering wheel, pedals, suspension, seats, fuel tank and an engine lumped into the back, held together with a bit of scaffolding, the Atom makes what should be an unfinished homebuilt mash, a wonderfully artistic yet fantastically brutal bit of machinery. A car better than the sum of its parts with thinking so far out of the box matching performance that is greater than all but a few hyper exotics, the Atom is a sure classic to be.

International MXT

Is there anything more obnoxious than a Hummer? Yes, yes there is. When a Hummer just isn’t enough truck, you could go beyond and buy a vehicle that is nothing more than a statement. During the hay days of the early 2000’s, the International MXT filled that spot for the guy that just couldn’t stand not to be the center of attention all the time, a feat accomplished well by the MXT but was all but useless in daily life. It was horrifically expensive, required an onboard fuel rig, didn’t fit down any urban streets or parking lots and was generally just an eye sore that portrayed the owner’s obvious insecurities. Its only savior was that it could tow great loads. However, despite the hasty execution of the MXT as soon as fuel went up over $1.25/L, the big brute certainly did leave its mark as the biggest, baddest truck of them all. Along with low production numbers and huge character, the MXT may not become a true classic, however it will no doubt become a cult classic.

 

Hummer H1

Speaking of Hummers, the H1 makes up my next future classic. Ironically, GM built an entire brand around the “Desert Storm Hero,” yet it was their worst seller. The much more brittle, and pretty much useless H2 built on a Tahoe platform would become the darling of the brand, changing a customer base from rugged outdoorsman to metro-sexual urban gangster wannabe’s with similar insecurities as MXT owners. Eventually, a 300% price hike and new emissions regulations killed off the most testosterone pumped 4x4 on the market, well ahead of its time. With a story like that, how could the big brute not become a classic, as long as future owners own their own refineries.

 

BMW Z4 M-Coupe

All M-cars will all become classics over a short amount of time, however there is something uniquely special about the odd-shaped Z4 M-coupe. An “out of the box” design matched to the last of BMW’s properly true drivers cars with a 3.2L inline-6, with huge character and proper driving dynamics; this car is already a classic.

 

Pontiac Solstice Coupe

As I’ve mentioned before, The Solstice was the first proper sports car the Americans have built in decades, ideally suited to take on the BMW Z4, Mazda MX-5, and Mercedes SLK in the compact fun department. However, before GM killed off Pontiac during the 2010 bankruptcy, they managed to produce an extremely small amount of Coupe versions before the money all dried up. The added body stiffness and aerodynamics made this already proven contender an absolute weapon, but only a scant 1,266 ever made it to show rooms. With so much potential to be one of GM’s greatest accomplishments, only to be thrown in the bin with production only just beginning, the Solstice Coupe rates as one of my most likely future classic.

 

Acura NSX

The NSX is a phenomena within itself, as fantastically capable and exotic departure from Acura’s mostly mundane line-up, Honda allowed a great thing to go to waste, not making any improvements to the car until the last nail was already in the coffin, and even then, their efforts were almost insulting to the vehicles huge following. For lasting as long as it did as a neglected show of force to the exotic community, the NSX will only grow in legend.

That’s my ten, if you think I’ve missed something blatantly obvious, reply below and let me have it.

Feature: Powertrain Dilema

It was only three short years ago, when the last big fuel price inflation made the full-size truck the most feared vehicle on the market. Well the summer of 2011 is here, and with it comes sky-rocketing fuel prices once again. So, those of you who rushed out and purchased a full-size truck once the prices stabilized last year, did you think ahead? Are you currently in need of a full-size pickup, but don’t want to take a shellacking when regular pops up over $1.50/Litre?

In an ever-increasing battle to produce the most fuel-efficient trucks on the market, there has been a rash of new powertrain options out there to make the most of the fuel you put into them, all in different ways. Certain power options help those who may not drive their trucks much at all, some help those who have to deal with urban environments, and some get those who need to cover great distances with heavy loads the best bang for their gas station buck.

So what works best for you? It all depends what you plan to do with your truck. Here is a rundown of the advances the manufactures have made in the fuel efficiency of their full-size trucks, and how they best serve potential owners.

Efficient Gasoline

Ford has been making the most of the most popular fuel on the planet for well over one hundred years now, and guess what? They are still finding ways to get even better efficiency out of the same old 87-octane that’s been sold at the corner gas station for nearly as long. A jump in fuel efficiency technology in the last few years has rewarded most manufacturers with incredibly thrifty fuel sippers. The implementation of direct fuel injection, variable valve timing, new lighter materials and turbo technology has allowed some truck makers to get the same power from a six-cylinder that was previously only found in V-8’s only a few short years ago, while increasing efficiency by as much as a third in some cases.

Chryslers new six-piston darling, the 3.5L Pentastar V-6 has replaced the old 3.0L CRD diesel engine in the Jeep Grand Cherokee because it gets better fuel mileage. Likewise, Fords equally touted EcoBoost 3.5L V-6 Turbo has given F-150 owners V-8 power in the form of a V6, while also increasing fuel efficiency by 20%. These numbers are impressive, however where these vehicles excel is in the cost of these upgrades. In terms of the Jeep, the Pentastar powered Grand Cherokee is the base spec vehicle, so you literally pay nothing for the increase in efficiency. Ford on the other hand have not released the cost of their new EcoBoost at the time of writing, but word has it the turbo 3.5L will be an option fetching somewhere around the order of $2,000. So, if you are buying a large truck and you may not be using it as a daily driver, but still want to save at the pump, a high efficiency gasoline powered unit will likely be the most economical choice.

Hybrid

Now this is a bit of an odd one. In terms of the timeline of light trucks, the hybrid is still in its primordial ooze stage of life. As of right now, there is only one company offering a hybrid pickup on the market, and that’s the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Hybrid along with its GMC twin, the Sierra 1500 Hybrid. Sporting a full-size chassis and a 6.0L FlexFuel V8, one would legitimately question the use of a Hybrid drivetrain on such a vehicle. The fact is, it works, and works quite well, as this full-size truck gets mid-sized car fuel efficiency. GM rates the Silverado Hybrid at 10.1L/100km in the city and 8.4L/100km on the highway. In testing I confirmed these numbers, which made my Volvo look more like a Hummer.

The beauty of a Hybrid is that its delivery of electrical power means this vehicle is at its best in the urban environment, and if you happen to live near one of two FlexFuel stations in Canada, the extra low Co2 emissions of this vehicle will also kick up your environmental karma. The downfall of this powertrain option is undoubtedly the cost of the technology. Hybrid technology is complicated and still in its pioneering form of R&D. As such, cost of fuel savings in the Silverado is huge, requiring an investment of nearly $20,000 over the base Silverado’s MSRP. At that cost, you will want to be sure that you keep it for a good long time to make up those extra costs.

As mentioned, the only hybrid pickup available in the North American market at present is the Silverado Hybrid. However, Ram are currently field testing their own hybrid product that will likely hit showrooms in a little over a years time.

Diesel

Finally we come to diesel, my favourite fuel, at least when it comes to trucks. For the most part, here in Canada, diesel is cheaper than gasoline when you get to the pump, and once you have it in your tank, it does a hell of a lot more for you. Diesel not only stretches out your range and fuel efficiency numbers, but it also gives you added torque for hauling large loads. Unfortunately, the only trucks currently offering diesel engines are domestic Heavy Duty trucks. Elsewhere in the world, it’s the compact turbo diesel pickup that reigns king, however, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Ford have chosen to keep the efficient little four bangers out of the mid-sized truck market here in Canada. However, there is hope, as Cummins is working on a highly-efficient four-cylinder that is likely to be inserted into both the Ram and Nissan Titan 1500’s.

However, here and now, it’s the 6.6L Duramax, the 6.7L Power  Stroke and 6.7L Cummins that are the only available units, found in the Silverado/Sierra, F-250/350 and Ram Heavy Duties respectably. Due to the sheer size and weight of these vehicles, you would think any benefits of diesel power have long since been offset. However, with new regulations governing these vehicles and demand to create more efficient Heavy Duties for small businesses, these big guzzlers have seen quite a bit of headway in this department. Unfortunately, these same regulations say that any vehicle with a GVW higher than 8,000 lbs does not legally have to post the vehicles fuel-efficiency numbers, however, in a recent test of Chevrolet’s contender, the 6.6L equipped Silverado, I saw efficiency numbers of 12.2L/100km on the highway, and 15.3L/100km in the city, and that’s with a load in the back.

Where the diesels fall down a bit is the cost to equip each truck with the diesel option is still quite large. Expect to dish out $9,670 extra for the GM, $9,950 extra for the Ford and $7,975 for the Ram; not hybrid money, but still a good chunk of cash to make your full tank last a little longer.  As such, you’ll want to make sure that you are getting good use out of the vehicle to make up for the added expense. So, if you need a truck to haul large loads for long distances, the diesel will likely be you best choice.

Review: 2011 Ford Explorer

Great explorers must overcome great hurdles in order to not only to achieve their goals, but in many cases, just to stay alive. Sir Ranulph Fiennes was the first man to reach both North and South Poles, but he lost several fingers and toes in the experience. Likewise, Robert Falcon Scott, who raced Roald Amundsen across the Antarctic to realize the dream of being the first man to the South Pole, only to loose the race by 35-days and later his life on the return journey due to improper preparations. In the cutthroat world of the SUV, the waters are not as warm and comfortable as the Caribbean; rather icy and treacherous like the Arctic. The once powerful SUV has had to give way to the surge in popularity of the Crossover, as the public demands a high cargo and passenger volume vehicle that handles like a car.

Enter the Explorer, the pioneer of the modern SUV, however, as of late, with all the Japanese competition as well as Dodge, Jeep and Chevy producing significantly upgraded unibodied utes, the Explorer had become a relic of out of date body on frame technology. Like most of Fords range of new vehicles, 2011 sees all change for the Explorer, with an all-new unibody stuffed with as much technology Ford could squeeze into it.

Other than body construction, the biggest step forward is how much greener the Explorer has become with the new 3.5L V-6 producing 22% better fuel efficiency, with at city rating of 11.9/100km and 8.0L on the highway. All this comes with an improvement in power as well, upping to 290 hp and 255 lb-ft. The upcoming 2.0L Ecoboost that is due later this summer is even more impressive offering up 237 horsepower and 250 lb.-ft. of torque. However, despite its name, fuel efficiency is actually worse than the V-6, with a 13.1L/100km city and 8.7L on the highway.

The new design is quite an eye catcher if I do say so myself, and sports some distinctly Land Roverish touches that really add to the refinement of the vehicle. Inside the same can be said as a stylish interior design is matched with high quality soft touch materials, while what few buttons there are, give off a very luxurious feel and actuation. However, the coolness factor gets cranked to 11 with both the gauge cluster and center stack satnav, entertainment and HVAC centre.

Like the Fusion, the Explorer utilizes an adaptable digital gauge cluster giving the driver just about any onboard information one could ask for. The Sony controls are all touch sensitive

Along with the cool displays the Explorer has a mass of new drive technology. The list of control system acronyms for the Explorer is large enough to make an Infiniti blush. The Explorer has benefited with a heavy influx of shared technology that has been developed with the specialists expertise of out-going partners Volvo and Land Rover, with excellent safety and off-road abilities.

Lets start with the safety side of the equation. The new Explorer stepped up to bat big time in the safety department with the usual suspects; traction control, ABS and stability control, while adding the BLIS blind spot warning system, cross traffic-alert, adaptive cruise control and collision warning with brake support.  However, if you don’t think that’s enough, Ford have developed an industry first with the introduction of inflatable rear seat belts found in the 2^nd row outboard seats. As a $250 option on XLT and Limited models, this system uses a compressed air container under each seat which fires air into an airbag folded into the seatbelt. The airbag tears through a seam in the belt, tripling its contact area in the event of a collision. Also debuting is Fords curve control system, which will detect if the vehicle has entered a corner too fast, and keeps it on the road by working with all the systems mentioned above, as well as roll over control, effectively controlling speed and skidding.

Land Rover faithful will know the multi-surface interface now found in the Explorer, allowing the driver to choose either snow, sand, rutted or normal driving conditions. Well, that system, known as the Terrain Management System, now makes the Explorer a formidable soft-roader. And just for good measure, Ford has added a hill decent function as well. With the Terrain Management controls in communication with the driving aids, it all combines to create a vehicle with incredible traction in any environment. Despite the Explorers independent suspension and relatively low ride height for an SUV, it performs beyond its mechanical disadvantages. However, that being said, the Explorer is missing one vital part of the Terrain Management System lacks the air springs found in the LR4 and Range Rover models, a feature that massively increases the off-road character of those vehicles. If Ford are smart, they will offer adjustable lift suspension in an off-road special edition, much like but not as extreme as the Raptor.

So, how does it all work in the real world, on roads slick with packed ice? With our tester wrapped with Continental ice tires driving in the standard surface setting already gives the driver a confident feeling on snow and ice as the Explorer is well planted and turns in well. With the multi-surface control set to “Sand” the explorer starts to get frisky as the computers start to allow the wheels to spin up, and the vehicle is allowed to slid around a little bit before traction and stability programs step in. In “Snow” mode, throttle response is cut and the traction and stability programs are working at the hardest to keep the vehicle on the straight and narrow. The result is a phenomenal amount of grip on even the slipperiest of surfaces.

Overall, Ford have done a wonderfull job bringing the aging old Explorer up to date, and none too soon as both Jeep and Dodge have also made eaqually impressive leaps with the Grand Cherokee and Durango. Until driving the Explorer, I was most impressed with the Grand Cherokee’s excellent new unibody. However, with Fords new design, and one of the most impressive interiors in the business, the Explorer just takes over as my pick for the segment. However, like I said above, if you are looking to do some off-roading, something old Explorer owner are quite fond of, I would suggest the Jeep, as they have the advantage of height adjustable air springs, the Explorers one let down.

SPECIFICATIONS:

MSRP: $29,999

Price as tested: $44,199 (LTD AWD)

Type: 4-door, full-size SUV

Engine: 3.5L V-6, 2.0L I-4

Horsepower: V-6 290, I-4 290

Torque: V-6 255, I-4

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Layout: Front engine, front wheel drive, optional AWD

Brakes: Four-wheel discs

Fuel Economy (L/100km): 11.9L city, 8.0L highway

Mercury End Game

We here in Canada have not seen a new Mercury sold here in three years. The brand itself packed up and left us back in 1999, leaving only a few models to be sold at Ford dealerships. However, down in Dearborn, parent company Ford have extinguished the long flickering flame that is Mercury for good. It comes as no surprise that Ford chose to end the 70-year old company, as Mercury was only a shell of its former self.

In a day in age when corporate profits are king, Mercury was one of several victims of modern cost cutting tactics – badge engineering. This is the laziest of cost-saving tactics used to build a larger range of vehicles. The act of taking a cheaply built car, adding nice headlights, grille, and a bit of fake brushed aluminum trim, then charging a premium for it, has been Mercury's business model since 2002. Back then, the little FWD Cougar was the only model unique to Mercury. Since that time, every Mercury has been a glitzed up Ford, with very little in the way of distinction. As of late, Ford have been upping their game, offering vehicles with trim levels on par with Mercury, for a more competitive price.

This was not what Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford, had in mind when he started Mercury back in 1939.

Back in the 30's, Edsel and the old man didn't see eye to eye on several aspects of the car building industry. Henry cared little about the aesthetics of his automobiles, only that they were built in great numbers. Edsel, however, saw the worth of a beautifully designed car, and developed a styling studio to create cars that were pleasing to the eye. In 1939, he founded the Mercury Division that would emphasize European design elements and luxury comforts.

The first car offered was the 8, a car that stood apart from its Ford brothers. With a 95 hp V-8 (10 hp more then the standard Ford V-8) and a sleek new look, Mercury sold nearly 66,000 units in that first year, selling for $916. After the war, the 8 returned with a fresh new look that distanced itself even further from the parent company. 1949 was a particularly good year as Mercury broke all-time sales records with the 8. It was also this year that a young Sam Barris built the first chopped and stretched lead sled. From this point on, the 49 Merc, as it was affectionately called, would go on to become one of the most popular vehicles for hot rodding.

But its was in 1945 that Edsel succumbed to cancer. Mercury's founder was no longer at the helm, and the company’s direction started to stray. It wasn't long before badge engineering found its way to Mercury. The M-100 was a pickup truck produced just for the Canadian market, which started production in 1946. Like Mercury's of today, the M-100 was little more than an F-100, identical in every way except for the use of a Mercury-specific grille, trim and nameplates.

However, there were many great cars that came from the brand in the years to come, even if they all suffered from an identity crisis. The Comet started it's life as a compact in 1960, turning into a mid-size sedan in the early 70's before going back to a compact when the car was discontinued in 1977. Likewise the Cougar had a similar misdirection, as it started it's life as a plush pony car in 1967, based on the Mustang, then later became a large tourer in 74 based on the Ford Elite and Torino. In 1980, the Cougar became much more sedated, in the body of the Ford Zephyr before taking on it's popular form of the 1983 Thunderbird. Then in 2000, Mercury saw the Cougar as a sports compact, where it was the last of the Mercury branded cars to have it's own platform, and finally it's own identity, if somewhat misinterpreted along the way.

The first generation Capri, a European Ford Capri built in Germany, would become the second highest sold import in North America, bested only by the Beetle. It's European design made the little sports coupe stand out from the domestic crowd during its reign from 1970 to 1977. However, in '79, the Capri also fell to badge engineering, as it used a thinly disguised Ford Mustang platform until it was finally killed off in 1986.

The Marauder nameplate began to surface in Mercury vehicles in 1963, being V-8 powered, fastback versions of the Monterey, Montclair and Park Lanes. The Marauder name would come back in '69, as it's own designated model, a large cruiser that was the epitome of that age. The base Marauder had a 390 cu-in engine, while the Marauder X-100 normally came with a larger 360 hp 429 cu-in engine. Then in 2003, the Marauder surfaced once again, providing power hungry enthusiasts with a mean example of the Grand Marquis. With a 4.6L 302 hp V8 making use of several parts from the Mach 1 Mustang. It also made use of several Police Interceptor parts, in particular the 3.55 limited slip rear end.

The last twelve months have been particularly hard on the American automakers, with four different brands getting the axe. And while the execution of Mercury was a foregone conclusion, it is a brand that will leave us with a several endurable models that will hold a special place in automotive history.

Review: Ford Fusion Hybrid

While last year seemed to be the year of big horsepower, 2009 is turning out to be the year of efficiency. Last year saw the C63 AMG, the BMW M3, the Lexus IS-F, and Dodges return muscle car, the Challenger SRT/8 all jump onto the scene. All packing big power pumping V8’s that suck fuel with little regard for the record high prices that flashed across the station pumps when we frequented last summer. It’s now 2009 and the automotive marketing machine has reefed up on the hand brake and all of a sudden we are rapidly traveling in a new direction. New on the scene this year is the Honda Insight, Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, as well as diesels for the 335 and X5 models over at BMW. Toyota will also soon be introducing a new Prius and as well as a new Lexus hybrid. The theme this year is definitely the efficient use of fuels. And now Ford has introduced the all-new Fusion hybrid to the eco family.

 

Now to be perfectly honest, I’ve never really been a lover of the new Ford look, however over the last little while, they have really put an effort on organizing a brand design that is distinctive to the blue oval, all starting with the original Fusion. And while the big bling chrome gates mounted to Ford grilles still raise one of my eyebrows, I must admit I’ve really fallen for the Fusions new look. And it wasn’t something I needed to get used too, I liked it right off the bat, from the first photographic glimpse.

 

The unknown was the interior design, another Ford trait I don’t always agree with. Long and behold, as soon as my but sank into the black leather seats, I was sold yet again. The entire interior has a great modern design; that like the exterior, exudes some European influences. But the piece de resistance has to be the gauge cluster. While many concept cars use interactive computer graphics in the design of their gauges, they never make it to production, usually due to cost. Well Ford made it work, as the hybrids fully interactive and entertaining gauge system entices the driver to drive as efficiently as possible, while the read-outs shine back in the best resolution graphics I’ve ever seen in an automobile.

 

Like the Insight Mr. Frechette was talking about earlier, the Fusion try’s to make driving sensibly, fun. One such function built into the gauge cluster is the overall efficiency rating. The cleaner one drives the Fusion, the more leaves appear on a growing vine next to the fuel level. Drive efficiently, and you are rewarded with up to 23 leaves on the dash-based foliage. Drive poorly, and the leaves begin to disappear. Although, if you are a technically driven person, the gauge can be changed to a traditional bar graph with exact numbers. But what fun is a bar graph?

 

During the press launch in Quebec City, we were sent out in the hybrid versions on a challenge. To follow a determined route, and get the best possible fuel economy we could. The route wound us through the narrow, steep and stop sign riddled streets of Quebec’s old city, and other than a about 15km on the free flowing highways, the 48 km route was mostly urban. Now I love a good challenge, but after all the honking, slow driving and fuel saving tactics, I was about ready to shoot myself in the face. However, the 5.6L/100 km rating we received literally had me astonished, let alone the 4.5L rating one of my colleges received, to win the competition.

Tech wise, besides the ultra cool gauge display, the Fusion comes equipped with side and rear sensing radar to detect obstacles in the vehicles blind spots. Unlike the mirror mounted sensors used by Volvo and Mazda, the Fusion’s radar is hidden behind the rear fenders, thus not giving the phantom signals you get with the other two units when driving in rain or snow.

 

So how is it to drive? Common feeling today is that hybrids just aren’t any fun to drive, and lets face it, there is a reason why. They’re single minded purpose to just offering the best possible fuel efficiency leaves the power and handling of the vehicle much to be desired, even with a fun game to make it less painful. Well the Fusion seems to be breaking those stereotypes, with a combined 191 hp the Fusion gets up a going respectably. The damping in the car is also impressive as it handles like mid-sized sedan should. The hybrid version of the Fusion is 124 kg heavier then the regular 2.5L SE, but unlike smaller hybrids that feel like light cars carrying an overweight elephant in the back, the Fusion is naturally a heavier car so the extra weight and unbalance goes unnoticed.

 

What really sets the Fusion apart is the operation of the electric assist. Tucked into the transaxle is a 106 hp electric unit that is linked to both the eCVT transmission and Atkinson Cycle 2.5L 4-cylinder. The computer that runs the whole deal, will shut the engine down at stops, and will allow the driver to drive within the electric threshold all the way to 75 km/h, with help from the dash display. This allows the driver to make the most of the electric drive train, using as little fuel as possible. It really is a great system, and coupled to an impressive car, the new Fusion should help keep Ford ahead of its rivals.

 

 

Specs:

MSRP: $27,270

Price as tested: $30,235

Layout: Front engine – Front wheel drive

Engine: 2.5L Atkinson cycle with electric Hybrid assist

Transmission: Electronically controlled CVT

HP: 191 combined

Torque: 136

Brakes: Regenerative braking plus four-wheel disc

Curb Weight: 1,687 kg

Towing Capacity: NA

0-100 km/h: 8.7 sec

Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 4.6/5.4L/100km