Ford is adding serious EcoBoost® muscle to its Fusion sedan in an all-out assault on more expensive German sport sedans. Following on the success of Explorer Sport, which has seen one in five buyers come over from recent Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz experiences, Ford has its eyes not only on owners of V6-equipped Toyota Camrys and Honda Accords, but some other distinguished German models that command a five-figure premium over the 2017 Fusion Sport.
Peak torque of 380 lb.-ft. from a 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost® engine makes Fusion Sport stouter than established performance sedans like BMW 535i, Audi A6 3.0T and Mercedes-Benz E400.
Ford has reason to be confident with its newest sport-minded offering. While Explorer sales rose 24 percent from 2013 to 2015, Explorer Sport jumped 103 percent. Edge sales were close to flat over that same period – mostly due to model changeover – but Edge Sport jumped 62 percent.
For discerning sport sedan buyers seeking the ultimate in braking and handling performance, a summer-only tire package will be available as well.
The 2017 Ford Fusion Sport starts at a very un-German sports sedan price of $33,475, and that’s with all-wheel drive as a standard feature.
