Who is FunkMaster Flex and why the heck does he like the 2006 Ford Fusion family sedan?
Well, apparently he is some sort of big time disc jockey in New York, a hip hop guru for those who iPod Fergie and the Black Eyed Peas. The Ford people made a deal with him to customize the Fusion -- to make a Flex Fusion that was shown recently at the Specialty Equipment Marketing Association convention in Las Vegas. Apparently, the Funkster is part of many "innovative plans to make Fusion relevant to the African-American consumer," a Ford news release says.
Oh, please. Just give us the car. And it's a good one, too. Ford doesn't need to prop it up with these sorts of silly promotions, trying somehow to convince the world that this ultra, ultra conservative auto maker is cool, thus by extension so is the Fusion.
Look, the Fusion has the makings of a hit, despite the odd, jumbo-sized Ford blue oval badges on the grille and trunk. We can't vouch for long-term reliability and resale values in the real world. Not yet. The car only went into production at Ford's Hermosillo, Mexico, plant in August.
But we can report that it scored a four-start rating in U.S. government frontal crash tests, with five being the best score possible. So the usual belts and air bags do their work just fine. If you want more, side-impact bags and head-curtain air bags are available for $795. Antilock brakes are standard even on the least expensive models.
We can also tell you that October Fusion sales were strong.
"Our dealership is inviting the public to evaluate the Ford Fusion against the competition in head-to-head test drives," said Allan Pearson of Discovery Ford in Burlington, Ont. "Early consumer reaction to the Fusion has been incredible."
Okay, okay. Pearson does sell Fords, so he might just be a teensy, weensy bit biased. Yet, Canadian and U.S. Fusion sales in October topped 4,200, which was 35 per cent more than Ford expected.
"The Fusion is going to be the 300C for Ford," Art Spinella, president of CNW Marketing Research in Bandon, Ore., predicted in an interview with the Detroit Free Press. He was referring to the hit that Chrysler had with its full-size sedan last year. "This was essential for them to do this."
According to the Power Information Network, a division of J.D. Power and Associates, the '06 Fusion is on dealer showroom floors for an average of 11 days before being sold. That puts it in Toyota Camry quick-sales territory. And PIN figures show the average Fusion buyer is about 46, versus 51 for leading midsize rivals, such as the Camry and Honda Accord.
All good news for Ford. Now, as Spinella noted, Ford just needs to "hope they don't have a recall."
So far so good.
In the meantime, forget all about the Ford Taurus, which in its last days became the quintessential rental fleet car. The Fusion is nothing like it at all.
Take the steering. If your only recent experience with a Ford sedan is the Taurus, you will be positively shocked by the Fusion's firm, tight, responsive steering. Where Taurus steering was overboosted and vague, the Fusion is downright slick.
Same for the ride. The Fusion doesn't waft along like a parade float. Not a bit. In fact compared with its major rivals, the Fusion feels almost stiff and that's a good thing. The brakes are snappy, the seats supportive, the cornering almost flat. There just isn't anything soft or sloppy about the Fusion's road manners.
