Ford News: Rumorpile: Ford Plans to End Fusion Production in North America

[William Maley]

A new report from Automotive News says that Ford is planning to end North American production of the Fusion sedan at the end of this decade. According to sources, the automaker has begun to notify suppliers that it will not produce the next-generation Fusion at their Hermosillo, Mexico plant. Suppliers have also been told that Ford will stop producing the Mondeo (Fusion in other markets) at their Valencia, Spain plant.

This is further complicated by a report from Reuters saying the company is consolidating production to a plant in China. Ford has since denied this report.

“We have no plans to export the next-generation Fusion/Mondeo from China to North America and Europe. Fusion/Mondeo are an important part of the Ford car lineup. We will have more information to share about the next Fusion/Mondeo at a later date,” the company said in a statement.

A spokesman declined to comment when asked if Ford would stop selling Fusion in the U.S., replace it with another vehicle, or build it elsewhere.

Previously, Ford executives have said that the shift from cars to crossovers/SUVs will be permanent. Back in October, the company announced that it would be cutting back on the number of car nameplate it offers, but wouldn't go into details. Ford has already ended production of the C-Max Energi and plans on ending the C-Max Hybrid sometime next year. The Fiesta and Taurus are reportedly on the chopping block as well.

What does the future hold for the Fusion? At the moment, it is tough to say.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Reuters

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