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When the 2017 Ford Fusion Sport goes on sale, Ford wants to make certain that everyone knows it will arrive with more torque than a BMW, Maserati or even a 911.
Externally the Fusion, or Mondeo as it's known in many other parts of the world, cuts as fine an aesthetic figure as any premium sedan or hatchback on the road, be it Italian, German, Japanese or British.
Likewise with every generation of the model, the internal toys and creature comforts have vastly improved. However, Ford believes that the car can now match or better Mercedes, BMW and Audi under the hood too. The Fusion Sport will come as standard with a 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6 EcoBoost engine and with four-wheel drive.
The engine offers a total output of 325hp and 380 lb-ft of torque (515Nm) and that means it has more torque -- i.e., the force needed to pull away and accelerate -- than a BMW 535i, Audi A6 3.0TFSI, a 2016 Mercedes E-Class E400 and even a Porsche 911 Carrera S, which offers 500Nm (368lb-ft).
"Since the newest-generation Fusion launched in 2012, midsize car buyers have been asking for a performance version," said Wade Jackson, Ford Fusion marketing manager. He also claims that this demand for a sportier Fusion is not confined to the Ford faithful. "Owners of other midsize sedans, along with our own dealers, ask repeatedly," he said.
If these figures are taken in complete isolation, then the Ford really will appeal to those looking for something that can get away quickly from standstill and that can also find that little extra something for safe and swift overtaking at highway speed. Or as Jackson calls it: "The bang for the buck."
However, those genuinely keen drivers looking for something that offers a blend of excitement and practicality also know that torque is just one factor alongside power-to-weight ratio, suspension set up, engine position and weight distribution. A Porsche generates 500Nm of torque, but it also has 420hp and weighs 200kg less than a Fusion, hence a 4.3 second 0-100km/h time and 191mph (308km/h) top speed.
Nevertheless, Ford's award-winning EcoBoost technology is what's powering the Ford GT supercar. Then there's the price. For $33,475, in terms of torque, it's in a class of its own.
