So, one of the perks of this whole motoring scribe malarkey is being whisked off for a fancy lunch at a wine estate, say, followed by a boozy dinner and some marketing chit-chat all in the name of a manufacturer launching a new vehicle.
Yesterday BizNews Motoring spent a day in the Cape near Wellington with Ford for the launch of what they consider to be a very important new car for the local market. It’s called the Ford Fusion and essentially it’s the latest generation Mondeo, but fortunately for Ford the name isn’t the only difference.
The Fusion is in fact the most technologically advanced Ford ever introduced in South Africa – and before anyone makes snide remarks, the Fusion really is exceptionally well appointed and leaks tech from every panel, be it convenience technologies such as syncing up with your phone and a new self-parking system, to safety technologies including collision prevention, blind spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control.
But enough of the geeky stuff; one can choose from three motors to pop under the bonnet; namely a 1.5 (132kW/240Nm) or 2.0 litre (177kW/340Nm) turbo charged petrol motor, or a 2.0 litre (132kW/400Nm) oil burner. They’re all great. Smooth, refined and seemingly economical – although the smaller petrol unit has a hint of lag about its power delivery. Changing gears is a 6 speed automatic with paddles for those who want to DIY.
Chassis and suspension is similarly impressive. The platform uses fancy materials to create a lighter, more rigid structure, while a new rear suspension setup helps create a more dynamic experience for the driver. Overall it’s nice to drive with a neutral sense of balance and decent grip at the front axle, helping to minimise understeer.
The suspension is well damped, making it comfortable over even the most uneven of road surfaces, but still able to stay reasonably flat through faster corners.
The Fusion really impressed over the short stint I had behind the wheel. I’d hesitate before saying it’s on par with the premium players (BMW, Merc and Audi); but there’s no doubt the Fusion is knocking on the door. And thanks to very competitive pricing a the array of standard kit, I can see this one stealing quite a few customers from German showrooms.
