Do you believe in miracles? Mere weeks after news the 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid beat the rest of the hybrid competition comes word the four-banger-equipped 2010 Ford Fusion (with an auto tranny, no less!) has slayed the fuel economy samurai champions of the Far East, the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord with fuel economy numbers of 34 MPG highway and 23 MPG city.

That means Ford now holds claim on the best fuel economy numbers for both the mid-size sedan and hybrid mid-size sedan segment. We wonder if Pelosi plans on calling Alan Mulally personally to apologize for the brow-beating. Full release below:

FORD FUSION TOPS TOYOTA CAMRY, HONDA ACCORD AGAIN WITH BEST-IN-CLASS 34 MPG 4-CYLINDER MODEL

* The Ford Fusion is now America’s most fuel efficient mid-size sedan for both hybrid and conventional gasoline models

* The four-cylinder Ford Fusion S is now certified at 34 mpg highway and 23 mpg in the city, topping the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord

* This entry-level 2010 Ford Fusion S is powered by a new 2.5-liter Duratec mated to a fuel-efficient six-speed automatic transmission

* The Fusion I-4 joins the all-new Ford Fusion Hybrid, already at the top of the mpg tables

DETROIT, Jan. 9, 2009 – The Ford Fusion is now America’s most fuel efficient mid-size sedan for both hybrid and conventional gasoline models.

Ford announced today that new four-cylinder Ford Fusion S has been certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at 34 mpg on the highway and 23 mpg in the city – beating both the gasoline-powered Camry and Honda Accord models. The news follows certification of the Ford Fusion Hybrid at 41 mpg rating in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, topping the Toyota Camry hybrid by 8 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway.

“Take your pick: Whether you want a gas-powered or hybrid mid-sized sedan, the new Fusion offers the best fuel economy in America,” said Barb Samardzich, Ford’s vice president of Powertrain Engineering. “We promised to offer best-in-class or among the very best fuel economy with every new vehicle we introduce, and we are making good on that pledge with hybrids, new high-tech gasoline engines, new six-speed transmissions and other fuel efficient technologies.”

The 2010 Ford Fusion fuel economy certification was conducted at Ford’s testing laboratories in Allen Park, Mich. The Ford Fusion S and the base-level Mercury Milan, both powered by a new 2.5-liter Duratec 4-cylinder engine mated to a fuel efficient six-speed automatic transmission, will carry an EPA label of 34 mpg for highway driving and 23 mpg in the city when they go on sale this spring.

The latest news on Fusion joins other Ford fuel economy leaders, including:

* The Ford Focus with 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and manual transmission delivers 35 mpg on the highway, 5 mpg better than the Toyota Corolla’s 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine and 2 mpg better than the Honda Fit’s 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, both also with manual transmissions.
* The all-new 2009 Ford F-150 – which just recently was named Motor Trend magazine’s Truck of the Year – achieves 3 mpg more than the Toyota Tundra pickup on the highway and 1 mpg better in the city with its 4.6-liter V-8 engine, compared to Toyota’s 4.7-liter V-8. The F-150’s larger 5.4-liter V-8 achieves 2 mpg better on the highway than the Tundra’s larger engine.
* The 2009 Ford Escape with new 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine achieves 28 mpg on the highway, the same as Toyota’s RAV4 and 1 mpg better than the Honda CR-V, both with 4-cylinder engines, too.
* The Ford Expedition achieves 20 mpg on the highway, beating Toyota Sequoia’s 4.7-liter V-8 engine by 3 mpg and its 5.7-liter V-8 by 1 mpg.

“We’ve done it in the heart of the truck segment with the new 2010 Ford F-150, and now we’ve done it in the heart of the car segment with Fusion,” Samardzich said. “We understand how important fuel economy is to customers, and Ford is committed to delivering leadership. The great news is that our significant investment in fuel efficiency leadership is going to continue to pay off with every new vehicle launch.”

Fuel Economy Leadership Priced Right

Ford has announced pricing for the new 2010 Fusion. The fuel-economy leading Fusion S with the six-speed automatic transmission features a base price of $20,870, plus destination and delivery charges.

Fusion also offers more engine choice than Camry and Accord, with two V-6 engine options – the 240-horsepower 3.0-liter flex-fuel V-6 and the 263-horsepower 3.5-liter Duratec V-6 engine. The 3.0-liter V-6 models start at $23,760.

The base price of the all-new Ford Fusion Hybrid is $27,270.

The new Fusion builds on the strong quality reputation of the current model, which has gained important third-party accolades, and will offer class-exclusive features, including Ford SYNC®, SIRIUS TravelLink™, BLIS™ (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross Traffic Alert and Sony®-branded audio.

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Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 224,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.

Full Disclosure: Ford wanted me to drive the new Ford Fusion so badly they flew me out and put me up in a nice hotel to make sure I wrote about it. Also, they fed me candy. Sweet, sweet candy.

Like the 2010 Ford Mustang, this new Fusion isn’t an all-new model, but rather a comprehensive update of the old one. Retaining the same basic platform, nearly every mechanical component has been upgraded to function better. The new Fusion is a much quieter, more luxurious place to spend time; it’s more involving to drive; it rides more smoothly; it’s faster and it’s more economical. They’ve even done a good job giving the outside enough curb appeal to set it apart from its main rivals: the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.

It’s those two models, particularly the Camry, which are the benchmarks for the mid-size sedan segment; the most popular and the most boring segment in the country. Compared trim level to trim level, engine to engine to those two vehicles the Fusion is faster, more economical, nicer inside and, dare we say, not all that boring. That’s because it drives better than its rivals.

That’s not to say that the Fusion is a sports car. For some bizarre reason Ford insisted that we drive slushbox-equipped, four-cylinder Fusions around an autocross course. Even with the traction control off, the vehicle resisted any attempts to push its performance envelope, literally putting the brakes on things the second it transitioned into inevitable understeer. More frustrating was the gearbox, which spent the majority of the time hunting for gears than it did providing acceleration. The same was true of the 3.5-liter V6-equipped whiz-bang Fusion Sport.

In fact, the only thing more boring than driving the Fusion around the course was driving the Camry. We really fail to see what appeal the Camry holds to anyone, but it’s particularly bad at being driven quickly. In fact, it’s hard to believe that a vehicle that drives so poorly manages to find favor with anyone, let alone its millions of loyal buyers.

Also like the Mustang, the Fusion proves to be all about spec. But in this case it’s not about the stuff you add, but the stuff you leave off. The best Fusion is also the cheapest one. At $19,270, the basic, manual transmission 2.5-liter four-cylinder is the clear leader in terms of driving enjoyment. Not only is it the only model available with the manual transmission (a 6-speed), but it’s noticeably lighter on its feet than the faster V6-equipped versions, delivering more involvement and better steering.

Despite having a much slower 0-to-60 time (9.5 seconds vs. 7.9 for the 3.0-liter and 7.0 for the 3.5), the manual tranny 4-cylinder is more responsive, more rewarding and just plain more fun to drive fast. And you can drive the Fusion fast.

While it is no good on the autocross course, the Fusion is good on the road. Higher speed corners remove its tendency to throw on the stability control at the faintest sign of slip, while the manual transmission allows you to pick the gears yourself instead of relying on a semi-retarded computer to attempt to do so for you.

Through the canyons north of Los Angeles the four-cylinder Fusion proved to be a willing companion to some serious law breaking. It steers quickly, holds its line and isn’t at all reluctant to rotate the rear with a bit of braking or lift-off should that line need to tighten. While the 175 HP engine’s a bit gutless, we like the challenge of passing other auto hacks in supposedly faster models using every last one of the available revs.

All this from a car that competes in the most mundane of segments. The Fusion’s not likely to be the most economical, most luxurious or most fun car you’ll ever drive, but it is likely to satisfy most of those requirements more of the time than any other mid-size sedan on sale in America has before it. It’s product like this that’s going to give the American car industry a future. No matter how much we wish this segment of America's car "needs" would just disappear.

Full Disclosure: Ford wanted me to drive the new Ford Fusion Hybrid so badly they flew me out and put me up in a nice hotel to make sure I wrote about it. Also, they fed me faux French cuisine. Bad faux French cuisine.

Please don’t take that as a challenge. To achieve that figure, I had to drive dangerously, illegally and boringly. Basically, I went really slow. Really slow. But that’s not to say that the Fusion Hybrid isn’t an economical, fun, high-quality vehicle that’s possibly the best application of a Hybrid powertrain yet.

It’s time to admit that I had a little help hypermiling the Fusion. No, not with any radical aerodynamic aides or drafting assistance vehicles; the help came from the vehicle itself or, more specifically, its SmartGauge with Ecoguide instrument panel.

With this system Ford is acknowledging that the weakest link in fuel economy isn’t something in the vehicle itself, it’s the driver. The SmartGauge with EcoGuide system provides drivers with the information they need, and the encouragement, to drive in a fuel-efficient manner.

The system uses two high-resolution, full-color LCD screens on either side of the analog speedometer that can operate in four modes: Inform, Enlighten, Engage, Empower. Aside from the clear indication that Ford uses really cheesy marketing talk, those four settings progress from basic information to overwhelming but incredibly informative. It’s the Empower mode that helped me set that mileage record.

The Fusion’s hybrid system can operate in full electric mode at up to 47 MPH, but it’s not like you can just plant your foot and drive around in full electric mode as long as you don’t exceed that speed. There’s a complicated relationship between acceleration, load, battery charge level and external conditions that determines when EV mode can be employed. Also, to really take advantage of electric operation, you need to have at least 1/2 battery charge. The SmartGauge with EcoGuide (I’m getting really tired of writing that) simplifies all that for you with an easy sliding display that shows the range of throttle opening that can be used within EV mode, and helps you recharge the battery through regenerative braking. You’ll need to do both to achieve really good mileage figures.

I know that all sounds overwhelming and, at first, that’s exactly how the system feels. But, spend a few minutes paying attention to it and you’ll rapidly be able to understand how to use the information to your advantage. Check out Ford’s demo video. The only problem is that paying the system the kind of attention necessary to minimize fuel use is massively distracting. Not only did I drive around LA at far below the speed limit, but I spent most of the time staring at the instruments in a desperate attempt to both maximize EV usage and regenerative braking. Over time, the system should help drivers learn more fuel-efficient behavior, requiring them to focus less on the instruments as their skill increases.

Encouragement is provided by animated leaves on the right hand side. Again, pretty cheesy, but the excellent graphics make up for it. Depending on your driving habits over a period of time, those leaves either grow in number or whither and die. You wouldn’t want to kill a harmless plant would you? Of course, all this can be switched off if you’re an oil baron from Texas.

Ford looks at the Camry Hybrid as its main competition. Aside from easily besting that vehicle’s fuel economy, the Fusion also comprehensively outdrives the Camry; providing a level of steering feel, control responsiveness and overall ability that’s far greater than that of its Japanese competition. It’s even fun to drive. Really, a hybrid is fun to drive. The suspension provides controlled damping that leads to both good ride and cornering, while there’s plenty of poke available from the 35 HP, 166 Lb-Ft electric motor combined with the 156 HP, 136 Lb-Ft 2.5-liter gasoline engine.

The Fusion is nicer inside too. While still not up to European levels of design, the Fusion cabin doesn’t revolt in the same way that the Camry does. SYNC is standard as are all other Fusion SEL options. The cabin is roomy, allowing plenty of space for five human beings.

The price? Well, the Fusion Hybrid's $27,270, $3,295 more than a comparable Fusion SEL.

It’s all these factors together that make the Fusion Hybrid a solid choice in this sector. It asks you to make no sacrifices in the pursuit of excellent fuel economy, while providing you with the tools to both maximize your own efficiency and enjoy driving.

2010 FORD FUSION PACKS A FUEL-EFFICIENT PUNCH WITH NEW GAS ENGINE, SIX-SPEED TRANSMISSION LINEUP

DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 29, 2008 – A choice lineup of gas-powered engines will deliver even more horsepower and better fuel economy in the 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan mid-size sedans, which already stand out for their strong reliability and driving dynamics.

For 2009, the 2010 model year Fusion and Milan will offer Ford’s all-new Duratec 2.5-liter I-4, producing 175 horsepower; an enhanced 3.0-liter V-6 with 19 more horsepower than its predecessor; and a 3.5-liter V-6 that pumps out 263 horsepower on the Fusion Sport model.

Fusion models equipped with the 2.5-liter I-4 engine are expected to deliver at least 3 mpg better on the highway than the Honda Accord and 2 mpg better than the Toyota Camry.

All are paired with six-speed transmissions for up to a 10 percent fuel economy improvement and a host of other industry-first technologies aimed at improving performance while gaining fuel economy.

“Customers want it all – exhilarating performance, continuing fuel economy improvements and low emissions – all for a price that offers great value,” said Barb Samardzich, vice president, Powertrain Product Development. “Ford intends to deliver on every expectation as we migrate advanced technologies from shelf to showroom.”

Recent internal research shows that fuel economy continues to top customers’ purchase-consideration lists, with 38 percent of new-vehicle intenders citing that they would be willing to sacrifice performance for better fuel economy.

Ford’s powertrain strategy is built on a no-compromise proposition, using affordable engine, transmission and vehicle system technologies in large volumes so millions of customers can enjoy the best of both worlds – class-leading fuel economy and high-quality driving performance.

The all-new 2010 Fusion and Milan are the latest vehicles in the Ford lineup to benefit from the company’s push to improve the commonality of its powertrain products globally. Ford’s strategy is to create a smaller number of flexible engine and transmission architectures, resulting in more consistent quality for customers and manufacturing cost efficiencies for the company.

Ford already has invested millions of dollars to develop advanced powertrain technologies and convert engine plants to flexibly produce high-technology smaller-displacement engines. These investments are helping Ford make good on commitments to upgrade or replace nearly all of its North American engines by the end of 2010; power one of every five products in North America with its fuel-conscious-yet-great-performing 3.5-liter V-6; and offer fuel-efficient six-speed transmissions on 98 percent of its North American lineup by the end of 2012.

An array of 2009 products already is the best or among the best for fuel economy in their respective segments, including the Ford Flex (best highway at 24 mpg), the Ford Focus (unsurpassed for best highway at 35 mpg) and the Ford Escape (best-in-class for the small SUV segment with 28 highway/20 city mpg).

The 2010 Fusion and Milan are expected to deliver similar fuel economy achievements in the mid-size car segment, helping build upon a stellar quality reputation that includes Best Buy recommendations from several top consumer publications.

The 2.5-liter I-4

First launched on the fuel-economy segment leader 2009 Ford Escape, Ford’s all-new Duratec 2.5-liter I-4 gives the 2010 Fusion 175 horsepower and 172 lb.-ft. of torque, 14 more horsepower and 16 more lb.-ft. of torque than the preceding year’s 2.3-liter engine.

The 2.5-liter uses intake variable cam timing (iVCT) technology to optimize valve timing, creating a broad torque curve that helps deliver increased power along with improved efficiency.

The powertrain also incorporates electronic throttle control (ETC), dual-mode crankshaft damping, new intake and exhaust manifolds, and a new underbody-only catalyst, which refine performance and contribute to greater fuel efficiency.

The 3.0-liter V-6

The improved 3.0-liter V-6 available on the 2010 Fusion delivers 19 more horsepower and 23 more lb.-ft. of torque for a total of 240 horsepower and 228 lb.-ft. of torque.

The 3.0-liter features a new air induction system and ETC as well as an industry-first Cam Torque Actuated (CTA) iVCT technology that uses available camshaft torsional energy rather than pressurized oil to phase the camshafts. This allows for a smaller displacement oil pump versus traditional hydraulic VCT systems for improved fuel economy.

“With this technology, we are taking energy that is in your engine today – energy that was previously wasted – and using it to make an engine more efficient,” said Steve Wilkie, supervisor of Cam Drive/VCT Design. “The cam torque actuated technology is a significant player in the 3.0-liter’s ability to provide customers fuel economy and performance.”

This innovative method uses torsional energy to move the camshafts similar to the way a hydraulic ratchet works. The system takes oil from one side of the phaser and channels it to the other side, rather than draining one side and filling the other as with a traditional hydraulic system. This allows the CTA system to work more efficiently at all engine speeds and it requires a smaller oil pump, which equates to lower parasitic energy loss.

CTA reduces oil pump flow requirements by approximately 25 percent, producing a fuel economy benefit up to 0.4 percent. In addition, the CTA-based system responds more quickly than a traditional hydraulic oil actuated VCT system, improving tip-in performance feel and contributing to horsepower gains.

The 3.0-liter is also flex-fuel capable and can run on E85, helping Ford deliver on a pledge made to double annual production of vehicles capable of running on renewable fuels by 2010.

The 3.5-liter V-6

The award-winning Duratec 3.5-liter V-6 joins the Fusion lineup for 2010, powering the Sport model with a beefy 263 horsepower and 249 lb.-ft. of torque.

The 3.5-liter uses a compact, lightweight dual-overhead cam valvetrain for peak power and smooth operation at high RPMs. This engine also incorporates intake variable cam timing to optimize valve timing for a smooth idle and an impressive broad torque curve with good power. A high 10.3:1 compression ratio and aluminum cylinder heads designed for high airflow and optimized combustion help complete the package, supporting the engine’s ability to deliver great performance and fuel economy, along with low emissions.

The Six-Speed Trans

The new pairing of Fusion’s engines with the 6F35-Mid automatic transmission further drives the mid-size sedan’s competitive advantage, especially when compared to the outgoing five-speed gearbox that was offered with Fusion’s I-4 models. A five-speed is still the gearbox-of-choice for the 2.0-liter varieties offered on segment contenders Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.

When the six-speed is paired with the 2.5-liter engine, for example, the Fusion powerpack delivers a 10 percent improvement in fuel efficiency along with increased power. The 3.0-liter configurations gain a 4- to 6-percent efficiency.

The Ford transmission team made several specific modifications to the 6F35-Mid to optimize its performance for Fusion, including using unique final drive ratios for the 2.5-liter and 3.0-liter, developing an improved converter lock-up for lower operating temperatures and efficiency, recalibrating the converter clutch to accommodate a fuel-saving aggressive deceleration fuel shut-off system as well as other tweaks to diminish parasitic losses.

A SelectShift function on the 3.0-liter applications was also added to give customers the option of a fun-to-shift manual experience.

Other Fuel Savers

The Fusion gas powerpacks incorporate other advanced fuel-saving and performance technologies, including:

* Electric Power Steering (EPS). The 2010 Fusion has a rack- or belt-driven EPS system. Available on the 2.5-liter and 3.0-liter engines, energy consumption of an EPS system is typically less than 7 percent of a conventional hydraulic rack and pinion power steering system, contributing to less fuel consumption. Ford has committed to fit up to 90 percent of its Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products with EPS by 2012 and first introduced a column-based EPS system on the 2008 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner.
* Adaptive Spark Ignition. Included on the V-6 configurations, this system can sense what type of fuel is being injected into the motor and communicates the information to the powertrain control module (PCM), which adjusts the spark accordingly. The ignition system features two knock sensors rather than one to further improve performance. These two sensors detect the presence of uncontrolled burning in the chambers more accurately, so the control module can retard engine timing as needed to eliminate the potential for engine knock and pinging.
* Aggressive Deceleration Fuel Shut-off. The 3.0-liter V-6 also regulates its gas consumption by using aggressive deceleration fuel shut-off for an efficiency improvement of approximately 1 percent. When the driver releases the accelerator pedal to slow down, the system temporarily turns off the fuel. The flow of fuel seamlessly resumes when the vehicle reaches a low speed or when the driver accelerates again. The system uses the transmission to keep the engine running at a low, more efficient operating point whenever possible. This system will be added to the 2.5-liter lineup later in the 2010 model year.

Ford's new Fusion has dropped a bit more of its frontal camouflage, giving us our best look yet at its new grille and front bumper design. While prior Fusion prototypes were fully covered by tape graphics, this latest Fusion was caught with its front air-intakes completely uncovered. Seeing the definitive character traits of the new Fusion's face with such clarity gives us an even better feel for Ford's thoughtful redesign, and the nice update over the current model.

The prototype's tail-lights were still well covered, but we managed an ultra-close-up shot that allowed us to cut through the camouflage a bit better. Ford has employed a clever photo-image screen covering that looks fairly realistic from a distance, distracting the eye from the true lines and tail-light shape. Our detailed tail-light shot reveals much of the rear lamp's shape, reverse light placement, the new honeycomb detail to the lighting surface. Although the camouflage still leaves some mysteries to be solved, the overall tail-light design looks simpler than the tail-lights on today's Fusion.