The big dogs were out in abundance during the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, but it was the completely redesigned Ford Fusion that AutoWeek named “Best in Show.”
“It’s very rare for a midsize sedan to win Best in Show,” said Autoweek editor Wes Raynal. “I think it’s the first of a lot of awards the Fusion is going to win this year.”
In fact, helping fulfill Raynal’s prophecy, the Fusion also received the much-coveted EyesOn Design recognition from the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology during the show—no mean feat considering its fellow finalists for the honor included the all-new Cadillac ATS and BMW 3 Series.
And while the Fusion no doubt elevates the bar for midsize design, with a sleek and flowing style that is at home on the show floor as it will be at dealer showrooms, it’s packed with high-tech substance, too. EcoBoost, hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains all will be available—and all target best-in-class fuel efficiency—while the Fusion also will offer a suite of “must have” Ford technologies, including:
- A class-exclusive, multi-mode Lane-Keeping System that can help warn tired drivers if they’re drifting out of their proper lanes.
- Adaptive cruise control with collision warning, which is capable of detecting slower traffic in front of the
- Fusion and automatically adjusting the Fusion’s cruise control, as well as providing brake support if a potential frontal crash scenario is detected.
- Active park assist, to automatically steer the Fusion into parallel parking spaces.
- The automaker’s Blind Spot Information System with cross-traffic alert, developed to warn drivers of traffic in the car’s blind spot or when backing out of a parking spot.
With all this an more, it’s no wonder J Mays, Ford’s chief creative officer, boasted that: “I’ve been with the company for 13 years and I can truly say this is the best car ever to come out of the design and engineering center in Dearborn. We are delighted for the entire global design team, because this really was a global effort.”
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