Ford says that it is meeting a need for driver-assist technologies in the midsize sedan segment. The 2013 Ford Fusion will have many features standard or optional that are usually only available in the premium car range.
These include a blind spot information system, a backup camera, a lane-keeping aid, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, and rain-sensing windshield wipers. These features will be available in three of the five Fusion ranges - the Fusion SE, the Fusion Titanium, and the Fusion Hybrid.
Adaptive cruise control and MyFord Touch are standard in the Titanium; which is the top Fusion range with a price tag starting at $30,995, versus $21,700 for the basic model.
In introducing these features to the Fusion, Ford is responding to an online program put together by their marketing team. The program allowed over 155,000 potential shoppers were able to personalize and price their own 2013 Fusion. Nearly 25 percent chose Ford's Driver Assist package.
"Even if it was just out of curiosity, we were surprised to see how many in our survey built out a Fusion online with the Driver Assist package," Samantha Hoyt, marketing manager for the Ford Fusion, said in a statement. "Technology traditionally hasn't been a big driver for consideration with midsize intenders, but this could be changing as we increase the affordability of these features."
In order to get these features, Ford says, a customer would have to pay more than $140,000 for the BMW 760Li, or nearly $100,000 for the Mercedes-Benz S550 (and the Mercedes doesn't include active park assist). A Fusion SE with all of these features, meanwhile, can be had for $29,885.
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