FORD FAN SPOTLIGHT – You may have read East Coast car show reports on FordPerformance.com by fore enthusiast Rick Mitchell, who had turned his once daily driver 2011 Mustang V-6 into his show chariot. Turns out Rick wasn’t interested in driving his wife’s Brand-X import for basic transport and soon wished he hadn’t traded-in his 2017 Fusion SE when he bought his Mustang. So he did what many Ford fans do when they’ve had a great experience with a previous Ford – they buy another one. Except the Fusion has been out-of-market for the past five years, which meant that Rick would have to look for a nice previously owned Fusion to be reunited with his former favorite everyday car. We got a kick out of the story Rick sent us about his search for a very specific second-gen Fusion sedan, and how finding one now has him making it more show worthy – just like he did with his Mustang. It’s a Ford thing – which is why we’re featuring Rick and his recently purchased 2025 Fusion in this week’s Fan Spotlight:
“Three years ago, I bought a low-mileage 2017 Ford Fusion SE. I only owned it for eight months when I traded it in to buy my 2011 Mustang V-6, which was my daily driver before I turned it into my show car. I was now interested in buying another Fusion, and for many good reasons.
“Many Ford fans are familiar with the Fusion, a midsize 4-door sedan slotted between the compact Focus and the full-size Taurus. The Fusion replaced the Ford Contour and ran from 2006 to 2020 over two generations, available as either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive with various gasoline and hybrid engines. Assembled at Ford's Hermosillo plant in Sonora, Mexico, first-generation ran through 2012 and were based on the Ford CD3 platform, which was derivative of the Mazda G platform shared with the Mazda 6, Lincoln MKZ and Mercury Milan. The second-generation 2013-2020 Fusion used the slightly larger Ford CD4 platform, with strong sales requiring additional production capacity at Flat Rock, Michigan.
“The Fusion received a facelift for the 2017 models, which changed its front and rear styling and some of the interior, and again in 2019, but by 2018, Ford planned to discontinue the Fusion along with other sedans as Ford was shifting toward trucks, SUVs and the Mustang. As a result, 2020 was the final year for the Fusion in North America when production halted that July, ending all of Ford's 4-door cars in North America. Ford sold 3,185,690 Fusions in the United States between 2005 and 2021.
“Fusion was available in several models over the years, including S, SE, SEL, Titanium, Hybrid, Sport, Platinum and Energi, and offered six different engines -- two were Duratec I-4 gasoline engines, and the others were EcoBoost I-4 or V-6 turbo motors. I wanted to find another Fusion with a Duratec 2.5-liter (152cid) I-4, which made 175 horsepower at 6,000 RPM, with 175 pounds-feet of torque coupled to its 6F 6-speed automatic transmission. Having owned a '17 Fusion before, I was sold on the durability of the 2.5L with its 21/32/25 mileage range.
“I began my nationwide search for a 2013-17 2.5L Fusion, hoping for one with less than 50,000 miles in some color other than red, white or black. I preferred one-owner cars with low mileage and minimal nicks and dings, but they’re hard to find. I eventually located a Deep Impact Blue '15 Fusion SE with 42K in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It had all of the features that I liked, plus fog lights and a rear spoiler. This Fusion was shipped to Maryland, my home state, on November 4 and had arrived on the 13th. On November 15, the dealer advised that the Fusion had passed its state inspection, but that its Oklahoma title had not arrived. On the next day, I went to the dealer to see this Fusion and test drove it for over an hour.
“It handled quite well, but as the following week passed, the dealer still had not located the title. I finally received a text on December 10 that the blue '15 Fusion was ready! I set up a re-inspection and second test ride for the 13th. The dealer now had a duplicate title that the original owner signed, and two minor repairs were completed. I spent another hour looking over this blue '15 in great detail. I then took the car on a 33-mile test ride and listened carefully, and it was quiet. My search was finally over. I took delivery of the '15 Fusion on December 15, and a few days later took it to my mechanic for an oil change and review. He looked at everything and said that the car was a ‘keeper.’
“I was a now the proud owner of a 2015 Fusion assembled on August 21, 2014, in Hermosillo, Mexico. It’s Deep Impact Blue Metallic and has a Charcoal Black cloth interior with red stitching, and has the 2.5L iVCT I-4 inline four-cylinder and a 6-speed SelectShift automatic transmission. Options include Equipment Group 201A that added an appearance package, including 18" 5-spoke Premium Painted Aluminum sport wheels, a rear spoiler and fog lights.
“Over the next few weeks, I ordered touch-up paint and made other small cosmetic improvements, including adding a black pinstripe and a set of OEM black rubber mats that said FUSION along the side. I wanted to add more chrome trim, and so I ordered two sets OEM Fusion badges (The more deluxe Fusions have 'FUSION' on their lower front doors that looks good.) I also added aftermarket chromed 2.5L emblems to my hood and trunk plus located different chrome trim online for my fog lights, front grille, taillights and trunk deck and added that, too.
“I have found my Fusion to be smooth handling and a joy to drive. It is quiet, and the power is more than adequate. It also has many features that I prefer. This '15 has a pistol-grip automatic shifter that to me is much nicer than the rotary shifter dial that my prior '17 Fusion had. There is no touch screen for some controls in the center stack on my '15, but rather real knobs and buttons. Call me outdated, but I like this better! My '15 also has a backup camera, and there is a CD player that many newer cars have left off. All of this seems well thought out. I also activated Sirius XM, a great addition for long trips.
“Overall, I can see where my 2015 Fusion may have the potential to attend a few car shows, and the external changes were made with that in mind. If an event came where I may be hesitant to take my Mustang because of marginal weather, and if the Fusion fit into the classes, then rather than not go, taking the Fusion instead would be a good idea. When a show flyer says, "all makes, models and years," or "rain or shine," my Fusion may get the call. One final comment is that for as nice as these Fusions still are, it is truly sad that they are no longer made. They are excellent four-door medium-sized cars that look great and handle well, and they drive like a little Lincoln and are still a great value.”
Here’s How YOU Can Get In The Spotlight: For more than 20 years now, one of the most popular features on FordPerformance.com and in our weekly Fast News e-newsletter continues to be "Ford Fan Spotlight," where readers can send in their own reasons why they're fans of Ford Motor Company and its vehicles. You know who they are: Ford "superfans;" grassroots Ford racers; unique Ford vehicle owners; loyal Ford enthusiasts; notable Ford club people; special Ford families; and/or any avid supporter of Ford, Ford vehicles, Ford motorsports or Ford Performance who deserves a little bit of special recognition.
All you need to do to get you, your car or candidate considered is to send in a brief description (200-500 words or less) and a few photos (in .jpeg format, preferably around 1 mb in size) with the owner’s full name and hometown, please. Just tell us about the vehicle(s) and why you think Ford Performance should feature it (them) in the "Ford Fan Spotlight" for an upcoming installment of Fast News as well as for posting on FordPerformance.com. Then email it to: ClubHub@Ford.com with your contact info. Your submission allows us the rights to use your words and images (along with any edits) for editorial purposes; we’ll choose one submission in random order to post online. We hope to see YOU and your Ford story in our Fan Spotlight soon!
