Daily News Briefs: July 3, 2012

When the 2013 Ford Fusion goes on sale, it will start at $22,495, including a $795 destination fee. That's nearly $1,000 more than a 2012 Fusion, but there's more equipment here, such as a standard automatic transmission. The 2013 Fusion is still more affordable than a 2012 Toyota Camry ($22,815) and 2013 Chevrolet Malibu ($23,150). The Fusion will be available in S, SE and Titanium trims, and three different four-cylinder engines will be available along with automatic or manual transmissions and front- or all-wheel drive, depending on the powertrain. There will also be a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid. The Fusion goes on sale later this fall. In other news: Fiat is preparing to increase its stake in Chrysler Group from 58.5% to 61.8%, according to Bloomberg. Fiat has expressed its intention to buy 100% of Chrysler in the not-too-distant future.  Forward-collision warning systems and adaptive headlight systems can reduce the number of car crashes, according to the Highway Loss Data Institute as reported by Bloomberg. Forward-collision warning systems can reduce accidents by as much as 14%, according to the institute. The agency also reports that adaptive headlights, which turn to help drivers see around curves, reduce multiple-vehicle crashes by around 10%. However, the study also found that lane departure warning systems increase the risk of accidents.  After GM moved to stop advertising on Facebook — the carmaker stopped buying ads from the social network in May — there's now word that GM will eat crow and resume advertising on the site, according to Bloomberg.  Related More Industry News  See More Ford Fusion News More Automotive News from KickingTires http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/

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