With the Flat Rock assembly plant on the cusp of sending cars to dealerships, the Ford Fusion could potentially sell 300,000 units this year, becoming the first car nameplate from Ford to cross that mark in a decade. But to catch the best-selling Toyota Camry, Ford will have to have capacity for 400,000 units – something that could happen as early as 2014.
With plants in Hermosillo, Mexico and Flat Rock running at full capacity, Ford will apparently have the capacity to take the sales crown from the Toyota Camry. This year, Ford will have to set its sights lower, with one Kelly Blue Book analyst telling The Detroit News is "definitely attainable".
The mid-size segment is undoubtedly America's most competitive, with the Camry and Fusion facing competition from the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and Chevrolet Malibu as well. While the Camry has a comfortable lead on the second place Honda Accord (and will almost certainly cross the 300,000 unit once September's sales figures are released), Toyota executives have taken drastic measures to ensure the Camry hangs on to its crown.
Ironically, some observers fear that by shooting for 400,000 units, Ford would see its profits on the model reduced as the average transaction price falls – something that has dogged the Camry this year. But if the Fusion did become America's best-seller it would be a "game changer" of sorts, as the first car to claim the crown from the Camry in over a decade.
from The Truth About Cars http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com
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