Ford Fusion Production Ramping Up

2014 Ford Fusion

Ford is ramping up production of the Ford Fusion and is ready to see just how much staying power their family sedan can manage. They’re set to roll Fusions off the line for the first time at their plant just outside their Detroit headquarters as they shoot for the same kind of volume they once saw with the Taurus.

The Ford Fusion has been selling at a steady pace despite not being the cheapest car in its category in tough economic times. It’ll run you about $2,300 more than the Toyota Camry which has long held the bestseller title.

The extra production might give the Ford Fusion a chance to topple the Camry from its lofty position. It has already seen a sales increase of 13% for the year with no signs of slowing down as it cuts into the Camry’s sales. The availability of extra vehicles to meet that demand is a reasonable gamble on Ford’s part.

Prior to this new plant rolling out the Ford Fusion it was only being made in one plant in Hermosillo, Mexico. That plant was capable of producing 350,000 which just wasn’t enough to keep up with the high demand. The addition of 1,400 workers at the Mustang plant in Flat Rock, Michigan will let them increase capacity by about 100,000 cars.

This extra output puts Ford right in line with production volumes for the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. It also sets them up to grow their sales into areas where the market has been traditionally weak for Ford.

As its sales numbers have climbed, so has the Ford Fusions sticker price. The average price for the vehicle climbed 5.8% in July to $26,343. This puts them at about $1,176 above the segment average and $2,377 over the Toyota Camry. The Camry has slipped in the opposite direction with a 2% fall to $23,965.

The strength of Ford Fusion sales combined with increased production could be just what Ford needs to sneak past the Camry and take the sales lead.

Nicole Wakelin fell in love with cars as a teenager when she got to go for a ride in a Ferrari. It was red and it was fast and that was all that mattered. Game over. She considers things a bit more carefully now, but still has a weakness for fast, beautiful cars. Nicole also writes for NerdApproved and GeekMom.