12:50 AM
Notoriously tight-lipped about future product, Ford is giving us a heads-up on the power train configurations for the 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan.
In a nutshell, the new lineup offers more power and better fuel economy and will feature the debut of the next-generation hybrid system in the sedans.
The cars are to launch in 2009. They'll have the Duratec 2.5-liter I4 that makes 175 hp and 172 lb-ft of torque, bettering the previous 2.3-liter unit by 14 hp and 16 lb-ft. We first got this engine in the 2009 Escape.
The 3.0-liter V6 gets a new air-induction system, electronic throttle control and intake variable cam timing to improve performance to 240 hp and 228 lb-ft, up 19 hp and 23 lb-ft from the previous version.
The Duratec 3.5-liter V6 also joins the lineup in the Sport model and pumps out 263 horses and 249 lb-ft of torque.
All of the engines are paired with Ford's new six-speed automatic transmission, which improves fuel economy by 10 percent with the I4, and by 4 percent to 6 percent in the 3.0-liter V6.
Fuel economy also is helped by electric power steering, adaptive spark ignition and a deceleration fuel shut-off feature.
In addition to the conventional engines, the Fusion and Milan will get Ford's next-generation hybrid system. They're set to hit showrooms in the first quarter of 2010 and can operate in electric mode at speeds of up to 47 mph. They have an estimated range of up to 700 miles of city driving on a single tank of gasoline. The hybrid system works with the 2.5-liter I4 engine.
