The saying ‘Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday’ is a long-held belief in stock-car racing. Ford is banking on this time-tested connection as it introduces the all-new Fusion to both the NASCAR circuit and dealerships simultaneously. This marks the first time in nearly four decades that Ford has debuted a completely new model in conjunction with its NASCAR racing program.
The Fusion steps in for the Taurus in NASCAR’s premier Nextel Cup and Busch series. It’s the first new nameplate from Ford to hit the racetrack and showroom concurrently since the Torino in 1968. The Torino’s debut 38 years prior led to a NASCAR championship for David Pearson and impressive sales of over 2.6 million vehicles during its eight-year run (1968-1975).
“The intense interest in NASCAR racing will help us connect the Fusion name to the Ford brand,” says Marty Collins, General Marketing Manager, Ford Division. “It’s only fitting that we race Ford’s newest car in America’s top-tier racing series.”
Ford’s history with racing goes back over a century. Company founder Henry Ford used racing to demonstrate his product and gain publicity. His victory in 1901 proved pivotal, attracting investors who helped launch the Ford Motor Company in 1903.
“My great-grandfather understood the value of racing, both for technological innovation and marketing,” says Edsel B. Ford II, a Ford board member and supporter of the racing program. “I think he’d be pleased that those are still key reasons why we race today.”
The NASCAR Fusion succeeds the Taurus, which secured four NASCAR championships (three in Nextel Cup and one in Busch) and 100 Nextel Cup victories from 1998-2005. The Taurus ended its run with a dominant 1-2-3-4 finish at the Ford 400 in November 2005.
The production Fusion aims to replicate the Taurus’s off-track success. The Taurus was the best-selling car in America for five years (1992-1996), selling over 6.5 million units between 1985 and 2005.
Ford Racing driver Dale Jarrett, a NASCAR champion with the Taurus in 1999 and a Ford dealer, is optimistic about the Fusion.
“It’s got a very nice driving and handling package, plus the inside is very roomy and the interior is nicely done as well,” says Jarrett. “I think this is just what we’ve been looking for to increase sales.”