Wing,
Respect where respect is due, always, first before insulting someone's intelligence, know that I was in the auto industry for 8 years and I know how it works. As an auto enthusiast I have the chance to drive many vehicles and stop by showrooms to look at all cars.
Fusion was re-styled, yet remains an 8 year old Mazda 6 at heart. Nothing new here. On paper a Sonata hybrid blows the doors off the Fusion hybrid.
The Fiesta and Mazda 2 are the same car. Same shared DE platform, virtually identical wheelbase and track, same engine placement, similar pricing. OK different engines, packages and badge on the front - they have to be different somehow. As far as "aren't even close to the same car", who told you that? Mazda / Ford executives? Come on...
Taurus was re-styled. This is an old NA manufacturer ploy. It's still an 11 year old, previous generation, Volvo S80 platform underneath. Nothing new or exciting really unless you count the wrapping. Lots of cars to be had in it's price class, $50k for an SHO is a joke. For that there are so many other cars in the marketplace that are so much more than a Ford.
Drove a 2011 V8 Mustang lately for 3 days between and around Montreal / Quebec City. Typical jittery suspension, bad fit & finish, cheap monotone plastics, annoying hair trigger throttle (almost undriveable in traffic) and mushy frame that will go soft after 50,000 kms. So yes, I have driven one and many other cars lately!
All Ford car platforms are borrowed or co-engineered with other manufacturers because their corporate teams are too busy dealing with unions, advertising and lawyers rather than focusing on design and innovation. Technologies are purchased, raped or borrowed similarly. Ford will sell many of these cars to an uneducated public via cheezy advertising, interest rates and other similar ploys.
