2010 Ford Fusion Spied--New Face and All

TheCarConnection.com's spy photographers may have gotten one step closer to revealing the face of the new 2010 Ford Fusion with our first shots of a mule completely free of the usual heavy vinyl camouflage. Until now, even the earliest, rough Fusion mules were wearing the heavy front bras, covering their makeshift grilles and front bumpers. Now we can fully assess lines residing beneath the camouflage.

While the front fascia revealed here is obviously an approximation of the final look of the revamped 2010 Ford Fusion, the outlines, cut lines, shapes, and relationships are telling. Judging from this mule, it appears that Ford's three-bar grille design may survive, but the look of the 2010 Ford Fusion is very different from the current car. The mule's grille looks much bolder than the current model, with the top grille slat dipping down in the center for something of a "smiley" look. The grille dips down into the front bumper, while the outer edges of the bumper slant upward as they reach the side of the car. Such a slant would necessitate reshaped headlights, to accommodate the new bumper shape.

This mule shows cut lines for tall air inlets at the outer edges of the front bumper, which will also hold place for fog lamps. The shape and positioning of the inlets match perfectly the details seen beneath the camo on prior 2010 Ford Fusion prototypes.

It also appears that the changes will go a bit further than just the front fascia, as a new sharp character line on the front bumper can be seen wrapping around toward the front fender. The new surface development suggests may mean that the new 2010 Ford Fusion will be getting some chunkier front fenders, making the redesign a bit more extensive than a mere midcycle face-lift. We'll have to wait and see a more finished prototype to confirm this.--KGP Photography