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Car enthusiast Richard Smith of Chicago stumbled upon a photo shoot for the upcoming Ford Fusion at Millennium Park in the Windy City . Chicago Police and private security guards kept spectators at a distance, but Smith managed to snap a few pictures as he quickly passed by.
Sharing a chassis with the Mazda6 and the upcoming Lincoln Zephyr and Mercury Milan, Ford's newest mid-size sedan will arrive for the 2006 model year. Although the chassis began with the Mazda6, the track has been widened and the suspension components are different - so this is actually considered a separate platform.
Codenamed CD338, the Fusion (previously referred to by a number of different names including Futura and Ford Four Hundred) will be front-wheel drive, while the upscale Lincoln version will be available with all-wheel drive. Power will come from a new aluminum 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine, with an optional 3.0-liter DOHC V-6 available. A hybrid version to compete with the Toyota Camry and Honda's Accord will be available in 2007 for the 2008 model year.
The Fusion is expected to make its public debut in early January and will be built in Mexico along with its siblings.