New names for cars in the 2006 fleet of Ford begin with the sleek flagship sedan called Five Hundred. It rides on a tight platform borrowed from Volvo of Sweden with a mid-size body but the cabin of a big car and one of the largest trunks on the market. Then look for Fusion, a new four-door mid-size sedan riding on a chassis which originated with the Mazda6.

Ford's flagship sedan brings the tight handling traits of a European touring car and a generous passenger compartment with seats for five plus luxury gear. Passengers ride higher than on seats in other sedans. Ford labels the design as Command Seating and compares the upright seat position to that of a high-hiked crossover SUV. Five Hundred features front-wheel-drive (FWD) or all-wheel-drive (AWD) traction. All issues draw power from a 3.0-liter Duratec V6 engine with a six-speed automatic transaxle by Aisin for FWD and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) by ZF-Batavia for AWD models.

Trims consist of the well-equipped SE, deluxe SEL and top-flight Limited. SE edition gets the CVT and disc brakes with anti-lock brake system and traction control system. SEL adds the six-speed automatic shifter for FWD versions, while Limited has the cabin dressed in leather.

The newest model in Ford's line is a four-door mid-size sedan that sandwiches in size between a smaller Focus and larger Five Hundred. Styling for Fusion borrows cues from Ford's 427 concept car, particularly at the prow with Fusion's bold three-bar grille and projector-beam headlamps. In the five-seat passenger compartment, Fusion also uses the concept car's optional charcoal-black leather upholstery with seat stitching in a contrasting shade of oatmeal. Actually, Fusion shows three tiers of trims with a base model plus Fusion SE and SEL.

There are two engine options - a new aluminum 2.3-liter four-cylinder plant or optional dual-cam 3.0-liter V6. The base plant produces 160 hp and ties to a five-speed manual transmission or a five-speed automatic. The V6, rising to 221 hp, works with a six-speed automatic. For added safety, ABS with electronic brake force distribution (EBD) is optional.

Ford's subcompact series splits into four formats as a four-door sedan, five-door station wagon, and three of five-door hatchbacks. Model nomenclature follows body styles with ZX3 for the three-door hatchback and ZX5 for the five-door hatch, ZX4 as a four-door sedan and ZXW for the wagon. There's surprising room in the cabin with twin buckets in front of a fold-down bench.

Two different four-cylinder engines add spark to Focus in 2006. The 2.0-liter Duratec base plant delivers 136 hp. For performance-geared Focus ZX4 ST sedan, a 2.3-liter Duratec engine hits 151 hp. Brakes with ABS are standard on the ST sedan, but ABS shows up on the list of options for trims of S, SE and SES. Side-impact air bags are available on all Focus models, and new '06 paint shades extend to Dark Toreador Red Clearcoat Metallic and Screaming Yellow Clearcoat. (CONTINUED...)

Ford's full-size Crown Victoria sedan carves out enough room in the cabin to haul a team of tall basketball players plus heaps of gear bags stuffed into the cavernous trunk. The rear-wheel driveline and a chassis with wheelbase extending nearly ten feet comes from a platform also used by Lincoln's elite Town Car. There's ample power from a V8 rigged with high-tech hardware and tuned for low-torque output. The 4.6-liter Ford plant in standard application produces 224 hp. An optional performance package adds dual exhaust pipes and boosts output to 239 hp.

The three trim grades for '06 are Crown Victoria Standard, LX and premium LX Sport, with performance equipment like an up-rated torque converter, monotube shocks and rear air suspension. Side air bags are optional, along with TCS, a perimeter alarm device and a six-disc CD changer.

For 2006 Ford's pony car, rising from a rigid rear-wheel-drive (RWD) chassis, conforms as a sporty two-door hardtop coupe or a luxurious new soft-top convertible. Exterior styling for both models seems fresh and clean although familiar Mustang signatures are evident -- that long hood and stubby tail, the C-scoops on flanks and a shark's pointed nose with round headlamps.

Ford builds Mustang in two trims for coupe and convertible. Mustang V6 stocks a 4.0-liter plant pumping 210 hp while Mustang GT pulls from a powerful 4.6-liter aluminum V8 that roars to 300 hp. The V8 links to a Tremec 3650 five-speed manual gearbox, while the V6 uses a Tremec T5. Optional for either is a five-speed automatic using Ford's 5R55S trans-mission. Model designations divide further by trim packages -- Deluxe and Premium, while a new Pony Package for Mustang V6 adds GT suspension components, ABS and TCS. (...BACK)