What is it?
2007 MRT Ford Fusion T5
What's special about it?
Sanity in a world of upmanship. SEMA has more than its fair share of open-checkbook concept cars. MRT's Fusion T5 stood out by being grounded in reality, offering up a balance of discreet style and bolt-on performance.
Starting with the upcoming AWD version of the 2007 Ford Fusion, MRT's turbocharged sedan is not a hyperactive rally special like a Mitsubishi Evo or a Subaru WRX STI. Sure, the MRT Fusion is turbocharged and firmed up, but the similarities end there — rally cars don't have a 3.0-liter V6 or a five-speed automatic transmission like this Fusion.
Think "real world." That's what the MRT Fusion is all about. Cranking out a fat but reasonable 325 horsepower, MRT left the engine completely stock and integrated a Garrett T31 turbo and front-mount air-to-air intercooler into the Fusion without any permanent alterations to the car itself. Even the stock exhaust manifolds and catalysts are retained. Off-boost torque remains exactly as stock, and it shouldn't have any trouble passing an emissions test.
Sporting a very tasteful body kit by 3dCarbon and black chrome accents on its MRT hood, the MRT Fusion doesn't look like a refugee from Hot Import Nights, either. Same goes for the low — but not too low — ride height delivered by H&R adjustable coil-overs. About the only nods to show-car excess are the 20-inch Boss Motorsports wheels and low-profile 255/30 Nitto tires, which serve primarily to ratchet up the bling.
The obligatory in-car entertainment actually works, too, we learned as we fired up the wireless Internet on the dash-mounted touchscreen during our video shoot. Even the trunk space was given consideration. No waste here — the Rockford Fosgate amps hide under a false panel in the trunk, and the subwoofer resides atop the parcel shelf.
What's Edmunds' take?
Sometimes less really is more. MRT's Fusion was like a breath of fresh air here in smoke-filled Vegas. — Jason Kavanagh
2007 MRT Ford Fusion T5
What's special about it?
Sanity in a world of upmanship. SEMA has more than its fair share of open-checkbook concept cars. MRT's Fusion T5 stood out by being grounded in reality, offering up a balance of discreet style and bolt-on performance.
Starting with the upcoming AWD version of the 2007 Ford Fusion, MRT's turbocharged sedan is not a hyperactive rally special like a Mitsubishi Evo or a Subaru WRX STI. Sure, the MRT Fusion is turbocharged and firmed up, but the similarities end there — rally cars don't have a 3.0-liter V6 or a five-speed automatic transmission like this Fusion.
Think "real world." That's what the MRT Fusion is all about. Cranking out a fat but reasonable 325 horsepower, MRT left the engine completely stock and integrated a Garrett T31 turbo and front-mount air-to-air intercooler into the Fusion without any permanent alterations to the car itself. Even the stock exhaust manifolds and catalysts are retained. Off-boost torque remains exactly as stock, and it shouldn't have any trouble passing an emissions test.
Sporting a very tasteful body kit by 3dCarbon and black chrome accents on its MRT hood, the MRT Fusion doesn't look like a refugee from Hot Import Nights, either. Same goes for the low — but not too low — ride height delivered by H&R adjustable coil-overs. About the only nods to show-car excess are the 20-inch Boss Motorsports wheels and low-profile 255/30 Nitto tires, which serve primarily to ratchet up the bling.
The obligatory in-car entertainment actually works, too, we learned as we fired up the wireless Internet on the dash-mounted touchscreen during our video shoot. Even the trunk space was given consideration. No waste here — the Rockford Fosgate amps hide under a false panel in the trunk, and the subwoofer resides atop the parcel shelf.
What's Edmunds' take?
Sometimes less really is more. MRT's Fusion was like a breath of fresh air here in smoke-filled Vegas. — Jason Kavanagh
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