The Ford Fusion as we know it is officially dead. The final example of the mid-size sedan rolled off the assembly line last summer, marking the end of an era not just for the nameplate, but also Ford's sedans in general. The Fiesta, Focus, and Taurus sedans were already dropped. Overseas, where the Fusion is known as the Mondeo, it appears the Blue Oval intends to evolve the vehicle from a sedan into a wagon-like crossover. And now images of that vehicle of leaked online.

Thanks to Cochespias.net, what you're looking at is a camouflaged prototype of the reborn Fusion/Mondeo. The images don't reveal the entire vehicle but we can clearly see its wagon body style and Ford Edge-like front end design. The interior is perhaps the most interesting thing.

There's a huge screen stretching across the entire dashboard, a design used by Mercedes-Benz with its own MBUX display technology. At present, Ford's SYNC system can most typically be viewed in tablet-style screens, like in the new Mustang Mach-E, so the switch to a dashboard-width design is quite significant. Like the outgoing Fusion, the reborn model will be a global vehicle, slated to be sold in the US, Europe, and China.

Production will take place in all three regions and could get underway as soon as sometime next year. Chances are the new Fusion will launch in 2022 as an early 2023 model.

But now you might be thinking that Ford's decision to add yet another crossover to its crowded lineup might not seem like a smart idea. Bear in mind, however, that the Edge will supposedly be discontinued from the lineup once the current model's lifecycle ends in 2022. The reborn Fusion crossover wagon (and there's no guarantee this name will be chosen) could be the replacement.

If so, it would mark a somewhat different approach for Ford within the SUV crossover realm because of the more wagon-like design. But doing so will enable Ford to directly compete against the immensely popular Subaru Outback and, perhaps, the Audi A6 all-road.