Photo: CarPix
First previewed at the Shanghai Motor Show last year as the Ford Escort Concept, the famous Ford model is coming back into existence after a very long hiatus. Since this is one of their most famous nameplates ever, in Europe at least, we decided to delve a little deeper than usual with this story.
The Escort hasn't been on sale since 2000 when the sixth generation model was replaced by the first Focus. US sales of the model stopped two years later in 2002. In that time, the Focus has moved steadily upmarket, chasing German rivals, leaving a gap at the bottom of the compact market where Ford will welcome… and old friend.
The idea behind the new car is to offer a simpler, cheaper sedan without the frills and flashy design of a Focus. The low-cost alternative will be sold alongside the Focus in a move that seem rather weird to us. However, in China this is quite normal practice. Skoda, for example, sells both the old and the new Octavia. Ford, on the other hand, still offers the Focus II as a "Classic" model which is expected to be replaced by the Escort.
According to previous information, the car will be offered in China with either a naturally aspirated 1.6L or 2.0L engine and 5-speed manual or a matched 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox some time in 2015.
If the recent winter testing session in Scandinavia really does hint at a European debut, the Escort will likely have Fiesta-like 1-liter EcoBoost engines and a couple of 1.5-liter diesel choices from the new family.
The sedan will wear much simpler, but still elegant sheetmetal which is easier to stamp out. If you want to know what the actual car will look like,
don't be deceived by the shiny paint, LED lights and big rims on the Escort concept. The production model will actually look like the adjacent patent image which emerged last year on auto.sohu.com.
It's still quite handsome in a Skoda Rapid/VW Jetta kind of way. We have Ford's love for Aston Martin grilles to thank for the nose of the car, though as you can see there's barely a character line anywhere else on the car. For the average Chinese or European family man, that will surely not matter. The only question is: will the blue oval bran look into North America, or are Focus sales already too low to justify another car in the same segment?
Inside, Ford has already made it clear it wants to pack in the tech, as Chinese customers are known for seeking “a high level of technology.”
This could be the Model T for China. Look for a debut during this months' China Auto Show in Beijing.
According to previous information, the car will be offered in China with either a naturally aspirated 1.6L or 2.0L engine and 5-speed manual or a matched 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox some time in 2015.
If the recent winter testing session in Scandinavia really does hint at a European debut, the Escort will likely have Fiesta-like 1-liter EcoBoost engines and a couple of 1.5-liter diesel choices from the new family.
The sedan will wear much simpler, but still elegant sheetmetal which is easier to stamp out. If you want to know what the actual car will look like,
It's still quite handsome in a Skoda Rapid/VW Jetta kind of way. We have Ford's love for Aston Martin grilles to thank for the nose of the car, though as you can see there's barely a character line anywhere else on the car. For the average Chinese or European family man, that will surely not matter. The only question is: will the blue oval bran look into North America, or are Focus sales already too low to justify another car in the same segment?
Inside, Ford has already made it clear it wants to pack in the tech, as Chinese customers are known for seeking “a high level of technology.”
This could be the Model T for China. Look for a debut during this months' China Auto Show in Beijing.
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