Photo: Ford
Available with three- and four-cylinder engines as well as two levels of electrification, the Escape may soon be treated to a performance-oriented powertrain. As the headline implies, the Escape ST is the culprit.
Vehicle line chief program engineer James Hughes spoke to the Australian motoring media this week, and according to Cars Guide, he stopped short of confirming the go-faster crossover. “I think it [an Escape ST] is a fantastic idea,” said Hughes right after waxing lyrical about “the really good foundation” of the Focus ST.
Care to guess what he’s on about? Well, "foundation" can be interpreted as architecture. The Focus is based on the C2 platform for compact cars and utility vehicles, which happens to be shared with the Escape. Even the Mustang Mach-E utilizes a modified C2 codenamed GE1 by the Blue Oval, which stands for Global Electric.
Secondly, the Escape ST would be relatively straightforward to develop thanks to the existence of the Focus ST. Oh, and by the way, the Edge mid-size crossover and Explorer full-size SUV are both available with ST goodies.
When it comes to engine options, well, that depends on the place where you live. In America, the 2.3-liter EcoBoost is the most obvious candidate. Europe has a diesel-fueled choice as well, but the Focus ST with the 2.0-liter EcoBlue is a bit on the disappointing side of warm hatches. As such, let’s talk about the gasoline engine option.
The peak figures are 280 PS and 420 Nm, translating to 276 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque in U.S. currency. These numbers may not be on par with those of the 2.3-liter EcoBoost in the Focus RS, but they’re more than adequate for a compact crossover to feel sporty in conjunction with a tricked-out suspension system.
On an ending note, here’s another quote from Cars Guide. “If an Escape ST were to become a reality, expect it to be at least a year away.” In other words, late 2021 or early 2022 would be the most possible outcomes.
Care to guess what he’s on about? Well, "foundation" can be interpreted as architecture. The Focus is based on the C2 platform for compact cars and utility vehicles, which happens to be shared with the Escape. Even the Mustang Mach-E utilizes a modified C2 codenamed GE1 by the Blue Oval, which stands for Global Electric.
Secondly, the Escape ST would be relatively straightforward to develop thanks to the existence of the Focus ST. Oh, and by the way, the Edge mid-size crossover and Explorer full-size SUV are both available with ST goodies.
When it comes to engine options, well, that depends on the place where you live. In America, the 2.3-liter EcoBoost is the most obvious candidate. Europe has a diesel-fueled choice as well, but the Focus ST with the 2.0-liter EcoBlue is a bit on the disappointing side of warm hatches. As such, let’s talk about the gasoline engine option.
The peak figures are 280 PS and 420 Nm, translating to 276 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque in U.S. currency. These numbers may not be on par with those of the 2.3-liter EcoBoost in the Focus RS, but they’re more than adequate for a compact crossover to feel sporty in conjunction with a tricked-out suspension system.
On an ending note, here’s another quote from Cars Guide. “If an Escape ST were to become a reality, expect it to be at least a year away.” In other words, late 2021 or early 2022 would be the most possible outcomes.
Google News