The Escape is a compact crossover SUV that will be a global model for Ford, and the car will be sold as the new Kuga in Europe as well as the rest of the world, apart from U.S. where it will retain its Escape name. The car is expected to be displayed in European form at next year’s Geneva Motor Show, before going on sale sometime in 2013.
Ford’s design boss, Martin Smith, emphasises on the new car’s modern look. “The Escape’s athletic good looks are no accident”, he says, adding that “we wanted to create the impression of an athlete like a runner or swimmer in the new body – right down to the defined muscles that convey movement and energy.”
The Escape will be available in both front and four-wheel-drive variants, with three choices of petrol engines, all of which are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The base engine is a 2.5-litre four-cylinder unit with 168bhp and 226Nm of torque, and is available with only front-wheel-drive.
The other two engines are a 1.6-litre EcoBoost inline four-cylinder with 173bhp and 240Nm of torque, available with both front-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive, and a 2.0-litre EcoBoost turbocharged powerplant that churns out 237bhp and 339Nm of torque, and is also available with both front and four-wheel-drive.
The new Escape's suspension utilizes McPherson struts up front and an independent, semi-trailing arm configuration at the rear. The new, “Intelligent” four-wheel drive system uses an electromagnetic clutch. The system’s sensors collect data from 25 sources including wheel speed, accelerator pedal position and steering wheel angle to assess both the driver’s reactions and road conditions up to 20 times faster than the blink of an eye. The Escape is also Ford’s first SUV to feature the firm's Curve Control and Torque Vectoring Control.
The interior of the 2013 Escape adopts Ford’s new design language and is similar to that of the new Focus with the vertical centre vents surrounding the infotainment system’s screen. Ruth Pauli, Chief Engineer for Color and Materials, says: “The interior design of the all-new Escape is modern and sophisticated. It captures the expressive design and enhanced functionality of the vehicle.”
Ford claims to offer technologies that are not available in any other rival including the Sync infotainment system that sports the upgraded MyFord Touch driver connect technology. Other features available are a hands-free power lift gate that uses a motion sensor placed under the rear bumper, an active parking assist and a blind-spot information system (BLIS) to warn the driver about objects in the vehicle’s blind spots.
Ford’s design boss, Martin Smith, emphasises on the new car’s modern look. “The Escape’s athletic good looks are no accident”, he says, adding that “we wanted to create the impression of an athlete like a runner or swimmer in the new body – right down to the defined muscles that convey movement and energy.”
The Escape will be available in both front and four-wheel-drive variants, with three choices of petrol engines, all of which are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The base engine is a 2.5-litre four-cylinder unit with 168bhp and 226Nm of torque, and is available with only front-wheel-drive.
The other two engines are a 1.6-litre EcoBoost inline four-cylinder with 173bhp and 240Nm of torque, available with both front-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive, and a 2.0-litre EcoBoost turbocharged powerplant that churns out 237bhp and 339Nm of torque, and is also available with both front and four-wheel-drive.
The new Escape's suspension utilizes McPherson struts up front and an independent, semi-trailing arm configuration at the rear. The new, “Intelligent” four-wheel drive system uses an electromagnetic clutch. The system’s sensors collect data from 25 sources including wheel speed, accelerator pedal position and steering wheel angle to assess both the driver’s reactions and road conditions up to 20 times faster than the blink of an eye. The Escape is also Ford’s first SUV to feature the firm's Curve Control and Torque Vectoring Control.
The interior of the 2013 Escape adopts Ford’s new design language and is similar to that of the new Focus with the vertical centre vents surrounding the infotainment system’s screen. Ruth Pauli, Chief Engineer for Color and Materials, says: “The interior design of the all-new Escape is modern and sophisticated. It captures the expressive design and enhanced functionality of the vehicle.”
Ford claims to offer technologies that are not available in any other rival including the Sync infotainment system that sports the upgraded MyFord Touch driver connect technology. Other features available are a hands-free power lift gate that uses a motion sensor placed under the rear bumper, an active parking assist and a blind-spot information system (BLIS) to warn the driver about objects in the vehicle’s blind spots.
