Beijing: Compact Ford Escort Revived for Chinese Market

2014-BJAS-Escort-01

Ford has officially extended its compact, fuel-efficient lineup with the brand-new Ford Escort, unveiled for the Chinese market this past week at the Beijing Auto Show. Originally a star in the compact segment from the 1980’s all the way to 2003, the Escort nameplate certainly carries with it much brand loyalty. This production-ready Ford Escort is the successor to the Escort Concept unveiled last year in Shanghai, and it marks the beginning of Ford’s significant presence in the Chinese market. The company is set to debut 15 new vehicles for the Chinese market by 2015.

Few details have surfaced concerning the specs of the new Ford Escort, but we do know the basics. The Escort will share a platform with the current US-spec Ford Focus, utilizing the “C-car” platform that’s already seen success. Power will come from a 1.5-liter four-cylinder with variable camshaft timing, allowing for extremely smooth and refined acceleration. Electronic power steering and battery power mapping technologies will increase the Escort’s fuel efficiency significantly, though no official numbers have been released. Most interesting, however, is that the Escort will be built and distributed through Changan Ford, Ford’s passenger car partner based in China.

2014-BJAS-Escort-02

To satisfy the Chinese market’s demand for safety and technology in their road cars, Ford has taken a few crucial steps in designing the new Escort. Six airbags and a steel-reinforced body help to cushion occupants in the event of a collision, while the innovative “Device Dock” system housed in the Escort’s center console provides support for most handheld devices. The feature will allow drivers to charge and stream from virtually any device without compatibility issues.

The Escort also will come standard with the Connect Radio system, allowing drivers to wirelessly stream music to the car’s stereo via a Bluetooth connection. Coming as a result of extensive research from Ford’s Asia Pacific Design Team, the Escort aims at catering specifically to Chinese consumer demand, something that it should easily accomplish with its refinement and practicality.

Please enjoy this TFLcar.com video review of the 2013 Ford Focus.

frank kosarekFrank caught automotive fever early in life. Hailing from a long line of car fanatics, he was able to recite the year and model of every car that passed him by age five. His passion and love for the automobile have only grown since then. When not thinking about cars, he is reading, writing, learning, or dreaming about them. His area of expertise is in the realm of German and Italian cars, of which Porsche is a favorite. Frank currently resides in the heart of NASCAR country in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his family. He enjoys driving exotic cars in the beautiful Carolina weather.

 

 

 

Previous article2014 BMW 4-Series Coupe: Pizzazz, Performance and Comfort [Review]
Next article2014 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk vs Moab’s White Rim Trail [Video]
Frank Kosarek
Frank caught automotive fever early in life. Hailing from a long line of car fanatics, Frank was able to recite the year and model of every car that passed him by age five. His passion and love for the automobile have only grown since then. When not thinking about cars, he is reading, writing, learning, or dreaming about them. His area of expertise comes in the realm of German and Italian cars, of which Porsche is a favorite. Frank currently resides in the heart of NASCAR country in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his family. He thoroughly enjoys driving exotic cars in the beautiful Carolina weather.