How Automobile envisions the next Ford Escort
As we reported a few days back, Ford has big plans for the bits and pieces that make up the Mazda 2. While the Mazda will have the requesitie joie de vivre known as "zoom zoom," Ford variants are a go, as well. Automobile posits that naming the Ford version might be a sticky wicket. We've recently seen the blue oval return to names with some history, so an all new moniker may be out from the get-go. That leaves us with some greatest hits from yesteryear. Pinto likely won't work, it's too old, and those cars are rolling punchlines, anyway. Fiesta? Well, we're getting closer. The US was graced with the Fiesta back when the Rabbit was a small car, and they were wonderful. Unfortunately, the age problem is still there, and not enough people know what the Fiesta is/was anymore. Staying with F, we can move to Festiva, but we'd rather not. Ka would probably be fine in Boston, but nobody would know what the hell you're talking about. Conversations would have a real "who's on first" feel. "I'm going to move my Ka, or it'll be plowed in."
What kind of car is it?
"A Ford."
Ford what?
"Ka."
Right, I know it's a car, but what model?
"Ford Ka."
On and on it would go. That leaves us with one venerable name: Escort. The original Laser-platform Escorts were a pretty decent stab at a world car once they solved the oil burning issues with the 1.6L engine and funky shifting from the automatic. By 1985, they were decent little cars. It'd be a return to history all around. The Escort ended up swiping a Mazda platform for it's last iteration (The 91 "shrunken Taurus" model), so taking the Mazda2 and calling it Escort would be a return to the past. Since they've brought back the Taurus and Sable names, revisiting other 1980s names sounds reasonable, but please, leave the fashion, music, and hairstyles there.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mike G 6:45PM (3/03/2007)
I like everything about this article except the part where he suggests that the new small Ford be called the "Escort". That car sucked. What's wrong with "Fiesta"?
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Bryan 6:54PM (3/03/2007)
The escort was actually a very good little car. I knew many people with them. Many are still going today. Ford owned the market with that car. It might not be a bad idea to bring that name, as more people have good memories of Escort than they do Focus, Festiva, or Pinto. I like the Focus name though. Maybe it is time for a new name though, as escort is not very appealing. Something hip and new would probably best suit an all new car to the Ford lineup. One thing I do agree with though, leave the 80's disasterous hairdo's and music where it belongs!
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Maciej 7:19PM (3/03/2007)
This is Fiesta not Escort/Focus. It looks very similar to smallest Mazda. Fiesta and small Mazda were sharing since long almost all components including body.
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kobo1d 6:56PM (3/03/2007)
Ford Falcon.
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Howard Kerr 6:57PM (3/03/2007)
As a former Fiesta owner, I don't see anything wrong with the name, either.
Until Ford moved back from naming all their cars with something starting with "F"...it would have been a natural.
Escort? I'd say the name has a mixed reputation. One one hand, the Escort carries an even WORSE stigma than the Taurus as a "rental car staple". Yet, I will concede, that they were decent cars (I've driven several, including a Mazda twincam Tracer) and with a modicum of care could take a mountain of abuse. But still. it is near Geo in being a now forgotten nameplate.
Besides, Fiesta has a decent history that can be exploited in the marketing of this car.
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kobo1d 6:58PM (3/03/2007)
Nevermind. I forgot Ford of Australia.
Just remembering the old USDM Falcons being a compact car with name recognition.
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3cubedminus3squared 7:19PM (3/03/2007)
I have a 96 Escort wagon it still runs really well. I use when going out to parties and such. Not as fun as my focus but it has kept up well. {I stopped taking the focus out with me because once when I was leaving the club and found one of the side mirrors broken off and a couple of scratches on it. The only problem I've had was having to replace the thermostat recently. nothing else but that.
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aSHIRTandTIEguy 7:27PM (3/03/2007)
Dear Autoblog readers,
Please refer to these links! :)
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/07/fords-mark-fields-announces-bold-move-bring-back-taurus-and-sabl/2#comments
Comment #29!
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/01/spy-shots-2009-ford-f-150/
Comment #2!
Then I would like to say "BURN!!!"
The problem is that the Australian Ford Falcon will not be made Normal-Hand drive for North America, and then imported here. AS the Ford cars of Europe should be as well imported and sold in North America. AND that is ESPECIALLY true for Canada. Why does Ford hate America so much? Ford, IF you hate America so much please do not deprive Canada of good American cars! :D We should not be punished, since we have Universal Health Care!
The 1996-2003 Escort models were fine. Then the Focus took over the market segment that the Escort had. The 2008 Taurus does not “step on the toes” of the Five Hundred, it is the Five Hundred so there is no problem there. So the Escort is not needed to brought back or replace anything. The Focus should be replaced with the REAL C1 Focus! And Escort should be left to die AS the Taurus should have been! Progress is not achieved by not letting go of past accomplishes and mistakes.
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Daniel Dacey 7:37PM (3/03/2007)
ShirtandTieGuy,
The next generation Falcon due in 2008, will be able to be produced with the steering wheel on the wrong side, so it is a possibility for North American import. I suspect it won't be though as it would show up some of the local American built Ford stuff and Head Office would rather not let Americans know what they could have.
Dan
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Anton Lang 7:42PM (3/03/2007)
'Normal Hand Drive????'
Why run down those of us who have right hand drive as being less than normal.
I understand it's just one opinion, but we're not really less than normal.
The Ford Escort originally started life in the late Sixties when Ford had Ford Europe (Taunus) Ford UK (Zephyr, Consul, Escort, Cortina et al) Ford Australia (Our own designed Falcon) as well as Ford US.
This original Ford Escort was a 4 cylinder small car that had an absolutely huge following in the UK and here in Australia (you remember them, subnormal hand drive).
Tony.
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iQuack 7:42PM (3/03/2007)
Either Escort or Fiesta is a decent name--what really matters is the car.
But Ford has had the history of spending heavily to promote a model only to drop it after a few years.
What's in a name? Plenty, if you believe that the following names should remain well into the future:
Corvette
Suburban
Malibu
Impala
Camry
Accord
Corolla
Civic
Sentra
Altima
And, Taurus, Escort, and Fiesta should remain, too.
The above model names shouldn't be changed because the cars they represent are long-standing successes.
Why drop names just about everybody recognizes unless the name is demeaned by a poor quality vehicle?
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BOB 8:10PM (3/03/2007)
THE OBVIOUS BEST "F" NAME IS FALCON -- has a certain retro cool, and you see Hollywood kids driving restored ones.
The Australian Falcon is a mid sized car with RWD -- which, unlike the STUPID opinions expressed here, is not viable for this market at all, for the price --even more generic in style than the Holdens. (Note that GM is bringing in the G8 as a stopgap, but the other US models from the platform -- Impala and Camaro so far -- will be more American looking.)
The money spent to give the Aussie Ford car US standards and styling would be better spent on the Mustang-derived midsize models -- Interceptor and ??.
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NoNameDenton 8:20PM (3/03/2007)
A small car would really help Ford since gas prices are so high, and truck and SUV sales are down, and the Escort name would resonate with the public. Next Ford should bring the Falcon here with its rwd, and of course its ute version, which could be called Ranchero
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DasBoese 5:30AM (3/04/2007)
Ummm... no. The Focus was and is the Escort's official successor, no point in bringing that back.
If at all, it's more likely to be Fiesta, since the Fiesta's platform (you know it *is* still in production here in Europe, right?) is a bit dated and due for an overhaul anyway.
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iQuack 9:00PM (3/03/2007)
So the Australian Falcon has RWD. Big deal!
Yes, RWD is best for aggressive driving when weight transfer and more even weight distribution matter.
But I don't see why there's so much of a fuss in favor of RWD cars whose layout is less efficient and whose traction on slippery pavement is lousy.
There's a good reason cars were switched to FWD when cars were donwnsized and reduced in weight in response to higher gas prices. Those conditions are being repeated today and the clamor for more RWD cars seems ridiculous for people who drive on public roads and aren't trying to act like boy racers on a test track.
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laserwizard 5:16PM (3/04/2007)
1997 Escort here with 120,000 miles. Aside from tires and front brakes, this car starts and runs like a Honda. No problems. Eat that you Jap loving pukes.
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NoNameDenton 10:35PM (3/03/2007)
RWD offers drives many things that fwd lacks, such as better styling, more power that can be used in the engine, more the the limited 300 for fwd. Also RWD ofers better handling in normal weather, and rwd is where the American car companies have an advantage of the Japanese.
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Bill 11:57PM (3/03/2007)
The early Escorts where horrible. I had an 83, what a nightmare.
Later Escorts were pretty decent and reliable. Why? Because they had quite a bit of Mazda DNA in them towards then end.
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jim 11:47PM (3/03/2007)
I really like the idea of the Escort name coming back. Ford needs to stay fresh and introduce new stuff, but they also need to know when to scrap what wasn't working, which apparently they are doing with the Five Hundred and Freestyle.
Retro is so retro right now, and Ford's track record for reintroducing revamped versions is not great (see Cougar and Thunderbird), but in this case, I think having an alternative in the compact market for those who don't like the Focus is a great idea.
I work at a Ford dealership, http://www.diffee.com , so I definitely welcome the change.
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iQuack 2:50AM (3/04/2007)
17: "Later Escorts were pretty decent and reliable. Why? Because they had quite a bit of Mazda DNA in them towards then end."
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I agree with the above post.
When I was car shopping in late 1990, I test drove both the Ford Escort (not the LX with the Mazda engine, but the Escort with the Ford engine) and the Mazda Protegé DX (with the smaller of 2 Mazda engines).
They shared similarities, but the Mazda Protegé was a much better car with a better engine and the Mazda's AT had a hold feature (a flexible overdrive lock-out) that the Escort didn't have. After driving both the Escort and the Protegé, I bought the Protegé which I had for over 12 years. It was excellent.
As a general rule, Mazdas are better than Fords IMO. Maybe the Fusion is an exception now, but I'd still prefer a Mazda--especially if it's imported from Japan.
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