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Ford Escort subcompact sedan, wagon revamped as strong value
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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Orange plastic traffic cones, snaking in parallel tracks across an airport tarmac somewhere south of Atlanta in rural Georgia, defined an autocross course with all of the right ingredients: Quick-cut corners, broad sweeping bends, tricky chicane swerves and, linking curves together, a few straight stretches for speed.
It's just the ticket to test the wily traffic manners for Ford's remake of its worldly best-seller, Escort.
The subcompact label in Ford's fleet will be a major player in Ford's marketing mix over the next five years, as it follows stellar sales from predecessor designs which for 14 years ranked as top volume car label in the country and accounted for 27 percent of all models sold by Ford.
This new rendition, stamped with 1997 tags and conformed in roly-poly styling as a 4-door notchback sedan or 5-door station wagon, looks like the logical design extension of Ford's mid-size Taurus and compact Contour.
Despite its subcompact dimensions, new Escort carves out a surprising amount of interior space for up to five adult occupants and offers an impressive array of new creature comforts and safety features.
It also stocks some lively mechanical assets which enable Escort to dance on asphalt.
That's why a driver found himself behind the wheel of a pre-production Escort sedan tester at the head of that Georgia autocross course: It was time to prance.
At the starter's signal, drop the clutch and pounce on throttle, wheels tripping the invisible beam of a timing clock. First left comes before engine rpms indicate a shift to second gear, so cut the fat steering wheel and skid through the apex, then notch up a gear at the corner's exit.
Speed builds with an S series but apply full brakes before the next left sweep, then also trail brake and steer carefully to hold a fast line without leaving much rubber.
In the straight that follows, Escort winds up quickly to a swift clip with satisfying acceleration.
Its fast rack and pinion steering permits an exacting left-right-left maneuver through a chicane, as solid stabilizer bars fore and aft in the independent suspension set-up prevent excess body sway and add to this car's stability in motion.
Now the tricky part: With velocity building out of the last curve set, Escort has too much momentum to make the next hard left with its demanding decreasing radius -- so hit brakes hard before entering.
The anti-lock system, a brake add-on option across the Escort line, produces a swift and straight-line rein but also enables a driver to continue trail braking into the curve, maximizing control and minimizing time.
Next, a short straight, then there's the hardest corner where you must brake and turn and also perform a lateral drift to the outside edge with tires in screaming protest.
Past that crook, Escort zips beyond the clock's trigger to complete this course in record time. It's faster and in far more control, you discover, than in previous runs with Escort's domestic and imported subcompact rivals.
Admittedly, eensy-weensy sedans are not designed for autocross racing, but this recent test revealed Escort's assets as applied to more important maneuvers in heavy traffic on freeways or 4-lane urban arteries.
Ford's designers, working in international conspiracy from teams based in the United States, England, Germany and Japan, have created a world-class car that offers more power than the former Escort, with a stronger structure and larger interior arrangement, plus new built-in quality controls.
Foundation for new Escort stems from a platform used by Protege of Japan's Mazda, owned in part by Ford. Ford's Pacific Design Center in Hiroshima, Japan, effected the exterior and interior styling, with production occurring at Ford's Wayne (Mich.) Assembly Plant.
Al Krammerer, Escort line director, revealed Ford's intent for this car during the autocross tests: "There's no reason a customer should be denied the pleasure of driving just because of purchasing a value-priced small car."
In other words, with Escort Ford found a way to build an inexpensive car that's also comfortable and fun to drive.
Ford's secret for putting pleasurable experience in a small package: Start anew with fresh designs for components that will be simple and cost-effective to produce, durable and economical in performance and comfortable to experience.
Escort's cost-saving platform, lifted from Mazda, was enlarged and strengthened with redesigned front structure and more braces added in the rear to absorb shocks. It's notably more stiff, reducing noise and vibrations.
One-piece bodyside stampings for external components add to Escort's overall rigidity, which in turn creates a solid feel and enhances ride quality. Improved door hinges and increased seals and insulation further dampen noise and set up a pleasant interior environment.
Dimensions inside seem generous -- with increased leg and head room and a larger overall width so riders don't feel like they're squeezed together in a wee compartment.
Standard layout for sedan and wagon puts twin bucket seats in front followed by a rear bench for three.
A new instrument panel, with curvaceous lines that hint of Taurus, provides crisp analog dials and a compact center oval cluster to control the nice audio and HVAC systems.
Levers and knobs and toggles like turn indicators and washer/wiper stick operate with precise and exacting movements which emulate quality of European cars.
Twin airbags show up to shield front riders, and Escort carries a number of other covert systems for safety, ranging from steel superstructure with built-in crash zones in front and back to door impact braces, plus the optional anti-lock braking system. Thankfully, former Escort's pesky motorized safety belts have been replaced by easy-to-operate 3-point manual straps.
As to performance, Escort's 4-cylinder plant was enlarged to 2.0 liters, producing 25 percent more power. Now rated at 110 hp, it's zippy with manual 5-speed stick or smooth and quiet with optional 4-speed automatic.
But here's the most remarkable aspect about new Escort: Despite so many improvements, it comes to market with a tight rein on prices that match or beat the former, starting as low as $11,500 and extending in range to $14,000 or so.
That sets up a value-added case that's hard to match.
1997 FORD ESCORT
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1997 FORD ESCORT Specs |
| Description: |
Subcompact sedan, wagon |
| Model Options: |
Subcompact sedan, wagon |
| Wheelbase: |
98.4 inches |
| Overall Length: |
174.7 inches
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| Engine Size: |
SOHC 2.0-L I4
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| Transmission: |
Manual/5, Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
Front |
| Braking: |
Power disc/drum/ABS opt. |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
32/39 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 11,500 to $ $14,000 |
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