Ford Escape mods up
The Ford Escape will finally make it to the 21st century when an all-new model, lightly disguised under a Vertrek badge at the NAIAS, makes it to production.
The Vertrek is part of the family of Focus-based vehicles that starred for Ford on the opening day of the 2011 Detroit motor show.
It's no surprise that the Vertrek is longer, lower and wider than the outgoing Escape, with space for 1.6 and 2.0-litre EcoBoost four- cylinder engines, as well as a larger 2.5-litre motor.
It is visually linked to both the Fiesta and Focus and shows how the blue oval brand intends to draw younger buyers to its compact SUV. It has an aggressive nose with faired-in headlamps, a low roofline and the sort of wedgy look that is already working well for Mazda with its CX family of SUVs.
Vertrek means 'departure' in Dutch, a clear reference to where Ford is taking the vehicle.
"It's a radical departure from the Escape. I don't think you'll be disappointed when you see the production car on the road," says Ford's design chief, J Mays.
The concept only has four seats and a full leather cabin, both likely to be changed before production, but it has a stop-start system with regenerative braking that will make it to showrooms.
The new Escape is likely to make it to Australia for 2012, although there is no comment yet from Ford Australia on the vehicle.
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