Ford Escort (North America)
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Not to be confused with Ford Escort (Europe).
The Ford Escort was a compact car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. The North American Escort adopted both the badge and the general design of a redesigned European model, and the name has been applied to several different designs in North America since its introduction as Ford's first successful world car. It replaced the dated Ford Pinto subcompact car with a modern front-wheel drive design popularized by the successful introduction of the Volkswagen Rabbit. It also effectively replaced the smaller Ford Fiesta, which though mechanically sophisticated, was too small for a Pinto replacement. It was also Ford's first front-wheel-drive car built in North America. The Escort was one of Ford's most successful models in the 1980s, earning a much better reputation than the Pinto which faced widely publicized safety issues. In fact, the car was the single best-selling car in its second year in the United States and during most of that decade.
[edit] First generation (1981-1990)
Introduced in 1981, the first American Escort was intended to share common components with the European Mk III (as with its sister, the Mercury Lynx), and was launched as a 2-door hatchback and as a 4-door station wagon, with the 4-door hatchback following a year later. It had considerably more chrome than the model sold elsewhere. Although the basic silhouette was the same, it was almost completely different from the European version, apart from the Ford CVH engine. There was a 1.6 L engine, a 4-speed IB4 manual transmission and a 5-speed MTX transmission that were standard with a 3-speed ATX/FLC automatic transmission optional. A 1.3 L engine was designed and prototyped but did not see production due to lack of power. Also, in 1983 and 1984, there was the option of the turbocharged 1.6 L 4-cylinder rated at 120 hp and matching torque, not too bad for the day (the Mustang GT was only rated at 175 hp, and in a much heavier package). The sport targeted Ford EXP was essentially a shortened two-seat coupe based on the Escort, but was not as successful as other body styles. [edit] Engines
[edit] 1985½-1990There was a minor facelift (less chrome, restyled taillamps, flush headlights, 1.9 L engine) for mid-1985. The Lynx was retired for 1987, replaced by the Mazda 323-derived Mercury Tracer, which formed the basis for the next generation Escort. The Escort saw another minor redesign in 1988½, which smoothed out the front and rear fascias.
[edit] Engines
[edit] Second generation (1991-1996)
In 1991, the Escort and the Mercury Tracer were replaced by models based on the Mazda B platform, which was also used by the Mazda 323. Ford, which owned a 25% stake in Mazda, already sold a version of the 323 in Asia and Australasia, called the Ford Laser, which replaced the old rear-wheel drive Escort there. The Escort a decade earlier used localized engines. The Escort for the 1990s, however, would be almost identical worldwide, differing only in appearance. The Mazda-based model sold sluggishly in America at first, since only hatchback models were offered in 1991, but became popular later in 1992, when they introduced the LX-E sedan. At one point Ford offered it on a "one price" basis, with the same price for a three or five-door hatchback, a sedan or a wagon. The 1991 Ford Escort was one of the first Ford automobiles to feature, on the 1.9 L engine, distributorless ignition (known as EDIS, Electronic Distributorless Ignition System). It also featured a new electronically-controlled 4-speed automatic transmission, as well as an independent rear suspension, both (at the time) relatively uncommon in cars in this class. Trim levels were LX, Pony and GT: the GT was the North American equivalent of the European XR3i version. Like its European counterpart, it was a three-door hatchback only, but whereas the European car had a 1.8 L Ford engine, the North American market got a 1.8 L Mazda engine. [edit] Engines
[edit] Third generation (1997-2002)
The 1997 restyle dropped the hatchbacks and added a new sporty coupe for 1998, the Escort ZX2. It replaced the Ford Probe as Ford's sport compact car. A much lower-slung and rakish car than either the sedan and wagon, it was aimed squarely at the youth market as a replacement for the Escort GT (although lacking the latter's rear disc brake setup) and was built exclusively at Ford's Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico assembly plant. The interior was refreshed for 1999, and the model was retired after 2003. The 1998 Escort ZX2 featured the 2.0 L, 130 hp (97 kW) Zetec DOHC four-cylinder engine as standard equipment, an option unavailable on the sedan or wagon. Intended for use as the base engine in the larger European Ford Mondeo and their American cousins, the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique, the Zetec gave the ZX2 more-than-respectable performance. The 1999 and 2000 model years offered a limited performance edition ZX2 S/R which further enhanced the cars performance in every aspect. Subtle differences can be noticed in the Escort sedan from 1997 to 2002. The trim lines of 1997 were base and the LX, 1998 to 2002 offered the LX and SE. In 1999, the reverse lights were moved into the same piece as the tail lamps; they were previously below the badging on the trunk. A very rare trim package could be found with chrome 14 inch (356 mm) wheel covers and other features. It was offered in 1999. The Escort was offered in a Sport package as well. The Mercury Tracer's version was called the Trio or Sport depending on the year. A basketweave type of wheel was put on the Tracer Trio while a flower petal pattern was used on the Tracer Sport. The Sport/Trio package included aluminum wheels, sport exhaust, a tachometer, and a rear decklid spoiler. The Escort wagon and the Mercury Tracer were discontinued after 1999. The Escort sedan ceased production in 2002, and was replaced by the Ford Focus. The last ZX2 was built in 2003. [edit] Engines
[edit] ZX2
 For 2001, the sedan was limited to fleet sales only and the Escort moniker on the Escort ZX2 was quietly dropped, making the car officially just ZX2. The writing was really on the wall that same year with the North American debut of the Ford Focus. Though not without its fans, both then and now, and still fairly well-represented in the automotive aftermarket, the ZX2 was replaced by the Focus ZX3, ZX4 and ZX5. Though the two cars shared the same Zetec engine, there were a few differences. The Focus lacked the exhaust-side VCT, and contained less aggressive camshafts that pushed the power band down a few hundred RPM. They both shared the same block, but due to the different camshafts and the different cylinder head, the torque output for the Focus was bumped up by 8 ft·lbf (10.8 N·m). Thanks to better gearing and less weight the ZX2 continued to outperform the Focus. The ZX2 continued with little more than 15 in (381 mm) alloy wheels and rear defroster now offered as standard equipment, and for 2003, a revised front fascia. Production ceased at the end of the 2003 model year. [edit] ZX2 S/RThe boom of tuner craze from over seas in the late 90s caused Ford to think about what competition they were bringing. Into competing with cheap performing vehicles such as the Honda Civic Si or the Dodge Neon ACR, Ford created the ZX2 S/R to show that indeed they had plenty to bring to the table. Its initial debut was at SEMA's Import Auto Salon in Polmona back in 1999. ZX2 S/R was the first product jointly developed by Ford Racing and Ford Motor Company's Small Vehicle Center Product Development. The designation S/R is derived from the term "Street/Racer". It has an assortment of after market racing upgrades/add ons. Ford's final limited production count was 2,110 units, consisting of 110 yellow S/R's in 1999, first two sold in Columbus, OH, the other 108 in southern California, and in the Year 2000, 500 black, 500 red and 1,000 yellow for an upgrade price of $1,500 both years. The optional S/R package adds stiffer suspension parts, more horsepower, rear disc brakes, a stronger clutch, a short-throw manual-transmission shifter, upgraded seats and a unique tire/wheel package.The horsepower is increased by 10 percent over the base Zetec engine used in the ZX2 by use of a recommended premium fuel re-calibration, new air inlet system and improved muffler and pipe. Eight SEMA products are built into ZX2 S/R. The addition of sports car extras and refinements under the hood improve the already excellent handling of ZX2 to make ZX2 S/R a real street and racetrack performer. [edit] Performance
[edit] TransmissionMazda based G-series transmission (G5M).
[edit] Factory add-ons
[edit] References
[edit] External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
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