Ford Escort Concept unveiled in Shanghai

Putting a new twist on one of the automaker’s classic model names, the Ford Escort Concept made its debut in Shanghai and provided the first look at a well-styled, spacious 4-door sedan that will almost certainly turn into a new addition to the Blue Oval’s China contingent. Touting its simple, elegant and harmonious design — which nonetheless maintains strong ties to the firm’s current exterior styling themes introduced on the 2011 Ford Evos Concept — Jim Farley, Ford Motor Company Executive Vice President, Global Marketing, Sales and Service and Lincoln, says the car is aimed at "discerning, modern families, who want uncompromised functionality, quality and safety for themselves and the ones they care about."

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A literal extension of the compact Focus — Ford’s and China’s best-selling nameplate in 2012 – the Escort Concept was created to provide the same kind of economy and reliability as that benchmark model, but offers a longer wheelbase for increased interior room as well as a more contemporary attitude. According to Martin Smith, Ford’s executive design director, Europe and Asia Pacific, a production version of the Escort Concept would attempt to grab a segment of the Chinese market that appreciates sophisticated design but also demands a more spacious family-size vehicle. Farley further noted that the car highlights the strength of the automaker’s global One Ford approach to design and shows how the firm’s unified visual language can be used to endow "attainable" vehicles with a refined appearance.

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