Registered: Jan 2002
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<a href="http://escape-central.com>Ford Escape</a>
It's Time To Escape...
Official 2005 Ford
Escape Information Released

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Ford has announced improvements for our great Escapes. Available starting in February 2004, the redesigned 2005 Ford Escape expands its capability and style with a new four-cylinder engine, Intelligent 4WD System, a fresh look inside and out, standard anti-lock brakes and the Safety Canopy curtain air bag system with rollover protection.

Escape combines fuel economy, durability, roominess and capability on- and off-road in a small SUV, says Steve Lyons, Ford Division president. “It remains the segment leader by continuing to deliver the right package at the right price.”

OVERVIEW:
NEW POWERTRAIN, STYLE AND SAFETY

A fresh look inside and out

All-new Duratec 23 four-cylinder engine with newly available automatic transmission

New fully automatic Intelligent 4WD System

Standard Personal Safety System™ and optional Safety Canopy™ rollover protection

Key Changes For 2005 Include: <-- visit link for other details

• The new Duratec 23 2.3L I-4 engine with a newly available automatic transmission
  
• An all-new automatic Intelligent 4WD System
  
• Quieter cabin with standard floor shifter and substantially upgraded interior
  
• A fresh appearance with new lamps, front and rear fascias, wheels and four new colors
  
• The Safety Canopy™, Personal Safety System™ and improved offset crash protection.

As a leader in the small sport-utility segment, Escape attracts younger buyers to the Ford SUV lineup. The target customers are active singles and couples in their 20s and 30s, as well as those who are “young at heart.” Escape is fun-to-drive, agile, sporty, durable yet affordable and fuel-efficient transportation ideal for first-time SUV buyers or those seeking the attributes of an SUV in a more compact package.


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Escape offers the advantages of two engine options, including a powerful V-6, 10 common equipment configurations in XLS, XLT and Limited trims, independent rear suspension, a rear liftgate with flip-up glass, outstanding roominess, cargo features and spaciousness. It is also the only small SUV designed to pass the rigorous Tough Truck testing given to all Ford trucks and SUVs.

Escape sales through September, 2003 were up 17 percent, with total sales greater than any of its competitors. For the 2005 model year, Escape is designed for even greater appeal, with a new four-cylinder engine and newly available automatic transmission that gives Escape the best range of powertrains in the segment.





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Registered: Jan 2002
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NEWS: 2005 Ford Escape

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New Duratec 23 Four-Cylinder Engine
With its new Duratec 23 four-cylinder engine, Escape is the latest Ford Motor Company vehicle to take advantage of the company’s new global four-cylinder engine family. The engine develops 153 horsepower and 152 foot-pounds of torque, while a balance shaft provides exceptional smoothness. An automatic transmission is newly available for 2005 and is expected to make the four-cylinder Escape more popular. The standard manual transmission is a new gearbox with lighter shifting efforts and shorter throws.

Improved Duratec 30 V-6 Engine
The Duratec 30 V-6 engine, standard on Escape XLT and Limited, is improved for 2005 with a smoother idle and more responsive part-throttle response thanks to new engine mounts and the sophisticated Black Oak powertrain management computer. With 200 peak horsepower, it is one of the most powerful engines in the segment.

More Confident Braking
Anti-lock brakes are newly standard on all models for 2005. The system features Quick Brake Assist, a power-assistance technology that can recognize hard braking and help the driver apply maximum braking force – for shorter stops. Six-cylinder four-wheel-drive models now have discs at all four wheels.




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Registered: Jan 2002
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Features: Hybrid Power... Intelligent Tracking 4WD

<a href="http://escape-central.com>Ford Escape</a>
Hybrid Power Coming Soon
The 2005 Escape and the new Duratec 23 architecture form the foundation for the Escape Hybrid, which will go on sale in late summer 2004. The hybrid-electric version of the Escape will use a modified version of the Duratec 23 and a hybrid transaxle to deliver very low emissions and high fuel economy with the performance of a V-6 engine and the go-anywhere capability Escape customers expect from a Ford SUV


_____2005 Escape HEV Power Packs will stow under the rear floor



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Intelli-Trac?
All-New Intelligent 4WD System
The 2005 Escape has the new fully-automatic Intelligent 4WD System for even better traction and stability with smoother, more fuel-efficient operation. The computer-controlled system operates so transparently that most drivers will never notice it has engaged – except by being impressed with Escape’s capability in slippery conditions.

This new "Intelli-Trac" system replaces the current Control Trac II™ design and offers better traction and vehicle stability, improved fuel economy and smoother operation. The automatic system requires no driver intervention and is so seamless in operation that most drivers will never notice that it has engaged – other than being impressed by the system’s capability in slippery conditions.

The Intelligent 4WD System uses a fully computer-controlled clutch that engages the rear wheels only as needed. Using sensors at each wheel and at the accelerator pedal, the system’s computer calculates – dozens of times per second – exactly how much torque to send to the rear wheels to minimize slip. It can even predict slip and preclude it from happening at all.

The Intelligent 4WD System eliminates one of the drawbacks of other four-wheel-drive systems tuned aggressively for maximum traction, which is a binding effect during tight turns and a feeling of driveline harshness when the system engages. The Intelligent 4WD System can sense tight turns and continuously vary torque to the rear wheels at all speeds, offering the benefits of a "locked" four-wheel-drive system without any of the drawbacks. Escape also is available in a front-wheel-drive configuration that provides more traction and stability than rear-wheel-drive competitors.

Class-Leading Safety and Security
With revisions to the body structure to improve performance in offset frontal crashes, a standard passenger-seat weight-sensing technology and the Personal Safety System™, the Escape is expected to be the first vehicle in its class to meet the newly amended Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208 for occupant crash protection. The Ford-exclusive Safety Canopy™ rollover protection system is also available in 2005. Head restraints and three-point safety belts are standard at all seating positions.

Standard Floor Shifter and a Fresh Look Inside and Out
For 2005 Escape has a substantially re-fitted interior with a standard flow-through console and floor-mounted shifter, modern gauges, upgraded seat cushions and fabrics and more storage spaces. Escape’s aggressive exterior is updated for 2005 with new headlamps, fog lamps, an egg-crate grille, new front and rear fascias and new 15-inch and 16-inch aluminum wheels. The lower bumpers, front and rear, have stylized ribs. Four new paint colors include Sonic Blue, Norsea Blue, Silver Metallic and Titanium Green.


Quieter Interior, More Comfortable Ride
The 2005 Escape benefits from major engineering efforts to quiet the interior. Added sound-absorbing panels and tighter sealing measures reduce cabin noise, while the balance shaft on the new Duratec 23 and new engine mounts on the Duratec 30 make the powertrains smoother than ever. Larger-diameter front shocks and a new front stabilizer system better absorb road impacts while maintaining Escape’s hallmark driving dynamics.

Production Begins This December!
The 2005 Escape will begin production in December 2003 at Ford’s Kansas City, Mo. assembly plant and in Jan. 2004 at the Avon Lake, Ohio assembly plant. Major markets include North America and Europe, where it is sold under the Maverick nameplate.







Click here for a printable...
2005 Ford Escape Details PDF !!!









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Ford Product News:
BREAKING NEWS! 2005 Ford Escape Initial Options & Price List !!
BREAKING NEWS: Ford Escape Hybrid Website Updated
BREAKING NEWS: Escape wins BEST SMALL SUV Award !!!
Ford Escape "TAKE DELIVERY" CheckList !!!
ARCHIVE: 2004 ESCAPE Changes (use to compare to 05 'Scape)!!!

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3rd Gear

Registered: Oct 2003
Location: Gastonia, NC USA
Posts: 398

2005 Escape Pictures

Here is the 2005 model with new clear round headlamps and front and rear bumper cover restyling. Seems the headlamp housings have the same bumper cover opening shape as the previous model years perhaps making it easy for a styling update retrofit on older models. I like the new front!

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Hyperdrive

Registered: Sep 2002
Location: Somewhere...over the rainbow
Posts: 8437

Isn't the underneath spare a big change?

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3rd Gear

Registered: Oct 2003
Location: Gastonia, NC USA
Posts: 398

quote:

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Originally posted by Rick Zeman
Isn't the underneath spare a big change?

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1st Gear

Registered: Apr 2002
Location: S.E., Michigan
Posts: 125

I think the rear floor was redesigned to accept the battery for the new hybrid Escape.

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Hyperdrive

Registered: Jul 2003
Location: Daylesford VIC Australia
Posts: 7898

I'm wondering if the several small black circular objects on the rear bumper cover are reversing sensors (which seem to be on most new vehicles now).

Can't see a tailgate keyhole.
Hmmm . . . Nil mudflaps? In Oz at least you get moulded rear mudflaps and the fronts are an accessory. Yeah! I know - picky picky!

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quote:

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Originally posted by Fitzy
I'm wondering if the several small black circular objects on the rear bumper cover are reversing sensors (which seem to be on most new vehicles now).

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3rd Gear

Registered: Oct 2003
Location: Gastonia, NC USA
Posts: 398

Escape Preview Article

_________: : 2005 Ford Escape : : Wards Auto : :
DEARBORN – Ford Motor Co. expects ’05 Escape buyers will be more than three times as likely to opt for the vehicle’s base I-4 engine than those who purchased previous models.

Starting Dec. 15, Escape gets the Duratec 23 iteration of Ford’s global I-4 architecture. The all-aluminum overhead-cam engine produces 153 hp and 152 lb.-ft. (206 Nm) of torque.


2005 Ford Escape
This compares favorably with the 127 hp and 135 lb.-ft. (183 Nm) made by the 2.0L Zetec I-4 that served as Escape’s base engine until now. The Zetec’s take rate was less than 5%, with an overwhelming majority of Escape buyers choosing the optional 3.0L V-6.

Ward's is told at least 15% of ’05 Escape buyers will stand pat with the new I-4. Not so, says John Rich, chief program engineer-North American 4-cyl. engines. “We’re going to do better than that,” he says.

While early I-4 builds may suffer from limited equipment availability, a source says, “We actually improve the offering mid-year.” What’s coming? “Creature comforts,” Ward's is told.

The ’05 Escape also benefits from:

• Occupant-classification sensing that could make it the first vehicle in its class to meet the revised federal standard for airbag deployment.
  
• 3-point seatbelts and head restraints for every seating position.
  
• Optional “safety canopy” side-curtain airbags.
  
• An all-new, “intelligent” computer-controlled 4-wheel-drive system that offers seamless deployment.
  
• A freshened exterior that features a ribbed skid plate on the XLT No Boundaries package.
  
• Four new colors.

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Hyperdrive

Registered: Jul 2003
Location: Daylesford VIC Australia
Posts: 7898

quote:

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Originally posted by Watchdevil
2005 Escape Preview Article

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3rd Gear

Registered: Oct 2003
Location: Gastonia, NC USA
Posts: 398

quote:

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Originally posted by Hammerschultz
I think the rear floor was redesigned to accept the battery for the new hybrid Escape.

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Registered: Apr 2003
Location:
Posts: 61

More 2005 Escape info:

Ford Media
Februrary 2004 Launch Date Confirmed

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Hyperdrive

Registered: Jul 2003
Location: Metro New York
Posts: 6279

Don't like the floor shift and hate the underbody spare ...........Won't it be lovely grabbing that crud spare for a tire change. As for the Body changes .........What's the big deal. You would think that they did a whole new redesign with such a early release of the 2005's. All marketing!

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