2008 Ford Escape news, pictures, and information

'The goal from the beginning was to make Escape look even stronger and tougher than the original,' says Doyle Letson, chief designer for the 2008 Escape. 'We raised the beltline to give the profile a strong, modern proportion of sheetmetal to glass. Then, we sculpted the surfaces for a more Ford Tough Truck appearance, that now matches Escape's capabilities.'

The high beltline is further emphasized by the new blacked-out B-pillars, integrated running boards, available 17-inch wheels, and the deletion of the original Escape's molded-in color fascias and lower bodyside molding.

To integrate the higher beltline, the hood has also been raised and now features a unique 'reverse crease' design that draws the eye to the detailed surface. The new front fascia has headlamps that sweep up toward the front corners of the vehicle to short side marker lamps. The new headlights bracket the dramatic new grille.

Refined and Recycled Interior

The 2008 Escape is believed to be the first Ú.S. automotive application of seating surfaces made from 100 percent post-industrial materials, supplied by InterfaceFABRIC, Inc. InterfaceFABRIC estimates that Ford's use of post-industrial materials, rather than virgin fibers, could conserve an estimated 600,000 gallons of water, an estimated 1.8 million pounds of carbon dioxide equivalents, and the equivalent of more than 7 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually.

Escape also showcases Ford's first use of a 'top of dash' display positioned at eye level on the dashboard, which shows ambient temperature, radio functions and climate-control readouts. This simple, efficient design puts much of the vehicle's information in one place at the top of the dashboard, making it easier to reference when driving.

Also improving ease-of-use is the clean, uncluttered center console. Rather than the traditional 'brick' design for the radio and temperature controls, Escape features dials and buttons that 'poke-through' the center console. The instrument panel houses audio and climate controls, a standard MP3/iPod audio jack, and controls for the available heated seats and in-dash navigation system.

Escape's interior also features the first use of Ford's new, signature Ice Blue interior lighting. The cool blue lighting replaces the traditional green on the instrument cluster, the center console, the redundant controls on the §teering wheel, and the door lock and window switches. Ice Blue presents a cool, crisp, easy-on-the-eyes light for night driving and enhances the overall feel of the interior.

Escape's center console is large enough to hold a laptop computer, and there are three levels of storage space. In addition, the center console features two removable bins wîth innovative dovetail mounting points, which allows the bins to be hung from the front passenger side and rear of the console for additional storage.

Refined, Quiet Interior

Engineers made a host of changes to the 2008 Escape to reduce noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels inside the vehicle.

The 2008 Escape is one of the first Ford Motor Company vehicles to use speed-sensitive Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS), a sophisticated system that helps correct for road irregularities and improves overall §teering feel.

Conventional power §teering systems use an engine-driven hydraulic gear, which saps power and efficiency from the engine. The 2008 Escape's new EPAS system uses an electric motor, rather than the engine's accessory drive. This new system helps improve fuel economy and eliminates the hydraulic noises typical of conventional hydraulic power-assisted §teering systems.

In addition, new recessed channels in the vehicle's roof panel are designed to improve airflow over the top of the vehicle, while horizontal ribs in the roof also strengthen the body structure and help reduce boom noise in the cabin. A new acoustic laminate sandwiched between two glass panels in the windshield and an acoustic headliner also help decrease wind noise. New interior carpeting, which is up to 50 percent thicker, further improves the isolation from road and wind noise.

Compared wîth the previous model, the 2008 Escape is 12 percent quieter on the highway (30.8 sones to 27 sones at 80 mph in the wind tunnel) and 20 percent quieter in high velocity crosswinds.

Standard Safety Equipment and Fuel-efficient Powertrains

Únder its skin, the 2008 Escape has one of the most advanced safety packages in the small SÚV §egmènt. Escape comes standard wîth Safety Canopy™ side air curtains, which provide head and neck protection for the first- and second-row passengers, as well as standard side-impact air bags that deploy out of the upper portion of the front seats to protect the upper and lower torso of the driver and passenger. In addition, I-4 and V-6 Escape models come standard wîth Ford's exclusive AdvanceTrac® wîth RSC® (Roll Stability Control).

The 2008 Escape's standard 2.3-liter, 16-valve Duratec 23 I-4 produces 153 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 152 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,250 rpm, paired wîth either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. (posted on conceptcarz.com) The available 3.0-liter, 24-valve V-6 Duratec 30 engine makes 200 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 193 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,850 rpm. With a four-speed automatic, the V-6 powered Escape can tow up to 3,500 pounds.

Ford Escape Hybrid continues to be a 'full' hybrid. This means that, unlike other 'mild' hybrid vehicles, Escape Hybrid can run on 100 percent electric power up to about 25 mph, maximizing in-city fuel economy.

At low speeds, power is delivered by a permanent magnet AC synchronous electric motor, producing 70 kw @ 5,000 rpm and 330V maximum voltage. When additional power is required, the Escape Hybrid's 2.3-liter DOHC 16-valve Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine seamlessly engages, contributing 133 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 124 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,250 rpm. The net result is 155 horsepower wîth 0-60 times comparable to a 200 horsepower V-6 engine and a boost in city-driving fuel economy of nearly 75 percent. Escape Hybrids are equipped wîth a smooth-shifting, electronically controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

For 2008, Escape Hybrid engineers made revisions to software in the control system to improve transparency, or the transition between gasoline and electric operation. The transition from all-electric to gasoline power to a combination of the two is now even more seamless and virtually imperceptible to the driver.