2009 Escort?

[grbeck]

Nothing wrong with Escort...that car had a good reputation for reliability by the time Ford discontinued it.

 

As for the Festiva - it may have looked like a phone booth on wheels, but everyone I knew who owned one said it ran and ran and ran...

 

The Aspire, on the other hand,...

[Hugh]

Whatever name that will bring customers found memories and into the showrooms. Me mom had a 81 Escort which was absolute garbage! I dated a woman who drove a 98-99 (?) ZX2 which was not bad. Here in NA, You'd probably get more recognition with Escort. Not my favorite but I know the difference between Fiesta and Festiva.

Edited March 6, 2007 by Hugh

[Roadrunner]

Depends who they want to buy the car. If they're looking to a younger demographic, Fiesta is a fun-sounding name for a hip car (Suzuki Reno). However, Escort will sell more cars.

 

Fiesta is a semi-girly name though and has weak connotations. "I really wanted a G6, but all I could afford is this shitty Fiesta."

 

Escort is one of those names where people say, "Yeah I drive an Escort" "Oh, okay, I've heard of that car before - I have no problem with that"

Escort has been around for so long that while everyone knows that it's a small economy car, but it's not a Cavalier.

 

"Dude, all you could afford is a Cavalier? What are you, unemployed?"

Versus

"Okay, that's an Escort. Those are reliable." or "I don't really want to drive an Escort, but it seems like a good investment like what a Corolla would be like"

 

The Escort name doesn't have "hip" attached to it at all, but it does have "reliable" attached to it, similar to Taurus. Focus has a modest amount of "hip" attached to it, but today it's panned as "boring."

 

I guess the real question is, get sales from the mundane populations or does Ford want to risk its neck trying to increase its "hipness" in a market that shifts Japanese?

 

The only major problem I would have with Escort is:

Escort + Taurus = people think Ford is sliding back to its old names, and not "moving forward."

 

//aged 23

Edited March 6, 2007 by Roadrunner

[Roadrunner]

A potential good name for this might just be "Freestyle" - if it's a hatchback that collects cool teenagers. Otherwise that name will flops.

[ZanatWork]

No, I think it's the Escort that was the best selling vehicle in the country for a few years.

 

 

Yeah...and the source of many of those sales "HERTZ" the resale value.

 

Neither the American-bred nor the Mazda-derived examples drove anywhere near as well as their main competition. Simple fact. Sales numbers mean exaclty nothing when it's the question of "do I enjoy my car or not?".

[retro-man]

I had a '98 Escort Wagon (5-spd.) for a few years. It was as reliable as my wife's Accords (and, from my experience with the Accords, that is a supreme compliment) - the only trouble I ever had with it was the front passenger door speaker wire came loose. No mechanical troubles whatsoever. It drove very nicely - handled well, had plenty of power - when you pushed it, you could pretend it wasn't an appliance. It was a good little car. I have driven rented Foci before. Just don't like them as much. Maybe it's the automatics they invariably have. Maybe it's the high, non-carlike seating position (like a mini - minvan). Somehow they don't feel as nimble or as peppy. The actual track numbers may prove otherwise.......

[Biker16]

there MUST be more than one B-car.

At least 3 B-cars for the whole venture to be profitable.

 

Look we are building a NEW PLANT to build these cars.

 

We Can never sell 200,000 Fiestas on this continent.

 

We have to be diverse and not be limited to one or 2 segments.

 

that said.

 

The fiesta should be called fiesta. and the SUV should be called escort.

 

reflex coupe

 

mercury CUV B-max.

[NickF1011]

there MUST be more than one B-car.

At least 3 B-cars for the whole venture to be profitable.

 

Look we are building a NEW PLANT to build these cars.

 

We Can never sell 200,000 Fiestas on this continent.

 

We have to be diverse and not be limited to one or 2 segments.

 

that said.

 

The fiesta should be called fiesta. and the SUV should be called escort.

 

reflex coupe

 

mercury CUV B-max.

 

As long as the new plant is flex-capable, there's no reason they ONLY have to build B-cars. Throw some C2's into the mix like the next gen C-Max or maybe a Bronco.

[igor]

there MUST be more than one B-car.

At least 3 B-cars for the whole venture to be profitable.

 

Look we are building a NEW PLANT to build these cars.

 

We Can never sell 200,000 Fiestas on this continent.

 

We have to be diverse and not be limited to one or 2 segments.

 

that said.

 

The fiesta should be called fiesta. and the SUV should be called escort.

 

reflex coupe

 

mercury CUV B-max.

B-Max will be a Ford .. and I believe there is NO plan for US only B-car plant .. the US cars will either be produced in Brazil or Europe ... or Mexico - but the Mexican plant would also export to other markets outside NA.

 

Igor

Edited March 6, 2007 by igor

[atomcat68]

there MUST be more than one B-car.

At least 3 B-cars for the whole venture to be profitable.

 

Look we are building a NEW PLANT to build these cars.

 

We Can never sell 200,000 Fiestas on this continent.

 

We have to be diverse and not be limited to one or 2 segments.

 

that said.

 

The fiesta should be called fiesta. and the SUV should be called escort.

 

reflex coupe

 

mercury CUV B-max.

I totally agree! Except I'd have a little car like the Mazda called Escort (or Fiesta because it's likely to be called that around the world), the sporty Reflex like coupe called Probe and My SUV would be called Bronco.

[philsshon2]

could this be the first pictures of the new fiesta/escort?

 

http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/auto...ws/4213197.html

 

http://media.popularmechanics.com/images/c...d-four-door.jpg

http://media.popularmechanics.com/images/c...d-ford-side.jpg

http://media.popularmechanics.com/images/c...d-ford-rear.jpg

[kalu]

Most must not remember the Fiesta, before the Escort. ..and yes, it was here in America.

 

 

AAHHH, Fiesta. Thats the car I learned to drive back in 1979. Dad used it to go to work, that thing would drive through snow where a cj-7 couldn't. It was pumpkin orange inside and out. Had a brake design flaw though, every six months he had to tear into it. I like the Escort name all the way.....

[630land]

I'd say Escort also, but maybe an all new name will appear?

 

Other old names that could work: Maverick, Lynx, Comet?

[NickF1011]

could this be the first pictures of the new fiesta/escort?

 

http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/auto...ws/4213197.html

 

http://media.popularmechanics.com/images/c...d-four-door.jpg

http://media.popularmechanics.com/images/c...d-ford-side.jpg

http://media.popularmechanics.com/images/c...d-ford-rear.jpg

 

Those look an awful lot like the current Fiesta with a couple of bars tacked into the nose.

[NickF1011]

What's wrong with that? Works for every other product Ford makes, right? :rolleyes:

 

 

I didn't say there was anything wrong with it, just pointing out that it looks like a current gen Fiesta, which is probably not what we are going to get here. Seems rather odd is all. Maybe they are just messing with powertrains or something.

[Blueblood]

I didn't say there was anything wrong with it, just pointing out that it looks like a current gen Fiesta, which is probably not what we are going to get here. Seems rather odd is all. Maybe they are just messing with powertrains or something.

 

Good God...

 

I thought they must just be old pics from the current gen Euro Fiesta but that 2008 super duty behind it tells us it's recent, and here in the states...

 

Itwouldn't surprise me if the entire frikking planet got the all new Fiesta and we got stuck with the old one with the required American changes (Being the ugly razor grill and the 4x4 ride height).

 

Now I really like the current Fiesta, I just don't like the idea with us getting the old one while every other country gets the new one, that is the el cheapo mindset that has gotten Ford in their current mess..

 

Hopefully there's more than meets the eye here..

[bilge]

Could be the new

 

EXP

[NickF1011]

The more I see this thread, the more I REALLY hope they DON'T call it Escort. I just really really really hate that name. Of course, I've never had any good experiences with an Escort either, and the Fiesta was generally before my time.

 

Let's keep in mind who the target audience is for B-cars: young buyers. Young buyers don't even remember the Fiesta. However, if they are anything like me, they still have fresh memories of seeing rusted out 80's Escort boxes everywhere on the side of the road.

[bravestar]

The more I see this thread, the more I REALLY hope they DON'T call it Escort. I just really really really hate that name. Of course, I've never had any good experiences with an Escort either, and the Fiesta was generally before my time.

 

Let's keep in mind who the target audience is for B-cars: young buyers. Young buyers don't even remember the Fiesta. However, if they are anything like me, they still have fresh memories of seeing rusted out 80's Escort boxes everywhere on the side of the road.

 

My hope is the don't name it Free--- or Super---. If Escort is a no go, then lets be more original.

[Blueblood]

The more I see this thread, the more I REALLY hope they DON'T call it Escort. I just really really really hate that name. Of course, I've never had any good experiences with an Escort either, and the Fiesta was generally before my time.

 

Let's keep in mind who the target audience is for B-cars: young buyers. Young buyers don't even remember the Fiesta. However, if they are anything like me, they still have fresh memories of seeing rusted out 80's Escort boxes everywhere on the side of the road.

 

 

Exactly...

 

My friend had an Escort that was a total piece of crap, he will NOT buy another one, most young people don't know what the hell a Fiesta even is, besides it sounds a lot better than "Escort"...

[MKII]

If any new Ford is called the Escort it should be the 2008 Focus, too save any credibility the Focus name has left in North America.

[RichardJensen]

Those look an awful lot like the current Fiesta with a couple of bars tacked into the nose.

Rear is totally different.

[InTheDriversSeat]

How can some of you guys say that the Escort had a 'good reputation' and was 'reliable'?

 

The 'Escort' name has a bad connotation among many people in the U.S. The 1st Generation North American Escorts (1981-1990) are well known for cracked cylinder heads. Even Ford thought the name was bad because the name of the two door Escort ZX2 was changed to just 'Ford ZX2' for the final 3 years of the model: 2001-2003.

 

The quality was much improved with the 3rd Generations (1997-2003). I currently own a 2003 'Ford ZX2' which has been great so far except for a broken thermostat. The dealer charged me $240 for labor to replace it ($120 per hour X 2 hours)!

 

I agree that the front of the car in the photo looks like the European Fiesta with the North American bars added, but different in the back. Most people will not remember the old Fiesta in the U.S. (1978-1980), so Ford should name the car 'Fiesta' here.

 

In the past, Escorts were the next step-up after the smallest car in the lineup (Fiesta, Festiva, Aspire). If this car is going to be the smallest Ford in the U.S., they should not call it Escort.

Edited March 9, 2007 by InTheDriversSeat

[silvrsvt]

How can some of you guys say that the Escort had a 'good reputation' and was 'reliable'?

 

The 'Escort' name has a bad connotation among many people in the U.S. The 1st Generation North American Escorts (1981-1990) are well known for cracked cylinder heads. Even Ford thought the name was bad because the name of the two door Escort ZX2 was changed to just 'Ford ZX2' for the final 3 years of the model: 2001-2003.

 

 

the Escort was still the best selling car from 1982-1988 I believe before the Taurus took over the spot. Not say they didn't have their issues, but all the ones my family had ran great. Its just like the transmission/head gasket problems with the Taurus...it still doesn't take away from the fact it was a revolutionary car. I don't care either way...I've had personal experience with a 1st gen Fiesta and 1st and Second Gen Escorts and they where all good.

[92merc]

I think Ford NA would do fine by either Escort or Festiva names. However, I think Ford should pick a global name and go for it.

 

As far as Escorts having a "bad rep", I say bull. My family has/had two of them. My brothers 99 Escort went 200k miles before he bought a new car. Other than tire, brakes, oil, it needed nothing. My mom still has her '84 Escort. 250k miles on it. I think my dad just replaced the intake gasket and something else because of a minor anti-freeze leak. But exhaust is SS and like new. No engine problems. And it's a true HEMI! :-)