Though they share the same basic shape, the 1981 Ford Escort and Escort Mk III share no interchangeable body parts the only common components between the two vehicles are the CVH inline-4 engine and the ATX automatic transmission. During model development, American and European design teams diverged in thinking, leading to extensive differences in the final product lines. Intended for a 1981 model launch, the original intent was for the American Escort and the European Mk III Escort to share a common chassis architecture and components.
The program intended to consolidate the replacements for the North American Ford Pinto and the European Ford Escort Mk II under a single model architecture. Following the success of the smaller Fiesta, the new vehicle was to adopt a front-wheel drive powertrain. Ford had already tried to market some of its European models in the North American market, including the Capri and the Mk I Fiesta, but these were single products conceived from the beginning to cater for both markets, not world cars. The North American Ford Escort began as an intended " world car" project by Ford in North America and Ford of Europe, which had sold cars branded "Ford Escort" since 1968. In contrast to the first-generation American Escort and Escort Mk III of Ford of Europe (and the Mondeo/Contour and Mercury Mystique), the Focus adopted a much larger degree of commonality between its European and North American variants, in effect, becoming the original world car Ford had originally envisioned with the Escort.ĭuring its entire production, the Escort was produced by Wayne Stamping & Assembly in ( Wayne, Michigan) and the first generation was also produced by Edison Assembly in ( Edison, New Jersey), San Jose Assembly Plant in ( Milpitas, California), and Oakville Assembly in ( Oakville, Ontario, Canada) while the second and third generations were also produced by Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly in ( Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico).įord "world car" American version: 1981 Ford Escort GLX (on display at The Henry Ford) European version: 1981 Ford Escort Mk III 1.3L
After 2000, the four-door Escort was moved primarily to fleet sales (with the coupe remaining available) production ended entirely after the 2002 model year. For 1997, the third generation served as an extensive redesign of the previous-generation sedan the Escort ZX2 two-door was introduced, with the Mercury Tracer adopting a similar redesign.įord introduced the Ford Focus in North America for 2000 as its third "world car", phasing it in as the successor of the Escort. Moving away from a shared design with Ford of Europe, the Escort now shared a platform with the Mazda 323 and sharing a body with the Ford Laser (a model line sold in Asia and Oceania) the Mercury Lynx was replaced by the Mercury Tracer. The second generation was introduced for 1991, growing into the compact segment. The first generation served as the basis of the longer-wheelbase Ford Tempo/Mercury Topaz, the two-seat Ford EXP/Mercury LN7 and was rebranded as the Mercury Lynx. During its production, the Escort also underwent a wide use of platform sharing and rebranding. Produced across three generations, the Escort was the first world car developed by Ford, with the first-generation American Escort designed alongside Ford of Europe, who transitioned the Escort Mk III to front-wheel drive. Becoming highly successful in the marketplace, the Escort became the best-selling car in the United States after 1982, a position it would hold for much of the 1980s. Produced across three generations, the first generation was a subcompact the latter two generations were compact cars. The direct successor of the Ford Pinto, the Escort also largely overtook the role of the European-imported Ford Fiesta as the smallest vehicle in the Ford model line in North America. The North American version of the Ford Escort is a range of cars that was sold by Ford from the 1981 to 2003 model years.
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