We haven’t seen the forthcoming 2013 Ford Escape up close since last March when our spy photographers caught it heavily adorned with camouflage. Until now, that is.
New shots of the small Ford crossover reveal plenty of details, from its Focus-like front fascia and vents on the front fenders to the sleek rear profile and small back window. Narrow headlamps and taillamps recall the Ford Vertrek concept, as does the upturned D-pillar. In fact, the Vertrek’s styling looks to be carried over almost completely, with even the strong character lines on the new Escape’s hood visible under the adhesive mask.
Our photographers have caught more than one Escape out in the wild, and we notice that both single and dual exhaust versions are being tested. The white Escape with single exhaust appears to be a base trim, as it is riding on steel wheels, while the black, dual exhaust prototype is wearing larger alloys with shorter sidewall tires.
We’ve previously speculated that Ford will offer the new Escape with three engine options: A base 2.5-liter four cylinder that’s a carryover from the current model, and turbocharged fours in 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter displacements. We can only hope that the rumored 247-horsepower EcoBoost is what’s hiding under the hood of that black Escape.
Ford is expected to introduce the 2013 Escape at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, so shouldn’t be long before we find out.
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