Ford Escort (North America)
The Ford Escort was a compact car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. The North American Escort adopted both the badge and the general design of a redesigned European model, and the name has been applied to several different designs in North America since its introduction as Ford's first successful world car. This platform was also known in Australia, and Asia as the Ford Laser and also sold as the Mazda 323, as the exterior dimensions and engine displacement was in compliance with Japanese regulations. It was sold at Mazda "Autorama" dealership sales channels.
The Escort was Ford's first front-wheel-drive car built in North America, replacing the dated Ford Pinto subcompact car (1971–80) with a modern front-wheel drive design popularized by the Volkswagen Rabbit. It also effectively replaced the smaller Ford Fiesta which was imported from Europe from 1978–80.
The Escort was one of Ford's most successful models in the 1980s, earning a much better reputation than the Pinto, which faced widely publicized safety issues. In fact, the Escort was the single best-selling car in its second year in the United States and during most of that decade.
Read more about Ford Escort (North America): First Generation (1981–1990), Second Generation (1991–1996), Third Generation (1997–2002), ZX2, ZX2 S/R, Sales
Famous quotes containing the words ford and/or escort:
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