Report: Is Ford expanding their ST performance lineup to create an Escape ST?
Ford’s been known to be kicking up their performance branch a couple notches with some new models, such as a rumored, and hopefully true, Fusion ST sports model.
Now, AutoExpress says an Escape ST could join the growing line of ST models, next to the Fiesta ST and the Focus ST. But that’s not all as Europeans could also benefit from a new Kuga ST model, which is essentially the European Escape, just named differently.
This would be a first for the market since the Escape’s rivals don’t exactly have any high-performance offerings to boot, giving the company an edge on the market. Additionally, the Escape is very much capable of greater performance potential since it’s a fairly competent and sporty driving crossover to begin with.
If there were to be any close competitors to be named at the moment, Nissan’s NISMO and NISMO RS version of the Juke, and Mini’s John Cooper Works version of the Countryman would be the closest rivals. On the European front, Abarth versions of the Fiat 500X and Renaultsport are both planning their own sporty crossovers as well.
Regardless of what’s coming, the hot-crossover-ute market is heating up and Ford won’t be able to sit on the sidelines for long. That said, the idea of the Ford Focus ST’s turbocharged four, or even the RS’ model’s turbo-four under the hood of the Escape, along with beefier suspension, brakes, and a more aggressive bodykit sound quite enticing, no matter how bonkers it may be.
We like bonkers.
– By: Chris Chin
Source: AutoExpress