The Ford Escape pace vehicle that will lead the way on June 30 at Kentucky Speedway was unveiled today at the Louisville Assembly Plant.

The Escape will pace three different Nascar events, all taking place over one weekend at the Kentucky Speedway. This marks the first time an Escape will pace the event, becoming the third vehicle Ford will introduce as a first to Nascar pace cars. The American automaker also fielded the first hybrid pace car in 2008, and the first all-electric pace car with the Focus Electric this past April.

The pace car was unveiled at the Louisville engine plant by Nascar driver Matt Kenseth, “I am glad I got to be part of this ceremony today,” said Kenseth.  “Not only did I get a chance to drive the all-new Escape for the first time, but I had a chance to tour the new plant and meet some of the workers who built the vehicle, which was really neat.”

Watch all three races, taking place on the last weekend in June, to see the Ford Escape pace vehicle.

The new 2013 Ford Escape has lost some weight and gained some increased aerodynamics, and the official mpg ratings from the EPA show an improvement, but are still not quite the best among Escape’s competitors. 

The 2013 Escape is offered with three engine choices, a 1.6-liter four-cylinder that offers 178 hp and 184 ft-lb of torque, a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 240 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque and a 2.5-liter four-cylinder which puts out 168 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque.

The two smaller engines make use of Ford’s EcoBoost fuel saving technology, which nets the small 1.6-liter motor 33 mpg highway and 23 mpg city. The 2.0-liter EcoBoost is rated at 30 mpg highway and 22 mpg city, while the largest engine, the 2.5-liter four-cylinder gets 31 mpg highway and 22 mpg city.

While Ford is claiming that the Escape is now the most fuel efficient small SUV on the market, the Mazda CX-5 gets 26 mpg city and 32 mpg highway with an automatic transmission, or 26 mpg city and 35 mpg highway with a manual. The small Ford engine does beat the automatic transmission CX-5 highway number by 1 mpg, but all the rest of the engine options and all the city mpg numbers are bested by the Mazda. The 1.6-liter driven Escape does however provide an additional 20 hp and 30 lb-ft of torque over the Mazda.

Ford also says the the 1.6-liter serves as a replacement for the Escape Hybrid model, and on the highway this is true, as the new gas engine gets 33 mpg while the hybrid only got 31 mpg. But in the city, the hybrid was much better with fuel, getting a 34 mpg rating while the new 1.6-liter “replacement” nets 23 mpg  city.

Read our review of the 2013 Ford Escape here.

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The Ford Escape saw a major overhaul for the 2013 model year, ditching its traditional SUV styling for something more in line with the European Kuga offering.

As part of the American automaker’s ‘One Ford’ plan of ensuring North American models are nearly identical to its European counterparts, the changes to the 2013 Ford Escape are being welcomed with open arms.

Ford announced that it has almost 8,000 orders for its new Escape that will be hitting showrooms late next month with a starting price of $23,295, about $200 cheaper than its predecessor. But the base model isn’t even what the consumers are interested in. Half the orders for the new Ford Escape are for the higher trim levels: the new Titanium and the SEL which starts at $28,695. That falls in line with our recent report that average new car sales reached an all-time high of $30,748.

Powered by either a 1.6- or 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, the Escape combines performance (thanks to a turbocharger) with fuel efficiency. The previous 2.5L four-cylinder is also being carried over, but it’s expected that most buyers will opt for the new EcoBoost offerings.

GALLERY: 2013 Ford Escape

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Social media is the newest venue which car manufacturers debut upcoming vehicles, and Ford is using prime time television to sell its new 2013 Ford Escape, with the challenge adventure based show, “Escape Routes.”

The show will follow six teams of two as they traverse America, stopping to compete in competitions along the way, all featuring the 2013 Ford Escape. ”This is the first time an automaker has used prime-time television to launch a new vehicles and it is a great showcase for the all-new Escape,” said Ford’s vice-president of global marketing, sales and service Jim Farley.

The show will air Saturday evenings at 8pm on NBC, and on mun2, a Latin American station on Saturday nights at 11pm.

Along with watching the show, fans can track the locations of each team in real time on escaperoutes.com. 

Ford is making some impressive headway in its use of green materials. Earlier this year, the automaker announced that it would be using recycled bottles for making the seating material found in the Escape’s interior. Now, Ford will be using a south Asian plant in the construction of the Escape’s doors.

The plant, which is called kenaf, will be used to make the interior bolster on each door of the Escape. Kenaf is generally used for making paper, but its fibers have been used to create rope and cloth. For the Escape, the plant will be mixed 50/50 with polypropylene (a commonly used thermoplastic polymer) to construct the bolsters.

Thanks to this eco-friendly move, this will offset 300,000 pounds of oil-based resin every year. Plus, by using kenaf, the Escape will lose a little weight, as the bolsters will be 25 percent lighter.

We look forward to seeing what other green initiatives Ford has up its sleeve for the Escape. Would you be more or less likely to buy an Escape now that it’s being made with greener materials? Let us know in the comments section below.

[Source: Good Clean Tech]

New details on the 2013 Ford Escape are available thanks to a consumer survey page posted on the company’s website.

While the pricing details aren’t concrete, it gives us more information than we had last December when we reported that the American giant planned to drop their hybrid powertrain in light of lackluster sales and new engines that came close to the same fuel economy without electric motors.

Now we know that there will be four trim levels: the S, SE, SEL and Titanium. Prices increase along with the length of the package name. According to the page, the base “S” might start at $21,970, though the prices and features may change based on customer feedback.

The features list is slim, but will probably include an AM/FM radio and single-disc CD player with MP3 compatibility and six speakers as well as Ford’s MyKey, Safety Canopy and driver knee and side airbags.

The top-of-the-line “Titanium” package upgrades you to HD radio and a 10-speaker Sony sound system. Also Sync with MyFord Touch and a partial leather interior.

The mid-range SE and SEL models differ, but it’s hard to believe that Ford will really restrict features between the different Escapes, especially given that this is a tentative list.

GALLERY: 2013 Ford Escape

It seems this is the first major recall of the year, and it comes from the Ford Motor Company. Ford is recalling 450,426 vehicles consisting of three different models for two separate reasons which they announced all together this morning.

205,896 model year 2004-2005 Ford Freestars and Mercury Montereys are being brought in by Ford because of a weak torque converter output shaft which is at risk of failing. If this shaft is compromised the driver of the vehicle will experience a sudden loss of all drive power with no warning. This recall is expected to begin the second calendar quarter of 2012.

Along with the Minivans, 244,530 Ford Escapes are being recalled thanks to a brake master cylinder cap which is at risk of leaking brake fluid. If the brake fluid leaks it would cover the ABS module wiring harness connector which could result in corrosion of the electrical connection, and eventually melting, smoke, and fire. This recall affects model year 2001-2002 Escapes that were built between October 22, 1999,through July 19, 2002, and is expected to begin on January,23rd 2012. However Ford has also said that there may be a parts shortage for this particular cap at dealers, so while owners will be contacted soon, they may have to leave their vehicles with Ford for an extended period of time before the problem can be remedied.

Ford has been enjoying great success this year with their sales of small SUVs, reporting that 206,896 Escapes have sold in the US through October, a 31-percent increase from last year’s sales to date. They’re also expecting November’s figures to be on the rise, not just for themselves for but for the auto industry as a whole.

According to Ford, sales of small SUVs have “reigned supreme” this year, which is good considering that their light-vehicle sales only rose 6.2-percent in October compared to the industrywide gain of 7.5-percent. Ford’s overall US market share did slightly rise compared to last year, 16.8-percent in 2011 versus 16.7-percent in 2010.

[Source: Automotive News]

Ford has ditched the Escape’s more traditional SUV styling, overhauling the compact crossover for the 2013 model year. The North American market will now finally be treated to styling more in line with Europe’s Kuga crossover, proving that Ford is focusing on its One Ford plan of ensuring products offered in North America are nearly identical to their European counterparts.

The 2013 Ford Escape clearly takes a page out of the successful Focus design book and while some may or may not love it, we’re greeting the departure from typical SUV styling with open arms. Ford also announced what will be powering the 2013 Escape, offering a 2.5L four-cylinder with 168-hp and 167 lb-ft of torque as standard. An all-new 1.6L EcoBoost four-cylinder can also be had with 173-hp and 177 lb-ft of torque while the top-of-the-line model will be powered by a 2.0L EcoBoost with 237-hp and 250 lb-ft of torque.

All three engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, while Ford boasted that the 2.0L is capable of towing up to 3,500-lbs. Official EPA numbers or estimates haven’t been released yet, but Ford claims that the new Escape is up to five gallons more efficient than the previous model, dependent on the engine of course. An AWD option is also available for those who just don’t dig a FWD SUV.

New technology on the inside include the newly revamped MyFord Touch system along with active park assist and hands-free liftgate system.

GALLERY: 2013 Ford Escape

Look for live photos here from the car’s reveal today at the LA Auto Show

The next generation Ford Escape is set to make its debut at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show and the decade-old SUV is set to be replaced by a much more modern crossover with three new engines.

Styling-wise, the new Escape should mimic the Vertrek concept (above) that originally debuted at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show in January, but the latest announcement comes regarding the new Escape’s powertrains.

Ford’s venerable 2.5L four cylinder will stay in the lineup, but a pair of Ecoboost four-cylinder engines, displacing 1.6L and 2.0L will also be on offer. We expect the Ecoboost motors to be the “premium” offerings, with the 2.0L, 237-horsepower engine being the performance offering of the range. Ford also said that the 1.6L example will beat the Escape Hybrid’s 31 mpg highway rating. Stay tuned to AutoGuide for live coverage of the Los Angeles Auto Show starting on November 16th.

The Japanese earthquake disaster and the resulting supply disruption mixed up the Top 10 best-selling vehicles in June, allowing the Chevrolet Cruze compact to top the chart in the US, a spot usually reserved for the Toyota Camry.

The Camry did make the Top 10 and was the only Japanese vehicle to do so but as number eight, with sales down 27.7 percent from last June. Toyota has regained strength and production is almost back to normal so expect the Camry to move back up. Honda also took a tumble and fell to 15th place with the Civic, down 34 percent compared to this time last year. The Altima was Nissan’s top seller coming in at 11th place with sales up 22.7 percent.

Coming in first place was Ford’s F-series which improved over last year by 6.7 percent. Second place was awarded to the Chevrolet Silverado which improved by 5.1% over last year.

The Top Ten Sellers For June are the Ford F-Series, Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Escape, Ford Focus, Ram Pickups, Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion, and Hyundai Elantra.

[Source: USA Today]

Are you curious to know how much of your car is made in America? Well if you are, Diane Sawyer takes a look into the automotive manufacturing business. ABC World News lauched “Made in American Summer” which focuses on American manufacturing, the economy and how ordinary Americans can help create more jobs in their country.

ABC worked with the Stewart family of Hillsdale, N.J during their time shopping for a new car. The Stewart’s compare a Ford Escape and a Toyota Camry and ABC News tries to figure out which car best supports US manufacturing.

Shockingly, the Camry is 80% American made, while the Escape is 65%. The Ford created 13 assembly line jobs for every 100 cars sold while the Camry provided almost 20.

Check out the video after the jump to see which vehicle the Stewart’s buy.

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[Source: Edmunds Inside Line]