Looks like a Qvale from the back.

Hmm...perhaps in the not to distant future an Escort Mexico that is made in Mexico for the U.S. market? Would be a quantum leap from the new Focus.

This concept looks better than the Connaught (or Chuffnut, as its known). Perhaps its the overgrown arches that remind you of the Chuffnut. Personally, I'd give this guy more credit than that. BTW, the Chuffer looked better pre-arches being added, and had it been refined, would have looked good, as against un-good. Or is that plain bad. But just as with the Chuffer, we more than likely won't be seeing one on the road. Oh Dear.

A nice, simple badass old car that doesn't try to be anything else. I love it, and Ford needs to build it to slot underneath the Mustang as a RWD Scion/Hyundai coupe fighter or something. Hey, any excuse is a good one.

Americans might have liked the Escort more if we had the actual Euro models instead. In classic Ford fashion they are doing the same to the Focus now refusing to bring new one's to the US. Why?

Correction I should have said the new ones from Europe. My mistake.

Nice. But knowing Ford, it's too bad that it'll never be available in the USDM...

The 3/4 rear shot reminds me of a 1st gen Toyota Celica.

For some reason a see a bit of Chrysler 300 in the headlights at that angle. Technically, doesn't the soul of the Escort live on in the Focus. I mean, right now, the cars are pretty different and Europe is getting a nicer car. I guess we have to wait till what 2010 until the U.S. gets the same Focus as Europe (no Mazda 3 or Volvo S40 for me).

@Quayzar: Simply because most people in the US would balk at paying $25k+ for a mid-spec Focus like you'd find at a dealership in the UK.

@karonok:

You probably wouldn't be charged that, though.

UK car pricing is done by eleven-fingered money-leeches, and doesn't correspond to any other reality.

That thing is too muscley and beefy for an Escort, anyways.

Needs to lose the comedy wheel/arch arrangement, and have deeper side windows.

Or maybe I'm just old.

The rear looks clean and elegant. The front is busier than a Christmas tree with all those rallye lights and the low air dam. So take your pick: road version or rallye version, but please, not this horrible mish-mash.

Btw, in terms of build quality and chassis layout, Ford cars are still considered very good in Europe. It's just the drivetrains which are only so-so.

As for bringing these reasonably succesful designs over to the US, someone needs to fire the accountants that are preventing that. Now that they can no longer rake it in with cheap-to-build trucks and SUVs, the Big Three need to go upmarket to improve their margin per vehicle, even at the expense of slightly reduced sales volume. If they continue to compete on price alone, I predict the Chinese will drive them into bankrupcy within a decade.

Hard sell, but if Dodge is going to build a Demon, and Pontiac has a hard top Solstice in the works, then maybe there is a market.

Personally I think Ford would just refer domestic customers to the v-6 Mustang and be done.

I want this Escort bad. Screw Ford and make this a kit car, please.

My thought when I first saw the rear 3/4 picture was that this thing looks like the original 1970-1977 (non-fox platform) Mercury Capri.

I think this would make a great addition to the Mercury lineup. I would hate for FoMoCo to position this next to the Mustang for fear that it could end up like the ZX2. Yet I forget about the great looking but nearly unmarketed and definitely unloved Mercury Cougar from 1999-2002 that was based on the Mondeo.

And just yesterday I was wishing Ford would put a turbo 2.3 in a rear-drive coupe that was lighter than a Mustang...

I like it. Reminds me of Alfa Romeo or the first gen Celica (which is to me the best Celica) from behind. I don't know about the front grille but the proportions are really spot on I think.

1973 Celica goodness.

@Stoatmaster: You've seen a rally-spec Mk I Escort, right?

I'm not wild about this design, but I've been saying for ages that Ford should revive the Escort as a small, light, rwd two-door sports saloon. If they got the formula right (with a mildly '70s-retro design), it wouldn't cost much to buy and run, but it would be a whole heap of fun.

@quayzar: Thou shalt not embarrass thy Mustang. That's why.

@Euromobile: Hasn't Ford been floating around the idea of doing a retro-Capri?

@-chet:

Exactly, same reason why there's no Falcon / Typhoon here, complete with the I6T from hell.

Can't have a four-door sedan blowing away Ford's overweight, salmon-hook-looking coupe with 2 less cylinders...damned Ford.

Build it dammit!