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"Short C" CUV thoughts.


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I've been thinking a lot about the rumored "Short-C" CUV that Ford is supposed to introduce in a few years, and I thought I would share them with you.

 

A few posters here seem to think that this "Short C" will replace the EcoSport in North America and perhaps Europe, with a next-gen EcoSport continuing in other markets. I don't think this is the case. With the rapid expansion of the CUV market world-wide, along with other factors, I think Ford will find plenty of volume for each. As an example, Jeep and Nissan both have examples of this: Renegade--Compass--Cherokee--Grand Cherokee & Kicks--Rogue Sport--Rogue--Murano, etc. These would correspond to Ford's: EcoSport--"Short C"--Escape--Edge. I know the Model E, Bronco, and perhaps Mach 1 are coming out, but you can see how these lineups correspond with each other.

 

Let's also look at sizes, using wheelbases & Jeep as a comparison.

 

Renegade: 101 inches

EcoSport: : 99 inches (but the next-gen could easily increase to 100/101

 

Compass: 104 inches

Escape (1st & 2nd Generation): 103.1 inches

"Short-C": 104/5 inches?

 

 

Cherokee: 106.3 inches

Escape:105.9 inches

Next-gen Escape: 107/8 inches?

 

Grand Cherokee: 114.8 iches

Edge: 112.2 inches

Next-Gen Edge: 114 inches?

 

This seems to line-up pretty well, and you can see how the "Short-C" fits in perfectly with the Jeep Compass and even with the 1st/2nd Gen Escape in size as the next-gen Escape grows a little.

 

I also envision that the "Short C" would have more unique/expressive styling inside and out than the next-gen Escape, allowing it to be more luxurious or classy looking. I just don't want it to look weird like the newest small Hyundai. It could also straddle the powertrains with the EcoSport and the Escape. Perhaps the revised 2.0I4 could be the base engine with a 1.5I3 EcoBoost (from the new Fiesta ST) as the upgrade powertrain. Ford actually has a fair number of options.

 

Anyway, as for names, I'm fond of "Endeavor" or "Equator." Yes, I know those have been used before (by Ford and Suzuki respectively) but they fit in well with Ford's "E-Theme" for CUVs and SUVs.

 

What do you guys think?

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Ford need to get Martin Smith to help the design staff come up with a new design motif going forward for the smaller than Explorer CUV's. That's an off topic comment, other than it relates to this group of products, but Ford needs to step up its game, design wise.

Edited by Harley Lover
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Id take a focus hatch.... give it the Subaru Crosstrek treatment, and be done with it. Awd and charge about 23-27k for it. Done. Profit with little engineering. But, admittedly there is some Escape overlap that might not be good towards the bottom line?

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I agree short C and EcoSport are two different things and both will be sold in the US.

 

CUVs are the new "cars". So basically every size of cars you can think of now, be prepared to have a CUV slot in there sooner or later.

 

EcoSport is a bit too small vs. competitors now but I'm sure Ford will end up replacing it with two different CUV... one staying in the current size, another bigger one that lines up with competitors.

 

The short C vs. Escape one is not that complicated. We have Focus hatchback (short C) and we have Focus sedan and wagon (long C). Same thing will happen on the CUV side.

 

Then we have the CD or midsize Edge 5 seat and Edge 7 seat; and D or large Explorer.

 

This is what I think the CUV line up will look up in a couple of years:

 

B segment short (subcompact): current EcoSport replacement + Ka Active (Freestyle) + Fiesta Active

B segment long (subcompact): new EcoSport (bigger one)

C segment short (compact): I like the C-Max name but Ford probably won't use it again + Focus Active

C segment long (compact): Escape

CD segment short (midsize): Edge 5 seat + Mondeo Active

CD segment long (midsize): Edge 7 seat

D segment (large): Explorer + Taurus Acitve

 

Ok, Taurus Active is clearly a joke... don't hate :salute:

Edited by bzcat
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No on the Endeavor name. Mitsubishi used that a few years ago, and if you can avoid that association, you do.

 

Ford had an Equator concept a few years back, I think that'd be a good name.

No on the Equator name. Suzuki used that a few years ago, and if you can avoid that association, you do.

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I dont remember if it was in this tread or a different one, but I think the global EcoSport will remain about the same size, and potentially become (return to being) a regional product, as it is the size it is to stay within footprint requirements I believe in India and other countries. ROW (US/Europe primarily) will get the new short C which will be the global EcoSport replacement.

 

Thats my opinion anyway.

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Escort name is already used in China as a LWB Focus variant...

 

I think Focus Active is the small C CUV people are thinking about....

 

Good point, but...That didn't stop Ford from naming a sedan Fusion when The European CUV existed. The Escort sedan has no chance of coming here so it could be done.

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Long live the Tempo!

Contour?

Topaz?

Mystique?

 

Ford has a lot of legacy names they can go back to before any of those.

 

Contour and Mystique were failures, while the Escort name was in use for over 20 years, fits the mold of naming CUV models with an E as the first letter, and the last generation of Escort was well regarded as well as the Escort was always a big selling nameplate over its entire run. Granada, Contour, Probe and even Tempo are all forgettable cars. Tempo lasted the longest at almost ten years and it was not seen in a very positive light in the end of its run. Pinto doesn't even belong in this conversation.

 

If Bronco and Ranger can come back, so can Escort. Other nameplates I would have no problem with them bringing back are Falcon, Thunderbird, Galaxie, Fairlane, and a lesser extent, Fairmont and Torino. Pretty much everything else belongs in a dust bin.

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Ford could name the Short C CUV as the "Escape Sport." Since they're going to move away from "Sport" and over to "ST" for the high performance variants there won't be any confusion at that point.

 

Remember Nissan started doing this last year with the Rogue and Rogue Sport. The benefit is lumping both models together in sales numbers, thus keeping Rogue as one of the top CUV sales leaders.

 

EcoSport

Escape Sport

Escape

Edge

Explorer

Bronco

Expedition

Expedition Max

 

Not a bad lineup.

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Ford could name the Short C CUV as the "Escape Sport." Since they're going to move away from "Sport" and over to "ST" for the high performance variants there won't be any confusion at that point.

 

Remember Nissan started doing this last year with the Rogue and Rogue Sport. The benefit is lumping both models together in sales numbers, thus keeping Rogue as one of the top CUV sales leaders.

 

EcoSport

Escape Sport

Escape

Edge

Explorer

Bronco

Expedition

Expedition Max

 

Not a bad lineup.

 

If they do a regular Edge and an Edge-3-row,

they could bilk another $5k easy out of Explorer buyers

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