Ford has said it will offer more standard features and charge less than the current model for the 2008 Ford Escape and the Escape Hybrid, which go on sale in the first quarter of 2007.
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Ford unveiled the vehicles at the LA Auto Show.
The company said it will price the forthcoming redesigned Escape lower than the outgoing version, according to Ford sales chief Cisco Codina, who spoke on the sidelines of the press conference to Dow Jones.
The lower-pricing move follows a trend it started earlier in the decade that is designed to better match sticker prices with what buyers are willing to pay.
Ford is working to lower the need for costly sales incentives and lower prices on all new models may be one way to accomplish the target, the report said.
Codina declined to say how much the next Escape will cost. The current Escape carries a base price of about US$20,000 and the Escape Hybrid’s base is more than US$26,000.
The report added that Ford will couple lower prices with new features, such as stability control and side-curtain air bags as standard, and a hybrid version that promises smoother operation.
Codina said the Escape is an important nameplate for Ford because it ‘conquests’ new buyers for the Ford brand. It’s also an important entry point for Ford with younger, female and urban consumers.
