Although the Equator was designed in the Lio Ho Design Technology Centre in Taipei, Taiwan, the concept fits inline with an
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| The Equator was designed in the Lio Ho Design Technology Centre inTaipei, Taiwan, and fits inline with Ford's new international stylingtheme.(Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada) |
international theme seen on everything from the Ford Focus Vignale concept (Europe), to the Ford Sport Trac Concept (North America). This design centre was also responsible for the Ford Focus Sedan Concept, a vehicle which introduced the look of the second generation European Focus at Auto Shanghai 2005. If eventually the Equator were to go on sale, it would easily blend in with every regional Ford lineup.
Visually, Gibson wanted to create a vehicle that would give buyers the look of a high performance sports car without losing any of an SUV's day-to-day capabilities. The exterior additions include
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| The exterior additions include a completely new front end featuring detailed high intensity discharge lights, a bold, brushed metal grille encompassing elements of style found in the new Fusion sedan and Ford Truck products. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada) |
a completely new front end featuring detailed high intensity discharge lights, a bold, brushed metal grille encompassing elements of style found in the new Fusion sedan and Ford Truck products, as well as way-cool turn signal indicators on the mirrors and bumpers. A separate 'floating' lower dam with honeycomb mesh, body-coloured roof racks and wide tires make it look like a completely different vehicle.
From added vents to twin hood bulges, the Equator's body certainly has a story to tell about its powertrain. Given its 193-horsepower rating, it may seem that mechanically it is no different than the production Escape, which is equipped with the 3.0-litre DOHC 'Duratec 30' V6 engine. What's really unique here is that torque has been bumped up from 193 lb-ft to a whopping 265 lb-ft, produced at 4,700 rpm giving it the low-down punch of a V8. Likewise, the transmission has been upgraded to a six-speed automatic, enabling greater efficiency, smoother gearshifts and better all-round performance.
