{THE Ford Escort ZX2
is a sporty new, two-
a door version of the sub-
aaa compact Escort sedan,
@ but unlike its predeces-
Bsor, the Escort GT, the
ZX2 has a completely
i different bodystyle to
the standard Escort.
“Instead of building a
stvo-door version of our four-
BB door Escort, we pave the car
Hits own identity,” said Kaywin
iGoodman, ZX2 Chief
Program Engineer at the
pa 2X2’s introduction. “It has a
Hunique body and features
ma bccause we wanted the 2X2
mito have a distinctiveness anid
fappeal all its own.”
B With a base price of
$15,595: ($1000 more than
the. base Escort sedan), the
41998. ZX2 coupe is targeted
t young buyers with ‘active’
Mamlifestyles, says ZX2 Product
BPlanner, Pierre Corriveau.

MREME“2X2 buyers will be singles

ind young couples in their
0’s and 30’s... many of them
til living ar home or just
ptarting Out on their
wn....Lhis youthful group,”
¢ said, “wants to have fitn in
“heir lives and the vehicles
ey drive.”

The ZX2’s youthful theme
eegins with its fluid shape and
nore ageressive styling. The

BaZX2’s low, sloping nose has
Gameristinctive tear-drop-shaped
wacadlamps, separate turn sig-
sal lamps and a large grille set
low in the front bumper. In
rofile, the ZX2 is more of a
tback than a notchback,
the high rear deck has a
ight that extends the full
idth of the car. Though the
looks wider and longer
the Escort it is only
bout one-half inch longer
Bnd one-half inch wider than
¢ current Escort sedan.
The ZX2’s new interior is
o more youth-oriented. An

SERVICE & USED PARTS

unusual, asymmetrical,
wedge-shaped instrument
housing highlights che dash
which wraps around into the
doors. Ford's trademark black
oval control panel, which
adio and heater
3 prominendy in
ter of the dashboard .
ZX2 seats tour pas-
sengers (rather than the
sedan’s five passengers) but
rear legroom is only % inch
less than the sedan’s, and rear
headroom is adequate for
sonicone up to about 5 foor
10 inches all. Rear head
restraints are optional on
some uplevel models. The
trunk has plenty of room for .
a car of this size (11.8 cu. fi.)
and the split folding rear seats
add to the cargo-carrying ver-
satiliry. An integrated rear
child seat is available as an
option.

Complementing the ZX2’s
sporty looks is a more power-
ful standard engine. The
ZX2’s sporty 130 horsepower
2.0 liter win cam, 16 valve
four cylinder engine (bor-
rowed from the Ford
Contour) offers 20 more
horsepower than the Escort
sedan’s 2.0 liter overhead
valve four cylinder engine.
The ZX2’s engine meets strict
TLEV (transiuonal low emis-
sions vehicle standards) emis-
sions standards, in part
because of a unique variable
cam timing system which
improves engine efficiency. In
addition, the engine has a
unique feature that momen-
tarily disengages the air con-
ditioning compressor upon
acceleration to provide
increased power.

A five-speed manual trans-
mission is standard on all
ZX2’s and a four-speed auto-
matic transmission is available
on ail but the base model.
The automatic transmission
has a special feature which
holds it in gear when ascend-
ing or descending grades to
prevent gear-hunting, and a
torque modulation feature
which smooths out shifts.

Base ZX2's start at
$15,595 and standard equip-
iment inchides power stecring,

d manual transmission,
es ometer, AM/FM stereo
radio, 60/40 split folding rear
seatbacks, dual air bags and

*

CHANICAL & BODY PARTS)

THE 1998 ZX2 coupe is based on the
Ford Escort sedan. Starting at $15,595,
the four-passenger ZX2 offers a 130
horsepower 2.0 litre four-cylinder engine.

14 inch tires. The base model
has black bodyside mouldings
and half-cap wheel covers.
Add full balt-on wheel covers,
colour-keyed steering wheel
and colour-keyed bodyside
mouldings and the price goes
up to $16,195.

An automatic transmission
is not available on the base
model and options are limited
to anti-lock brakes, cassette
player, air conditioning and
ar erie colors.

tion pe O2Z1A,
which inclides air condition-
ing, driver’s door keyless
remote entry and panic alarm,
power mirrors and front and
tear floor mats, brings the
ZX2’s price to $16,995. Ford
expects this to be the most
popular choice with ZX2 buy-
ers.

The top-of-the-line ZX2
trim level adds power door
locks, power windows and 4-
door keyless remote system,
and sells for $17,595. There’s

1

| ee pnorEs NORTH SH. one

also a Sport Package which
adds 15 inch tires and slu-
minum wheels, rear spyiler,
fog lamps, chrome-tip
exhaust, front sport seats, and
integrated rear head restraints.
Before doing my road test
of the ZX2, I had high expec-
tations because the current
Escort sedan is a very pleasant
and comfortable car to drive
—— among other things it has

. a fully independent suspen-

sion.

The ZX2 adds bigger 14
inch tires (optional 15 inch),
performance-oriented suspen-
sion tuning, and improve-
ments to the steering —
together these provide the
ZX2 with more agility, han
dling control and steering
responsiveness than the sedan.
However, the ZX2’s ride is 2
lice firmer than the sedan
with some tradeoff in ride
comfort for handling.

See Features page 41

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Friday, May 9, 1997 — North Shore News — 39

Technical Data — 1998 Ford Escort ZX2 =="

oa
&

Price as tested: $16,995
Base price: $15,595
Type: 2-door, 4-passenger coupe
Layout: transverse front engine/front-wheel-
drive
Engine: 2.0 litre 4 cylinder, DOHC, 16 valves
Horsepower: 130 @ 5750 r.p.m.
Torque: 127 ft-lbs. @ 4250 rp.in.
Curb weight: 1136 kg (2504 Ibs.)
Wheelbase: 2499 mm (98.4 in.)
Length: 4450 mm (175.2 in.)
Width: 1712 mm (67.4 in.)
Height: 1328 mm (52.3 in.)
Trunk space: 334 litres (11.8 cu. ft.)
Warranty: 3 years/60,006 km

Volvo’s cost less on
the North Shore.

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