2005 Ford Equator Concept

The 2005 Ford Equator Concept was shown at the Tokyo Motor Show as a fresh take on the Ford Escape, aimed at customers in the Asia-Pacific region. It wasn’t a new vehicle from the ground up, but more of a design update. Built on the same platform as the Escape, it used the same 3.0-liter V6 engine and four-wheel drive system, but with a few tweaks—like stronger torque and a push-button automatic transmission.

The Equator was designed by Ford’s team in Taiwan, with direction from their Asia-Pacific design head in Australia. The outside got a new front end, lower body skirts, and big 19-inch wheels to make it look more modern and sporty. It was painted in a bright orange color meant to represent a sunrise at the equator, tying into the theme and name.

Inside and out, the idea was to give the Escape a more premium feel without changing the basic engineering. Ford wasn’t planning to put it into production right away. Instead, the Equator was built to see how buyers in the region would react to a more stylish and upscale version of a familiar SUV. It was a way for Ford to explore future design directions rather than launch a whole new model.