Hide and seek in bush

Ford New Zealand's new soft-roader, the five-seater Escape, will officially be launched next month. But the vehicle has been in the country for some weeks, as this photo hurriedly taken during an advertising shoot in the South Island shows.

Workers became aware of the photographer and tried to cover up the Escape with a blue tarpaulin. But the lensman had already taken a close-up.

The Escape will go on sale a week or so after the Tribute, Mazda's rebadged version which shares its platform and components. Ford built the Escape in Detroit, Mazda built the Tribute at is Hofu plant in Japan.

Both models will be badged XLS and XLT. The XLS is the standard model, the XLT the better equipped.

Buyers of either brands will have the choice of two engines - a 2.0-litre four-cylinder producing 97kW and mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, or a 24-valve 3.0-litre V6 developing 150kW with a four-speed automatic transmission.

Standard features include air-conditioning, electric windows, dual airbags and ABS anti-lock brakes. A CD player is also standard - a single-slot system in the XLS and a six-stack changer in the XLT. The XLT also gets cruise control and electrically controlled exterior mirrors.

Both the Ford and Mazda front-drive models use a system which offers part-time or full-time four-wheel-drive.

In normal circumstances the system switches drive from the front to all four wheels when necessary.

But when the going gets tricky the driver can electronically select full-time four-wheel-drive via a switch on the dashboard.

The monocoque Escape/Tribute body sits on a 2620mm wheelbase and comes with independent suspension all round - MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link set-up at the rear.