Ford has released the first set of official photos of its new Escort sedan. Designed and developed specifically for the Chinese market, this all new sedan offering is expected to go on sale in the local market by January 2015.

The new Escort made its debut in China during the 2014 Beijing Auto Show. Following its early 2015 launch, the car will be positioned below the Focus. As reported earlier, the car will be offered with a 1.5 litre, four-cylinder petrol engine producing around 110bhp of power and 140Nm of torque. Ford will offer either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic gearbox for the new Escort.

The new Escort will be manufactured in China by the Chang’an-Ford joint venture. Competition for this new model will come in the form of the Honda Crider and the Citroen C4L. While Ford has revealed that it will sell the latest-gen Escort only in China, there is a good chance of the car making it into developing markets where efficiency and value are rated among the top priorities for new car buyers.