As we always do here at Ford Authority, we came up with a few fictional future Blue Oval models in honor of April Fool’s Day, which generated mixed responses, as they always do. Some folks tend to fall for those tricks, but the main goal of them is quite simple – to have a little fun and perhaps elicit some laughs. However, it seems as if some readers weren’t the only ones to fall for one of those particular fake models – the 2026 Ford Escape Raptor – rather, Google’s artificial intelligence was seemingly fooled by that April Fool’s joke, too.
When asked if Ford will be making the Escape in 2026, Google AI responds with “Yes, there will be a 2026 Ford Escape, and it’s expected to include a refreshed design and potentially a new Raptor trim, marking a shift towards off-road capabilities.” It goes on to say that “Ford has introduced the 2026 Ford Escape Raptor, which infuses the compact SUV with off-road DNA,” and also discusses other rumors that were derived from YouTube channels that have a reputation for spreading, well, fake news pertaining to the automotive world in general.
Those details include a refreshed design for the 2026 Escape, giving the crossover “updated headlights, bumpers, grill, and tail lights, along with a new interior design.” Additionally, it cites rumors pertaining to a potential Escape RS, “potentially featuring a tuned version of Ford’s 2.3L EcoBoost engine or an electrified performance hybrid setup.” In all fairness, Google AI also mentions the fact that “some reports suggest that Ford Escape production may end at the Louisville plant by 2026, but this is not confirmed.”
As Ford Authority reported earlier this month, the Louisville Assembly plant is set to undergo a major retooling later this year, all with an eye toward preparing it for production of what’s believed to be the first model riding on FoMoCo’s low-cost EV platform – a mid-size pickup. As Ford Authority reported in November 2023, Ford’s master contract agreement with the United Auto Workers (UAW) stated that the Escape and Lincoln Corsair would only be built through the “planned product lifecycle” of each, and in late January, a report surfaced that indicated Escape production slated to end by the conclusion of 2025, after which The Blue Oval will focus on the Ford Bronco Sport as its compact crossover of choice.
Comments
Artificial “intelligence.” Not so much.
Certainly artificial, though 🙂
This proves that many Internet users, including AI, believe whatever is posted online. I grew up on encyclopedias and great textbooks, so I can detect when any online post is fake!