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Ford Motor Co. is, if nothing else, a symbolic automaker.

It had the media trek to Alaska last year to witness the unveiling of its Expedition sport-utility. An expedition into the Alaskan wilderness to see an Expedition! Get it?

So this year Ford conducted a pilgrimage to Death Valley to unveil its 1998 Escort ZX2. An escort into Death Valley to . . .

Hmm. Must be some symbolism here.

Maybe we were supposed to see the Thunderbird, Cougar and Probe, all three of which will expire at the end of the model run. What better place for a wake?

Nah. If Ford didn’t hold a ceremony for the Pinto, it surely wouldn’t do so for Thunderbird, Cougar or Probe.

Perhaps Death Valley is symbolic for the Escort ZX2 because Ford is considering putting the Escort name to rest.

Ford of Europe is remaking the subcompact line, previously developed by Ford and Mazda of Japan. The new version for 1999 thus will cut short the run of the newly designed ZX2.

While Escort is well-known and marketing types here talk “name equity,” the automaker wants to convince folks that there’s no similarity between the boxy subcompact economy car of the ’80s and the aerodynamic subcompact economy car of the ’90s and beyond.

Yet the name keeps those who own or bought one of those frumpy ’80s models from cashing it in on one of the more stylish ’90s versions. (That’s one reason Ford dropped the traditional GT designation and slapped ZX2 behind the name, hoping that that’s what folks will call it.)

Ford insists name equity is vital. “It costs more money to bring a new name to market than it does to reinforce the positives of the old name,” said Rick Novak, Ford youthful-brand manager.

But for the life of us, we can’t figure the positives of a boxy, cramped, underpowered Escort of the ’80s and early ’90s.

Ford officials admit that a name change would help owners of older models maintain resale value. And resale would be important considering this all-new Escort will be only about three years old when replaced by the next Escort in 1999.

Nah. If Ford wanted to hold a symbolic get-together to hint at a name change, it would have had us gather for a barbecue on Edsel Ford’s patio.

Perhaps, then, the media jetted to Death Valley simply to call attention to the fact that the Escort ZX2 will be offered in “cool” and “hot” versions. And since “cool” is the blue-light special and “hot” adds all the goodies, what better setting to sweat over a sports coupe than in a desert? That’s it!

The “cool” Escort ZX2 and the “hot” Escort ZX2 debut April 17.

Yes, that’s April 17, the date when the Ford Mustang appeared on the scene in 1964 and helped land Lee Iacocca’s mug on the cover of Time and Newsweek magazines. Iacocca was Ford Division GM at the time.

We tested the ZX2 here and found it an interesting specimen, especially when you take what looks like a miniaturize d Ford Contour and add fog lamps upfront and a spoiler in back to come up with a sports coupe version of Ford’s high-mileage subcompact.

The attraction of the ZX2 is its 130-horsepower, 16-valve upgrade of the 2-liter, 110-h.p., 8-valve, 4-cylinder engine that powers the Escort sedan, along with the addition of a suspension system that keeps movement in check far better than on any other Escort.

The coupe is built on the same wheelbase as the sedan but is slightly wider and longer. The body is deliberately a little stiffer to reduce noise, while the struts were tuned to allow less body roll for more controlled ride. Steering has been retuned for more precise response and better handling.

What you have is a car that looks fairly sporty and performs fairly sporty but gets 26 miles per gallon city/33 m.p.g. highway with the smooth-shifting, short-throw 5-speed manual and 25/33 with 4-speed automatic.

The 4-speed automatic, however, is not the trans of choice to maneuver over and around winding roads or up desert hills. It’s to be expected that you’ll spend more time downshifting to gain momentum in a 130-h.p. ZX2 than you would in a 190-h.p. Contour SVT (Cartalk, March 30).

The ZX2 with automatic can act a little light-headed the higher it gets above sea level, and tends to act a bit light-footed at times, especially with 14-inch tires. The sport package comes with 15-inch treads.

The suspension in an Escort is not the suspension you get in a Mustang, despite the macho ZX2 label on the deck lid. At times you feel as if you’re floating over the pavement with those 14-inch tires. The 15-inch treads are a must if you want to do more than just point the nose in a straight line and cruise.

There are other annoyances with this machine, one being that anti-lock brakes are a $570 option. More annoying is the fact that Ford estimates only 25 percent of its buyers will pay the extra $570 for the safety system while 15 percent will pay $515 for a sound-system upgrade that includes compact-disc player.

Some noteworthy features include gas struts rather than hinges on the deck lid so the top opens at 90 degrees for easier luggage, grocery or golf-club packing; the third brake light, mounted on the back seat parcel shelf, is visible at night even with the deck lid open so approaching vehicles can see a disabled vehicle; and an arrow in the instrument panel points to the side of the fuel-filler door.

Also, snaps in the rear sidewalls hold seat belts in place when not in use so they don’t rattle with the windows open; split folding rear seats allow for more cargo room; an available integrated child safety seat ($135) is hidden from sight when not in use; and a self-adjusting sound system increases and lowers volume.

What we found most aggravating about the car is the “cool” label for the base model with black body-side moldings, 14-inch tires, no fog lamps, no spoiler and no pizzazz. The “hot” label is for any other version.

Option packages dress the “hot” version “to your personality and to your budget,” one Ford official said, noting that “even if you check every box on the option list, the car would run only about $18,000.”

If you start to approach that number, you’d be better off forgetting about “cool” or “hot” and taking a peek at a Pontiac Grand Am or Grand Prix, even if the latter runs a shade more.

Base price for a “hot” ZX2 is $13,145, but as the specification box shows, you have to check a lot of boxes to equip this car with ABS, power windows/locks/mirrors and the like. And another item, not noted in the specs but worth considering, is the power moonroof, at $595.

Ford says it expects most buyers to be women who prefer the sporty look of a ZX2 along with the high mileage, and it expects the male audience will turn to the larger Contour SVT.

And about 14 percent of buyers who would have opt ed for a Probe, which caters mostly to women, will slip over to the ZX2, Novak said.

In late April, Ford will have a Web site on the Internet–Highway ZX2–that not only will provide full details about the machine but will aid potential buyers by listing “the best pickup lines for the Laundromat.”

Hmm. Maybe Ford is suggesting that women in ZX2s will cruise Laundromats searching for men in SVTs. Either Ford is astute or the most misguided automaker in the U.S.A. today.