Ford has drawn a line under the Escape: the final crossover has rolled off the Louisville Assembly Plant, where the model was built for many years. The farewell felt personal rather than ceremonial. Workers covered the last vehicle with their signatures, and a photo from the line became a symbolic full stop for a team that spent years assembling one of Ford’s highest-volume players in its class.

The company had signaled back in August that production of the Escape and its Lincoln Corsair sibling would end, and now it’s official. Almost immediately after the last unit cleared the line, crews began dismantling the old equipment as the plant readies for a comprehensive reboot. Ford plans to invest about $2 billion to retool the facility for a mid-size electric pickup on a new versatile EV platform, with production targeted for 2027. The transition won’t be easy for the workforce: roughly 2,000 employees will be out for nearly ten months, and the UAW has pledged partial pay along with help arranging temporary assignments. The signatures on that last Escape say more than any press release—closure with a human touch.

For shoppers, the Escape story isn’t quite over. Factory orders are closed, but dealers still hold a substantial stock of 2026 models, most commonly in Active trim with front- or all-wheel drive. That surplus is already feeding noticeable discounts, and lease offers on the final model year may be especially appealing to those who plan to move into a used car later and want to get a fresh one for less than the market.

There’s also a geographic wrinkle: new Escapes won’t be sold in states that follow the strict CARB emissions rules, and in those markets the Corsair is largely limited to its PHEV version. Availability will hinge as much on the map as on timing.