Ford to relaunch the Capri

[Stu.C]

If it ever made it off the marketing whiteboard, it'd have as much to do with a 70s/80s Capri as the Mach-E thingummy has with the Mustang - the square root of flip all. They lack the imagination and guts to come up with new names for things, so trading on the past - however tenuous - always feels safer.


The article's 107% speculation, with the usual thinly-veiled undertones of  "oh, while you're here, have a look at a few adverts" 

[YZ250]

My early 3.0 gt mk1 capri went well, the fast road cam and balance helped. 4 speed transit derived gear box was a pig, being an early one it had 3.22 rear gears. BTW its the 2.0 v4 that had 3.44s .

We didn't get V4 2.0 here ..............

Well we did actually. It was produced in Dagenham and the engine was used in the Ford Corsair, Capri Mk I, Consul/Granada Mk I, Ford Zephyr Mk IV and the Ford Transit Mk I van. 
You're too young to remember them Nick.   

[Raeturbo]

This^^. I had one 👍

[Raeturbo]

https://images.classic.com/vehicles/2f8a713159731fa9e05adee946585ccc8afe1c8c.jpg?w=672&h=576

       Mine looked something like this

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Speaking of the 3 litre Capri.....what exactly was the 3.0 Xpack car?

I can't ever recall having seen one on the road.

[Nick W]

My early 3.0 gt mk1 capri went well, the fast road cam and balance helped. 4 speed transit derived gear box was a pig, being an early one it had 3.22 rear gears. BTW its the 2.0 v4 that had 3.44s .

We didn't get V4 2.0 Capris here ..............

Well we did actually. It was produced in Dagenham and the engine was used in the Ford Corsair, Capri Mk I, Consul/Granada Mk I, Ford Zephyr Mk IV and the Ford Transit Mk I van. 
You're too young to remember them Nick. 

Yep, I omitted a word. Oops  


Even thirty years ago V4 Capris were very rare here. They chopped 2 cylinders off the Essex V6 to make a slightly smaller boat anchor. Europe got V4 Mk2&3 Capris, but those were Colognes. Similar faults, and the only things they do better than a 2.0l Pinto is weight the front of the car and drink more fuel.


I've owned mk1 Capris, and a Mk IV Zephyr and replaced the V4 in a Corsair with a V6


I surprised you can remember what 52 feels like

[Rangie]

Just seen a pic of what the Capri may look like, looks a bit like the Chevrolet Camaro I think, so nice body shame about the power plant.

[Raeturbo]

I owned a black MK111 Ford Capri 3.0S for about five years. It was quick for those days and never let me down. Had to sell it when our kids were born as the boot was too small for a buggy. I bought a Rover SD1 V8 TP Vitesse to replace the Capri and they both hold a place in my heart, one for being a fast for it's time two door coupe and the other for being a piece of shit. Boy did those SD1's rust. 
I personally see no point reviving old car brands. They've had their day, let them stay that way, in the past. 

I have only owned one Capri. A 1600XL MK1 from 1973. It was slow and handled like a lorry but looked good in white with a BVR.

I knew a woman who owned a 2.8i with the 5 speed box. This was underwhelming.......probably due to the combination of  'long gears' and little low down stump pulling torque, unlike the old 3 litre V6 Essex lump.

The earlier 2.8i had a 4 speed box and ran similar times to the 4 speed 3.0S. The later 5 speed 2.8i was too low geared and easily outrun by its predecessor. Mind you, Turbo Technics played with plenty of 5 speed 2.8i's and they went like a missile. 
Those V6's thrived on being driven hard. Being driven like Miss Daisy would bog them down and they'd run uninspiringly flat compared to a good one.

Yes  the tickford Capri was 202bhp with 260 lbs ft and a modest 7.5 psi of boost due to the high compression ratio to start with 9.6.1, Only 85 were  made.

[Doctor Gollum]

In the V6 Granada 1-4 were the same ratio as the first four gears in the 5 speed.

Even the 2.3.5 speed would cruise at 120+ although the 2.8 carb helped with the bottom end grunt

The 4 speed managed about 18mpg The five speed with the 2.8i was nearly 30mpg on a run (the 5 speed 2.3 could do 27/28 with a bit of care), but had much better top end speed back when 130+ was socially acceptable on the A11

[ronnyd]

In the V6 Granada 1-4 were the same ratio as the first four gears in the 5 speed.

The 4 speed managed about 18mpg The five speed with the 2.8i was nearly 30mpg on a run, but had much better top end speed back when 130+ was socially acceptable on the A11

That long straight stretch just north of Thetford was great fun, especially in the wee small hours. The deer wouldn't have stood a chance. 

[Doctor Gollum]

In the V6 Granada 1-4 were the same ratio as the first four gears in the 5 speed.

The 4 speed managed about 18mpg The five speed with the 2.8i was nearly 30mpg on a run, but had much better top end speed back when 130+ was socially acceptable on the A11

That long straight stretch just north of Thetford was great fun, especially in the wee small hours. The deer wouldn't have stood a chance. 

The run up started at the M11 junction, but being mindful of the camera van in the layby as you go up the first hill and the sneaky bastard at Red Lodge hiding behind the first big sign for Barton Mills roundabout.

Obviously tried to keep below a ton under the Newmarket bypass bridges and going past Wymondham were Norfolks' finest have their HQ

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

My early 3.0 gt mk1 capri went well, the fast road cam and balance helped. 4 speed transit derived gear box was a pig, being an early one it had 3.22 rear gears. BTW its the 2.0 v4 that had 3.44s .

We didn't get V4 2.0 Capris here ..............

Well we did actually. It was produced in Dagenham and the engine was used in the Ford Corsair, Capri Mk I, Consul/Granada Mk I, Ford Zephyr Mk IV and the Ford Transit Mk I van. 
You're too young to remember them Nick. 

Yep, I omitted a word. Oops  


Even thirty years ago V4 Capris were very rare here. They chopped 2 cylinders off the Essex V6 to make a slightly smaller boat anchor. Europe got V4 Mk2&3 Capris, but those were Colognes. Similar faults, and the only things they do better than a 2.0l Pinto is weight the front of the car and drink more fuel.


I've owned mk1 Capris, and a Mk IV Zephyr and replaced the V4 in a Corsair with a V6


I surprised you can remember what 52 feels like

Yep....my old dad owned a 1965 Ford Coarsehair 2000GT V4 of 1965 vintage. Well before my time, of course, but I've seen the pictures of GUK 571C.

[Rangie]

I had a lovely 1 owner 1968 Corsair 2000E till it burst into flames outside St.Helier ambulance station, luckily my colleague witnessed it and the fire brigade turned up pretty quickly.

[ronnyd]

I was the proud owner of a 2000GT Corsair in gleaming Diamond white. Til SWMBO totalled it learning to drive.  Never teach ya missus to drive. 

[Lizzie Zoom]

Maybe they will also bring back Bodie and Doyle, The Professionals!

My eldest son is named after Lewis Collins; I loved him!

As for the Capri.....