MARKET TRENDS FORD CAPRI (1969-1986) From hero to zero and back again – the Capri spent years as the butt of many a joke, but Ford’s humble fastback has enjoyed a significant resurgence. Words: Jeff Ruggles
F
ew cars can demonstrate the lure of nostalgia quite like the Ford Capri. Although the not quickest or most dynamic of coupes, the lovable fastback has joined several of its contemporary Blue Oval stablemates in being hot property among enthusiasts – with prices to match. The Capri has had its time in the doldrums, but those fond memories often hark back to a time when they were just about everywhere. As Europe’s answer to the muscle-bound Mustang pony car, the Capri was instrumental in bringing sports car style to the masses by following a similar blueprint; borrow the underpinnings of an existing saloon model and reclothe them in a svelte, sporty new package with room for four and a keen price tag. Using the slogan “The car you always promised yourself”, it gave potential customers the best possible chance of fulfilling that promise by offering a range of engines from 1.3 to 3-litres and an unprecedented amount of trim
18 July 2022
The rarer Mk2 remains the most affordable generation.
options to suit different pockets. It was an approach that worked brilliantly, as little more than a year after going on sale, a quarter of a million Capris had been built. By 1973 there were 33 variations on the Capri within the standard range and when the heavily revised Mk2 version
was launched in 1974, the addition of a hatchback made it even more suitable as a practical daily proposition. The Capri II also introduced new models such as the plush Ghia and sporty S. While the redesign seemed promising, sales had tailed off rapidly by 1977 but Ford nailed it with the Mk3 Capri which arrived in 1978 with engines ranging from 1.3 to 3 litres, though in 1981 the base model 1.3 was dropped and the Essex V6 was replaced by the cleaner, fuel-injected Cologne 2.8 V6. The Mk3 would prolong the Capri’s life for more than eight years, but by the time Ford pulled the plug in 1986, sales had been slowly declining. Indeed, from 1984 cars were only being made for the UK market, and the final 280 ‘Brooklands’ editions were left languishing on dealer forecourts well into 1987. An impressive 1.9m Capris had been made but it was increasingly seen as a relic of a bygone age. No one needed a Tickford Capri when they
