Just read that Ford is releasing new Capri 2012 to compete with VW Scirocco, also an anniversary model of mk1, this car will be the exact same model as the MK1.


Anyone else heard this

 

Nope, haven't heard it. It will be interesting to see if it will be here in the states, or just an oversees model.

 

The Ford Capri is one of those odd cars that has been the butt of a fair few jokes over the years but now it’s gone people really seem to miss it. Ford has in the past brought out the ‘new Capri’ in the form of the Probe and Cougar, but the reality is they didn’t really hit the spot.

 

If the name were to be revived, it couldn't be exactly as is was 30 years ago, but more of an updating of the original, as say the Mustang.But then, would it be front drive or rear drive. Most likely front, considering the platform sharing that would have to be done.

Then, how much does the Capri name resonated with the American public? The Capri was available longer in Europe than in the States, so the name means there more than here, but outside of a few hardcore enthusiasts and, ahem, older people, who knows the name. And how much does "Capri" as a resort mean to Americans? Know anyone who's been there lately? Anyone who's even thought about it?

And who would sell it? Ford is loaded with product lines. Mercury definitely needs a reason to exist...just as it did in the '70's. (How some things never change...). But what would Mercury give to Capri, essentially a new nameplate to most Americans? If Ford were to market Mercury using the original meaning of its name Mercury being the Greek god of speed instead of that stupid waterfall (or whatever that logois supposed to be) on acar that Ford owners aspire to when they get that manager job, andthat for a generation of buyers that's, um, decreasing in size daily, then maybe Capri would make sense.

At least more sense than "Mercur" being squoze between Mercury and Lincoln...

 

I've seen all sorts of renderings and supposed spy photos of the proposed Capri. Some good, some not so good. Unfortunately, athey all share the same shortcoming that will result in failure: Front wheel drive.

When will Ford learn? The EXP, Probe, Aussie Capri, "new" Cougar, etc. weren't enough to have Ford learn their lesson about the lack of consumer enthusiasm for a front wheel drive car with "sporting" pretensions?

I have owned five European Capri's, including my current daily driver, a 1973 v6 2600. And of course, and endless number of Mustangs, Torino's Fairlaines, Jaguars, MGB, Spitfires and even a couple of BMW's, including an un-federalized Grey Market 528i.

I've also had the misfortune of drivine all of the above mentioned Ford front wheel drive failures, as well as actually having the misfortune to have owned a GM front wheel drive vehicle.

I will never own another front wheel drive car by choice, no matter how loyal I am to Ford, and no matter how much I love my Capri's.

Ford already has the Focus for an international fwd platform. Buyers who want the car have an ample supply of these cars.

What ford doesn't have is a lightweight, international platform rwd wheel car that can be ordered in a full range of buyer options that range from economy (such as the original Capri 1600) to the performance (Capri RS or 2.8i models).

What Ford is missing is the lesson that should have been learned through the original US Mustang and Euro Capri: Build a platform that can transformed by the buyer to meet their needsm from mild to wild, while maintaining a sporty body that allows even the buyer of the economy version to believe they have a true "sports car."

The comparison between the rwd Miata and the fwd Aussie Capri should be example enough for Ford. They took esssentially the same motor and transmission, and produced a car in the same price range as the Miata, and yet the fwd Capri died of lack of interest (don't give me any corporate excuses about the need to redesign the car to satisfy airbag installation causing the car to fail on the market) while the rwd Miata continues to sell well into it's 18th year!

Sound familiar? How about the Capri that also served well, from 1969 to 1987, with very few actual modifications (and therefore very little cost of retooling) and lived well into the era of fwd. It's rwd successor also sold very well for years (Sierra in Europe, Merkur Xr4 over here).

My advice to Ford is to forget the fwd concept and build a lightweight, rwd niche car with subtle retro styling, akin to the current mustang, and I (and I'm sure many others who have loved Euro Fords) will line up to buy it.

In the meantime...my "concept" Ford is already underway, with the parts being assembled to build my own Ford "Perana", a V8 powered Capri Mk1.

To borrow from Ford's original US marketing slogan for the Capri..."The car "I" always promised myself!"

Don Murphy
Geneva, NY
USA

 

how often do the overseas models make it here ? and does anyone think with the lack of new ideas that it will be sooner than later that they do start making their way here ?

 

The New Ford Capri 2010 concept. The pictures shown are stunning (as seen on AutoExpress mag) and would make a great new vehicle to fit in with the modern times. However, i am little sceptical to wether it should carry the CAPRI name.
Personally, as a original Capri Owner and Club member YES..someone in their TWENTIES! too. Its a Big Deal, i think the current design would be great for a revival of the CLASSIC Ford Escort.

The Re-launch of the Capri would have to be similar to the Relaunch of the Mustang. If Ford can follow the design process as did with the Mustang, then the New Capri Concept would be a bigger Success. As the concept stands its stunning though it needs to carry over the overall look of the Original which, i personal think, made it a great success.

Overall, they need to stay close to the original design as possible just like Ford has with the New Mustang! The idea of a new capri being FWD is not to much of an issue... at least there be better handling in winter! However, that would be great just for the basic model. Going up to the larger engine it would have to be RWD or even 4WD. Or, selectable if the technology exists.

 

Hey I've had an Idea on how to put Mercury back on the map for a little while now!

I figured they should make a car to compete with the Mazda Miata and have a 6 speed manual and six speed automatic, have 4 engine options, a 4cyl. ecoboost for performance gas engine, a 4cyl. gas engine that gets extremely high gas mileage, a 4cyl. turbo diesel for high performance, and a 4 cyl. turbo diesel for extremely high fuel mileage! also incorporate some styling cues of it into all of the Mercury's kinda like ford having the 3 horizontal bar grille as their signature grille, so they can change Mercury from rebadged Fords that don't get redesigned to a company that still rides the Ford platforms, but look nothin like the Fords and get redesigned as often as the fords! With those four engines though they would hit all four markets!

What do you guys think? I think that Mercury would be back on the map!

 

Ford has the vehicles aready from the new Falcon RWD XR8 to the Mondeo for the FWD fans. I dont know why it is so difficult for them to follow what consumers want.

 

The New Ford Capri 2010 concept is truly stunning,,im amazed with it in so many ways..