The 2025 Ford Capri has proven controversial on launch, and you might be wondering why. Ford picked a great color and a great name for the debut, but people are still getting all hot under the collar. As an American, you might not understand the uproar, but as far as the Brits are concerned, Ford has done something unforgivable.
You see, the Ford Capri of years past was no mere appliance. This was a full-throated European muscle car. It was the hottest coupe to blast along a British B-road, and just about the coolest whip that the average Englander could hope to afford. To this day, it’s spoken of in more reverent tones than most surviving members of the royal family.
This was Britain’s Mustang, make no mistake. And would you believe, the colonials don’t see kindly to its legendary name being slapped on the back of a blimpy SUV.
Swagger
The first-generation Capri debuted in 1968. From the outset, it was designed to replicate the success Ford was having in the US with the Mustang. Rather than tool up to build the Mustang in Europe, Ford instead built a new coupe specifically to suit continental tastes, basing it on the Cortina platform. It had a sporting bent from the start, with its sleek two-door body style and rack-and-pinion steering.
The first model was available with a wide variety of engines, some quirkier than others. At the bottom end, you could choose the 1.3-liter Kent inline-four or the Taunus V4. In fact, the Capri didn’t come with one V4 option, but two! If you found yourself more moneyed, you could upgrade to the 2.0-liter Essex V4, or the delicious 2.0-liter Cologne V6. 1969 saw the release of the real peach, though: the 3.0-liter Essex V6, good for 138 horsepower. Paired with a four-speed manual, it really was the badgers knackers in that swinging era.
The Capri was a hit right away, just like the Mustang before it. It sold a mighty 400,000 units in just two years. The first generation then received a facelift in 1971 before records were set in 1973. Capri production peaked at 233,000 units with the 1,000,000th example sold in August that year. It also saw the release of the RS 3100, with a bored-out Essex V6 hitting 3.1-liters of displacement and 148 horsepower. The special hot ship also scored a ducktail rear spoiler, competition suspension, and larger disc brakes.
More Swagger
As the oil crisis dawned in the mid-1970s, Ford configured the new-generation Capri to be more livable. The Mk II debuted in 1974 with a shorter hood, larger cabin, and a hatchback for more practicality.
Moving with the times, the Capri also scored an automatic transmission option. Ford was noticing that British buyers were appreciating the more luxuriously appointed Ghia models and wanted an offering for the non-shifters out there.
Engine-wise, the new model got a hilariously humble 1.3-liter four, good for just 50 horsepower. Ford didn’t forget those with a thirst for more, though, with the top-end models featuring an 3.0-liter Essex motor good for 138 hp.
Sales ultimately remained strong, though not quite matching those of its predecessor. Still, it was being exported around the world, including to Japan and the US, where it was sold as the Mercury Capri until 1977.
The model was an iconic part of British TV hit The Professionals.
Swagger, a Swansong
The Mk III model came on song for 1978, reviving interest in Europe’s own pony car. It boasted nicer lines and looked every bit the star of the late 1970s. Most recognizably, it rocked back quad headlights in a big way, while engine options were carried over from the Capri II. Aerodynamics were improved over the outgoing model, while the low downward slope of the hood gave it a new aggressive visage.
As the model established itself, Ford noticed that the Capri had a particular cult following in the UK. Indeed, like so many other popular sports cars, for a time it was one of the most stolen cars in Britain.
Special models also pushed the Capri to new limits. The GP1 and Series X and models boosted engine output to 170 hp and 185 hp respectively, with ported cylinder heads and upgraded Weber carburetors. Meanwhile, a German dealer group whipped up a turbo version with a Garrett T4 turbo slapped on the 2.8-liter Cologne V6. It pumped out 188 horsepower, with a bodykit inspired by the legendary Zakspeed racers.
As new emissions regulations came to bear, Ford made the changes to keep the Capri moving with the times. This saw the long-running Essex V6 dropped, as Ford found it impossible to finesse it into shape.
Instead, in 1982, the Capri 2.8 Injection became the new range-topper. Ford would claim it bested the outgoing model with an output of 158 hp, though it was commonly believed to be closer to 148 hp in reality. The model also scored a new five-speed manual, while the later Capri Injection Special also scored a limited-slip diff.
While the 2.8 Injection was still an able performer, purists tend to prefer the final carbureted 3.0-liter models to this day. Still, it did spawn some hotter models, like the turbocharged Tickford Capri. built towards the end of the model’s run, it boasted 205 hp and could sprint to 60 mph in just 6.7 seconds. It also scored suspension upgrades and rear disc brakes to help handle all that power. The only problem was that it cost double what the standard Capri Injection did, and only 80 units were built.
Despite the love from England, Europe tired of the Capri and Ford cut production by 1984. The Capri thus became solely a right-hand-drive model. Though, even in the Queen’s homeland, trouble lay ahead. Sports sedans and hot hatches were coming into vogue, and coupes were on the downswing. By 1986, Ford couldn’t wring any more out of it, and the writing was on the wall. The Capri would be no more.
Up In Arms
Obviously, this isn’t the first time a major automaker has taken a beloved nameplate and slapped it on an SUV. Indeed, Ford did just that with the Mustang Mach-E, and Americans just had to suck it up. Similarly, Mitsubishi did the same with the Eclipse.
The uproar is understandable. For those who grew up loving and driving the Capri, the connection is a deeply emotional one. In its era, this was the car to have in the UK. It was the cool one you’d use to pick up and show off and roar around the countryside.
Seeing that name placed on a Volkswagen that looks like a Polestar is a bitter pill to swallow. Few were expecting Ford to genuinely announce a surprise new sports coupe, but similarly, few wanted to see the Capri name remembered in this way.
Will it matter? Perhaps not. As noisy as enthusiasts are, it’s the broader public that sets sales trends, not us. Perhaps the Capri will be a roaring success, and the halcyon days of the roaring coupe will be just a memory. Still, there will be those of us who remember.
Image credits: Ford, Lebkuchenteile – public domain