The Ford car designed for the young at
heart is refusing to grow old gracefully as the Ford Capri celebrates it 40th
anniversary.
Although
production ended in 1986, Capri lives on within many owners' clubs who will be
celebrating the anniversary with events planned from Scotland to the South
West. Fans are getting together at Castle Combe, Wiltshire (6 June), Grampian
Transport Museum, Alford, Aberdeenshire (30 August), Ace Café in London (5
September) and Brooklands Museum, Surrey (26 September).
Launched
in January 1969 and marketed as "the car you always promised
yourself", the Ford Capri was unashamedly aimed at a style-conscious
generation. In just 18 years the European answer to the Ford Mustang sold
nearly two million units and achieved iconic status with its target audience.
From
the outset the Capri was about choice, with a range boasting 26 derivatives. A
mixture of engines - 1.3-, 1.6- and 2.0-litre four-cylinder units and a 3-litre
V6 - catered for all tastes, while optional custom packs allowed a degree of
personal customising that broke new ground in the industry. For the serious
drivers there was the Cologne-built RS2600 and the short-lived Halewood-built
124mph RS3100.
A
global oil crisis failed to slow the Capri's progress and in 1974 the Mk II was
launched. Smoother design lines and simplified option packs ensured the
Capri appealed to a wider market.
Star
status was assured with regular Capri appearances in TV shows such as Minder and The Professionals.
From
1978, the Mk III saw a tidying up of the Capri body and several special
editions such as the Calypso and Laser. In 1981 Dunton's newly-formed Special
Vehicle Engineering department unveiled their first project, the 160bhp Capri
2.8 injection. The limited edition Capri 280, also known as the
Brooklands Capri, signalled the end of the Capri era and the last car left the
line in December 1986.
While
the Capri is not the biggest seller in Ford history it is evident from the
devoted fan base that it is certainly one of the most fondly remembered.
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