Ford does not build many cars like the Ford Capri: a Fastback coupé with 1.3 , built from 1968 to 1986 in the decade that gave the world the pony car and the mid-engined supercar. Its designer of record is Philip T. Clark.
Where it came from
The Ford Capri is a car which was built by Ford of Europe from 1968 to 1986. It is a fastback coupé and was designed by Philip T. Clark, who had been involved in the design of the Ford Mustang.
It used the mechanical components from the Mk2 Ford Cortina and was intended as the European equivalent of the Ford Mustang. The Capri went on to be highly successful for Ford, selling nearly 1.9 million units in its lifetime. A wide variety of engines were used in the car throughout its production lifespan, which included V6 engines named Essex and Cologne at the top of the range, while the straight-four (Kent) and V4 (Taunus) engines were used in lower-specification models. Although the Capri was not officially replaced, the second-generation Probe was effectively its replacement after the later car's introduction to the European market in 1994.
Under the skin
Under the skin sits 1.3 other versions carried different engines, listed in the specification table below. Kerb weight is 2053 lb. The gearbox is a 4-speed manual all-synchromesh. The layout matters: a front engine drives the rear wheels, the classic proportion — long bonnet, cabin set back — that most people picture when they picture a sports saloon or a grand tourer. The wheelbase is 100.8 in. These are manufacturer figures carried by Wikipedia and Wikidata, not road-test measurements.
In context
Where it sits in Ford's history is not in doubt: the Ford Probe / Ford Puma followed it; it was built at Halewood. On a showroom list of its day it stood against the Peugeot 504, the Toyota Hilux, the Range Rover Range Rover. Nearby in the Ford catalogue sit the Ford 021C and the Ford Escort.
The money
MotorJury scores cars on the United States complaint and recall record, and the Ford Capri has none: too old, too rare, or never sold there. Its value today is a collector's question, decided by provenance and condition rather than by a class average.