First post from a long-time lurker…from the old HJ site.
I was prompted to write because a few days ago I saw my first ‘new’ Ford Capri; the one which got the 80s traditionalists worked up and angry.
My initial reaction was it was very anonymous, samey, and bland. I saw it first from the rear and I only knew what it was because of the name across the boot lid which caught my attention.
It's like a mixture of the other Ford electrics…the Explorer and Mustang. Nothing new or original to make it stand out. Perfect if you want to be anonymous.
I wonder how many have been sold so far. I won t be buying one.
|
|
There’s one in the next road to me . Looks like most of the other EVs on the road . Most of Ford EVs are based on VW architecture. Perhaps it would be better to stick to a Vw model .
|
Anonymous is the word.
There is one here in yellow. And a couple of e Mustangs.
Not me but we're all different..
|
|
Playing history and nostalgia in the car world is a tricky thing to do. One has to look at the new e -R5 to see how well it can be done. All Ford have managed to do is is to destroy brand heritage In europe thay have completely lost the plot, and I expect to see the brand gone in Europe within 5 years.
|
|
I've been put off buying a ford by the tales of the 1 year manufacturer warranty followed by 2 years of dealer warranty. Plus of course gearbox and engine problems. But I'm also put off by most "short" warranties. Reading about people's tales of woe even when in warranty puts me off too.
|
|
I guess you're right but I always bear in mind that for each negative review of a mass produced product there are probably thousands who have no problem.
|
Do any potential buyers of the new Ford Capri care about the “heritage” of the Capri?
The target market are probably in their forties and to them “Capri” is just a name. They will be more concerned with the leasing deal and whether the kids will fit in the back, something that incidentally was rather problematical in the original. Let’s not forget that it was after all simply a tarted up Cortina.
|
>> forget that it was after all simply a tarted up Cortina.
Then why not call it "the cortina"? Why? because it has no cachet or styling heritage.
So you try and cash in a name, and cock it up.
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 26 Oct 25 at 19:45
|
It's just the old Capri on steroids - longer, wider, taller, and put on a few kilos - about 900kg.
Standard form for most modern efforts to recreate past glories - Mini, Beetle, Jaguar S Type etc.
The name "Capri" goes back to when Ford decided to associate their models with the then exotic:
- Capri - an island loved by the rich and famous off the gulf of Naples
- Cortina - upmarket ski resort
- Granada - home to the Alhambra in Spain
- Consul - globetrotting folk from the Foreign Office
- Zephyr - a light breeze evidencing effortless power
Zodiac I am not sure about - but the 1960s was race to the moon time. Escort, I understand, replaced Anglia -vapparently associated with WW2 air raids emanatin from East Angia.
Not really sure why car companies bother - any who may have bought a new original have by now retired (or worse).
Last edited by: Terry on Sun 26 Oct 25 at 21:36
|
>> It's just the old Capri on steroids - longer, wider, taller, and put on a
Its nothing of the sort. The capri was all about styling, dreams, sporting looks. The car you always promised yourself
The new capri is a boring bland shed.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnCXiv1cVdg
From the era when Ford could market cars.
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 26 Oct 25 at 21:38
|
“Its nothing of the sort. The capri was all about styling, dreams, sporting looks. The car you always promised yourself.”
I always associated it with boy racer types and middle age crises and rather lacked class.
|
>> “Its nothing of the sort. The capri was all about styling, dreams, sporting looks. The
>> car you always promised yourself.”
>>
>> I always associated it with boy racer types and middle age crises and rather lacked
>> class.
>>
Terry McCann the minder on Minder had a Capri, so there you go.
|
>> Terry McCann the minder on Minder had a Capri, so there you go.
As did Lewis Collins in the Professionals. Flash blokes, more importantly who would splash cash to look cool.
|
>> Terry McCann the minder on Minder had a Capri, so there you go.
Actually, the minder was George Cole. Anyway, one of Ford's most unsuccessful cars was the Ford Edsel, named after Henry Ford's son. It seems very poor marketing to have bestowed a name associated with unfortunate early death!
|
>> Actually, the minder was George Cole.
Waterman plaid Terry McCann who was the Minder for Cole's Arthur Daley.
|
"Actually, the minder was George Cole."
Not my recollection. Terry was there to mind Arfur.
|
>>
>> www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnCXiv1cVdg
>>
>> From the era when Ford could market cars.
>>
m.youtube.com/watch?v=KRbzJ0L1Zn8&pp=ygUVcG9yc2NoZSBhZHZlcnRpc2VtZW50
I still remember this car advert from a long time ago...
|
>> www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnCXiv1cVdg
>>
>> From the era when Ford could market cars.
>>
Brilliant.
Ford's marketing was much admired. The map light was inspired. The voice over sounds like Patrick Allen.
|
>> The name "Capri" goes back to when Ford decided to associate their models with the
>> then exotic:
I recall the Ford Consul Capri as a 2-door version of the Classic, back in the early '60s: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Consul_Classic
|
Maybe the public school types named the Prefect
And the Sales of the Century fanbois named the Anglia. :-)
|
|
when the 1939 anglia was introduced, most people never had tele.
|
Ford have really missed an opportunity - Instead of a sleek car the have created yet another Euro box SUV. Not for me, and yes I had a Capri back in the day - a mkII 2.0 Ghia Auto.
Renault however have hit the nail on the head with the new 4 & 5 models.
Last edited by: BigJohn on Sun 26 Oct 25 at 23:01
|
I had a drive of one a couple of weeks back. Nice inside, lots of room, the controls and screen seemed pretty intuitive to use.
Not sure how well they are selling, see a few of them out and about.
|
|
Lets not get into calling the other Ford Boring E-Box "The Mustang"
|
|
What makes a car boring anyway. I think most people would rate reliability as a greater virtue than exciting when it comes to to cars
|
>> What makes a car boring anyway. I think most people would rate reliability as a
>> greater virtue than exciting when it comes to to cars
>>
Hear hear!!!
|
>> What makes a car boring anyway. I think most people would rate reliability as a
>> greater virtue than exciting when it comes to to cars
You can have both. You should be driving around in Honda Jazz? why are you not?
Oh and I buy the way, every Ford Capri I had never failed to start or let me down.
Last edited by: Zero on Mon 27 Oct 25 at 13:33
|
|
Nothing against the Honda Jazz. It’s a fine little car and it fits a lot of people’s needs exactly. In fact If they were to make an electric version I’d certainly be interested.
|
>> Nothing against the Honda Jazz. It’s a fine little car and it fits a lot
>> of people’s needs exactly. In fact If they were to make an electric version I’d
>> certainly be interested.
Comes with a free flat cap, and fluffy M&S slippers.
|
“Comes with a free flat cap, and fluffy M&S slippers”
Aren’t flat caps associated more with mid life crisis drivers of sports cars?
Wouldn’t mind the slippers now the cold weather setting in.
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Mon 27 Oct 25 at 19:58
|
>> What makes a car boring anyway. I think most people would rate reliability as a
>> greater virtue than exciting when it comes to to cars
Generally not, I would say, although company user choosers distort this quite a bit because they don't care much if they aren't paying the bills.
A vast number of people will choose a BMW, Audi or Merc with 84% reliability over a Toyota or Lexus with 96%. Even if they were aware of those (made up) numbers they would just shrug, and almost certainly wouldn't subtract the percentages from 1 and work out that the Germans are 4 x more likely to be unreliable than the Japanese.
Then there are the loyal Range Rover buyers, who presumably learn how unreliable they are but just don't care. Reliability isn't secondary, it's nowhere at all.
Last edited by: Manatee on Mon 27 Oct 25 at 14:16
|
Every car model type has its place.
In 2016 my sister needed a small car as the street she lives on is a no through road and narrow so your first move is a tight three point turn - but she also needed to carry a double bass. Infact I asked the HJ forum that very question and the Honda Jazz was suggested due to the layout/magic seats. She still has it many years later.
My gripe is the trend for everything to look the same boring SUV shape. EG Why on earth would you buy a Bentley SUV - if I was that rich (er I'm not) I'd have a real one please.
The Capri wasn't perfect (eg cart spring rear suspension) but it was an iconic shape of the day. I loved my mkII 2.0 ghia auto.
Last edited by: BigJohn on Mon 27 Oct 25 at 20:11
|
"My gripe is the trend for everything to look the same boring SUV shape."
I guess is that it is because at the end of the day that's the type of vehicle that sells best. People just like them. Modern rules and regulations rule out a lot of design possibilities so all manufactureres vehicles tend to look very similar.The shape also fits well with EVs bcuase of the extra height needed to accomodate the battery
|
Ford made a deal with the VW group. The new Capri is merely a restyled body slapped onto a Skoda Enyaq.
A cynical marketing exercise at least the old Capri had in house engineering. This one is simply a copy of a Skoda.
|
>> "My gripe is the trend for everything to look the same boring SUV shape."
>>
>> I guess is that it is because at the end of the day that's the
>> type of vehicle that sells best. People just like them. Modern rules and regulations rule
>> out a lot of design possibilities so all manufactureres vehicles tend to look very similar.The
>> shape also fits well with EVs bcuase of the extra height needed to accomodate the
>> battery
They are also subject to the same physical constraints - designed using very similar software, aerodynamics refined in wind tunnels, structural strength, crumple zones, weight, optimised for standard size humans, maximum luggage space etc . The end result is inevitably a bit clone like.
SUVs are not spine tingling driving experiences despite what the marketing might lead you to believe. They deliver space, reasonable comfort, reasonable economy. In normal traffic conditions A to B takes much the same time as a 180mph Lambo (assuming licence preservation).
Excitement is best reserved for a country blast at 6.00am on Sunday or the odd track day - with probably a lot more fun in an Caterham, MX5 or similar without all the digital interference in a typical upmarket family hack.
Last edited by: Terry on Tue 28 Oct 25 at 14:48
|
I haven’t driven one, though I have had an Explorer hire car, but Richard Hammond seems to think it’s okay (if you ignore the rather long jet washer ad in the middle) :)
youtu.be/ZQ2FJiITCBg?si=0g639StvafVnveCA
|
Ford - The new Capri - carmalade
