‘The legend is back’ is the advertising strapline Ford is using for the new electric version of their seventies best seller the Capri. And appropriately enough Ford have been using another legend, Eric Cantona to advertise their new EV.
But not everybody is happy; a spokesman for the MK1 Capri Owners’ club in the UK said that it was inevitable that Ford would attempt to cash in on the popularity of the iconic vehicle. The car, once dubbed the ‘working man’s Porsche’ sold 400,000 in its first two years and almost 1.9 million by the end of production in 1986.
I can understand that phrase ‘working man’s Porsche’, because 50 years ago I worked with a young man from Mayo who worked hard night and day to save up enough money to buy a second-hand Capri. We will call him Noel, for that was his name and I think Noel really wanted a Capri with that gorgeous long bonnet to impress the ladies; and I think it worked.
Regular readers will know that electric cars tend to get a bad press, but I can see why Ford decided to use the Capri name again. It had been used prior to 1968 when the Capri was launched, for a Ford Consul Capri.
Yes, Ford’s decision has annoyed owners of vintage cars, who no doubt would have preferred if Ford had called it the Ford Explorer EV2 or something like that. I mention Explorer 2 as the previous week I had a second drive in the Ford Explorer EV, which is similar but slightly smaller than the Capri.
Car enthusiasts are annoyed as the original Capri was a classy looking car, whereas this new fully electric version is chunky and similar to many others electric cars on sale right now from the likes of: VW, Skoda, Kia and Hyundai. But with 570 litres of luggage space the Capri is tops in that category.
The Capri’s headlights and rear lights are similar to the original petrol-version of the car from the seventies and the black band across the car’s nose represents a visual reference to the icon model’s front grille.
My test car came in a lovely shade of blue. So, coupled with the curiosity about the name and admiration of the colour, I got plenty of envious looks last week.
Two different batteries sizes, which means two different ranges. For the 52kWh Standard version the range quoted is approximately 490km, while with the 77kWh Extended Range you should get around 620km with a full charge.
Prices start at €45,800, approximately 3K more than the Ford Explorer.
Inside, the dash is very similar to the Explorer, with a huge infotainment screen. I liked the car and it brought back great memories of simpler times when a colleague had to work night duty and Sunday duties to accumulate enough money to buy a second-hand Ford Capri.
I presume that in the early seventies no bank or building society would give a car loan to a 20-year-old on a basic wage of maybe 15 or 20 pounds a week.
Ford has lost customers in recent years who loved their Mondeo, Focus and Fiesta cars, but sadly those cars are no longer being made. Maybe Henry Ford’s relations thought that bringing back the name Capri would keep some old customers happy.
Time is a great healer and motorists will get over the decision by Ford to use the Capri name again. Who said that nostalgia is not what it used to be?
