Ford has displayed their controversial new Capri to the general public for the first time at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2024.
The famous name was most famously used on a range of sleek sportscars built across Europe between 1969 and 1986, with nearly 1.9 million being sold. However, the company has revived the Capri name as a fully-electric crossover.
Speaking to the Daily Express, Mike Laird, Product Manager for the new Ford Capri, highlighted that the new model is focused on providing enough space for four adults and their luggage, much like the original.
He explained: “When you look at the original Capri, it was designed to have enough space for four people and their luggage. If you look at that nowadays, you can’t get away with a two-door coupe because you can’t people in the back – I can’t get my 10-year-old in the back of a two-door car.
“Today, if you think about the same design brief of seating for four people, it has to be a four-door, it has to have plenty of headroom. And with a 572-litre boot, which is on-par almost with the Kuga, there is more than enough room for families. This is a car that is enjoyable to drive, a very good range and a boot that is more than capable to hold everyday family life.”
Compared to Capris of the past, the new model is definitely more of a family car, with a significantly taller 1626mm height, four doors and plenty of black, SUV-like trim around the wheel-arches, sills, and lower sections of the bumpers.
Nevertheless, there are a few nods to the original hidden in the otherwise unique design. Rear passengers will look out from rather distinct C-shaped windows, whilst the fairly minimalist front end features a clean faux-grille and headlight setup that is reminiscent of the second generation version.
Ford also claims that the Capri will be offered in a range of six throwback colours, with the models displayed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed each coated in Vivid Yellow, said to have been inspired by the Daytona Yellow that was used on many models during the early 70s.
Battling my way through the crowds to get inside the Ford Capri, I found that there was very little in the interior that could really be considered as retro.
Whilst the steering wheel had touches of stainless steel with round holes in it, Ford had clearly focused on giving Capri drivers access to the latest technology. The centrepiece of the dashboard is a colosal 14.6-inch touchscreen, with a few minimalist buttons for volume and the hazard lights at the bottom.
All Capris will come with a massaging driver seat, heated steering wheel, and a rear-view camera, with the high-end Premium model also receiving 20-inch alloy wheels, ambient lighting and a B&O sound system.
Entry-level versions of the Ford Capri will feature a single 286bhp electric motor that, like the original, drives the rear wheels. In this guise, the Capri will accelerate from 0-62mph in 6.4 seconds.
Buyers can also opt for a dual-motor setup, offering 340bhp and all-wheel drive, which cuts the 0-62mph acceleration time to 5.3 seconds. Range is also impressive, with some variants capable of covering up to 390 miles per charge.
UK motorists are already able to order the new Ford Capri, with prices starting from £42,075, with the first deliveries set to take place in late 2024.
