The Ford Capri is back….but not as you’d expect

The former mid-size coupe is now an all-electric SUV in 2024.

Goodwood Festival of Speed and the New Ford Capri Launch

While the attention of the automotive world will undoubtedly be on Goodwood for this weekend’s Festival of Speed, Wednesday’s launch of the new Ford Capri gathered its fair share of interest as the American brand brought back an iconic name from its past in an unexpected form.

The History of the Ford Capri

The original Ford Capri was in production in Europe from November 1968 to December 1986 as a mid-size coupe and proved extremely popular, with 1.9 million units sold of the three iterations released during the 18-year run. There is often a sense of nostalgia for certain vehicles throughout history and the Ford Capri certainly evoked that as an affordable, yet flashy V6-powered two-door sports car. It is often defined as a cult classic.

It was unofficially replaced in the late 1980s by the Ford Probe and talk of reviving the Capri nameplate - inspired by the Italian island off the Gulf of Naples - has been rife for over 20 years. Now that talk has finally come to fruition in the form of a new all-electric SUV.

Ford’s Trend of Reviving Classic Nameplates

The new look for the Capri follows Ford’s revival of other classic nameplates, including the Mustang, Maverick, Puma and Explorer. The general opinion is likely to be split around what Ford has conjured up here, though in SUV terms it certainly has its own charm. Key to selling the new Capri - the third electric car in Ford’s lineup - is the promise of 627km (390 miles) of range on a single charge. Although, a 52kWh battery entry level version with a 168bhp electric motor and a range of 250 miles is expected to join the Capri lineup early next year. A 10-80% charge takes between 26 and 28 minutes depending on the spec you go for.

Performance and Comparisons

In terms of performance, the 282bhp rear wheel drive Capri can do 0-62mph in 6.3 seconds, while the all-well drive version can manage a more impressive 5.4 seconds from 335bhp. It shares clear similarities with the Explorer, in styling and performance, with Ford admitting that elements such as the doors, front fenders and bonnet are shared between the two cars. It also sits on the same MEB platform as other EV SUVs on the market, including the Volkswagen ID.5, Audi Q4 e-tron and Skoda Enyaq.

Interior Features

Inside the cabin, and central to the interior, is a 14.6-inch central touchscreen. Hidden behind it is the capacity for wireless phone charging, while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity comes as standard. There is also the inclusion of the ‘Megaconsole’, a 17-litre centre storage area which can fit a laptop.

Space and Practicality

Despite the Capri’s more sleek appearance, it boasts 572 litres of boot space which is 30 litres more than compared to the Explorer. Interior space is ample, meaning that passengers under 6ft won’t have an issue when it comes to headroom.

Pricing

Prices for the Ford Capri start at £48,075 for the entry-level rear-wheel drive version, while the top of the range all-wheel drive spec comes in at £56,175. The lower 250 mile range Capri is likely to come in at just over £40,000 when released in 2025.

words: Mike Booth
pictures: Ford & Classic Car Auctions
video: Ford