GTP Cool Wall: Ford Capri 2.8

So this is what my dad when he was younger...

I'll give it a Cool - I'm strangely pleased by the styling of the 2nd picture, although the first one has better headlights.

Very cool car. Fun tidbit about the Fox (Mercury) Capri it had flared rear fenders while the Mustang did not

Its weird to me that the 2.8 V6 was in this car since that V6 engine family in the states were truck engines 2.9 (Bronco II) and 4.0 (Explorer/Ranger)

Would be uncool apart from how I've never seen one in real life, and it doesn't really look too bad.

Meh.

The Capri was a fairly common sight on British roads until the mid-00s. While I never admired it in the past and only recently have I noticed how uncommon they've become, I've started to appreciate it more in its relative absence.

Just last Saturday I saw a 2.8 Injection which was in pretty good nick for its age. Very much like the one in the OP. 👍

Driven one and I can say its a cool car.

I'm a madman, but I think these cars are ridiculously cool. Sub-zero even. Am I a know-nothing Yank who will likely never come in contact with one? Yes. Do I wear rose-tinted glasses when looking at mid '80s and early '90s sports coupes? You bet. Does it really matter here? Not at all.

Don't get me wrong. It's a byproduct of the malaise era, but from the opposite side of the pond. At the very least, it had sporting credential in RS2600 form, Ford even lost their minds for a while and started slapping on turbos and whatnot (who wasn't back then?). I still think it's one of the best-looking, simple (yet beautiful) designs from the era... One where Japanese ideals of practicality were running amok in most design departments.

I dunno. I mean, you could compare it to the Fox Body Capri from America, but they're radically different vehicles. As fondly as I look back at models like the Mercury Capri RS, or even the ASC/McLaren, they were exceedingly rare, the exact reason why the car was killed at roughly the same time in the US.

I like the Euro ones, though I've never seen one. Seen 5.0 American ones though, rebadged or not, they are a great starting platform for car enthusiasts alike. Definitely a sub zero in my book, based on that.

YSSMAN

I dunno. I mean, you could compare it to the Fox Body Capri from America, but they're radically different vehicles.

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I wish I had a stock pic for moments like this.

No kidding. When SVT made the nomination, I said," Why couldn't we get this Capri instead of the tin cans we got?". To which he mentioned that the Euro Capri was sold here up to 1978. The Crapri Mustang was made to fill the gap and sell on the name. Then there's the Aussie-built, Mazda powered piece that they decided to call Capri, the one I grew up knowing.

Don't ask me why, but I love this car. Sub Zero.

Cool. Light, reasonably powerful, sounds good at WOT, and looks pretty nice as well. But, LRA and pushrod configuration for the V-motors drops it from being sub zero in my books.

Uncool since you'd need a porn stache to not look out of place.

Not as cool as it would like to be.

Uncool.

These were such a common sight in Britain up until the late '90s. Today you can't go anywhere in one without someone coming up to you with a smile and saying 'my dad had one' or 'I had one back in the day'.
Ford really had a massive hit when this first ever came out in 1969 and everyone has loved them since. Around 1980 Ford were going to wind down the Capri until they slotted the 2.8 Cologne V6 into it which breathed new life into the car and carried it on until 1986.
When the 2.8 eventually came out, it was quicker, much cheaper and was pretty economical against all it's main rivals (Mazda RX7, Porsche 924 etc)
Every motoring magazine praised it for keeping the same principal that made the original so great. Even when Ford were giving more advertising and limelight to the Sierra XR4 (which had the same engine) a survey revealed that people wanted the Capri more. This was one of the last 2-door RWD coupes that many could afford for around 10 years or so. This is mainly why the Toyota GT86 reminds me of the Capri, quick, good looking and affordable. For all this I give it a solid Sub-Zero.

I'm surprised the Cologne V6 was actually reliable over there. I had one in my Bronco II and it broke down every week. Couldn't have been all that different.

I find the Capri 2.8 to be cool. It's one of Ford's greatest cars. If it was the 3000S, I would've voted sub-zero.

I've always liked these things. Also Zakspeed.

AudiMan2011

If it was the 3000S, I would've voted sub-zero.

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In gold or silver?

I love these but had to plump for "cool" as if we are taking the gradings literally, I would say I like them a lot but would never describe them as uber "cool", one day perhaps.

These were very quick, affordable cars for their time, good for 130+ and 60 came in 7.something seconds IIRC. Some visibility issues with parking and such though as you can't actually see the very front of the car from inside.

The limited sportier 280 Brooklands and aftermarket Tickford versions are worth a look too, though I was never crazy for the restyled front of the latter.

SVT Cobra GT

In gold or silver?

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Either one really. Simply because of "The Professionals".

AudiMan2011

Either one really. Simply because of "The Professionals".

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Or 'The Bullsh***ers'

I drove two of these before, one I drove all the way from London back to Ireland. I was expecting a fun drive home considering 2.8 v6 and RWD old light car. It was very disappointing it had just enough power to break traction in first gear and struggled to get motorway speeds. It was slower than a 1.0L fiesta. It pulled to the left the whole time too. The second one I drove was much better for power, I actually had fun in it, but it strangely enough pulled the the left in the same way.

I always liked the look of these, but I struggle to give it a cool rating as I never felt cool driving one. I think it looks kind of cool, but I don't think it's a cool car. So I'll give it a meh.

Badasp5.0

Very cool car. Fun tidbit about the Fox (Mercury) Capri it had flared rear fenders while the Mustang did not

Its weird to me that the 2.8 V6 was in this car since that V6 engine family in the states were truck engines 2.9 (Bronco II) and 4.0 (Explorer/Ranger)

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The 4.0 eventually found its way into the Mustang as the base V6 engine, I believe between 2006 and 2010. The 2.8 V6 was also in the Mustang briefly, according to Wikipedia they went away from it because of supply problems.

Cringe worthy, Seriously Uncool

I absolutely love the looks of this car. The 2.8 V-6 that it is equipped with drags it down a notch, but adding the 5spd. behind it would make it a little bit more fun to drive.

I'll pull a Slashfan here ------ "if this thing only had a 5.0 in it"

It's not quite sub-zero material, but to me, it is a hard core "cool".

Sub Zero.

Bodie & Doyle.

MK3 Injection is only "cool". If it were a MK1 and/or a 3.0 Essex I'd be tempted to vote "sub-zero". If it were an RS3100 I would definitely vote "sub-zero". 👍

I honestly want Ford to come out with a new Capri, and slot it right underneath the Mustang, have it compete with the Breezefreeze and Miata, but that's of course just my opinion.

liquid

sub zero.

Bodie & doyle.

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+2.8