Cobra's '04 Mach 1 Mustang

[Niku Driver HC]

No it's not a common combination but it was really well done! If I ever see it for sale again I'll be certain to buy it!

Ford said at the time they were killing off the Capri due to the rise in popularity of hot hatchbacks. But at the same time, had ford invested more money into developing the Capri with a better chassis set up then it may have been a different story! Yeah with modern technology today things would be much different.

Looks like you are eager to get your hands on that V8 Capri, eh? It has left quite the mark on you, it seems.

And well, Ford did try to create "new Capris", in the form of the Probe and the Cougar, but both of those attempts flopped. Now, since the Mustang is being sold in many parts of Europe (thank God for that), I'll go out on a limb and say that this story has gone full-cycle. The Capri was created to fit a role that Ford didn't want to fill with the Mustang (not in Europe, that is), and now the Mustang, with its smaller Ecoboost engines, has more or less shrunk down to the Capri's level when it comes to model placement. It may be strange-sounding, but I'd say that is the right idea to have, really.

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

Looks like you are eager to get your hands on that V8 Capri, eh? It has left quite the mark on you, it seems.

And well, Ford did try to create "new Capris", in the form of the Probe and the Cougar, but both of those attempts flopped. Now, since the Mustang is being sold in many parts of Europe (thank God for that), I'll go out on a limb and say that this story has gone full-cycle. The Capri was created to fit a role that Ford didn't want to fill with the Mustang (not in Europe, that is), and now the Mustang, with its smaller Ecoboost engines, has more or less shrunk down to the Capri's level when it comes to model placement. It may be strange-sounding, but I'd say that is the right idea to have, really.

It was just such a sleeper really. It looked to be really well built as well! I was so gutted when I missed out on it. A V8 Capri is one dream car of mine as well, wasn't really bothered that it had a Chevy engine in it either.

Yeah the cougar and probe never really took off here but myself like many are quite glad the Mustang is finally coming here! Now if we can get hold of Roush, Saleen and Shelby packages it would be great!

 

[Niku Driver HC]

It was just such a sleeper really. It looked to be really well built as well! I was so gutted when I missed out on it. A V8 Capri is one dream car of mine as well, wasn't really bothered that it had a Chevy engine in it either.

Yeah the cougar and probe never really took off here but myself like many are quite glad the Mustang is finally coming here! Now if we can get hold of Roush, Saleen and Shelby packages it would be great!

I see, it's the idea of a V8 Capri that entices you, regardless of what V8 it might be underneath that hood. If it's well done, it's worth it.

I agree, having acess to the upgrades that one can buy in America for the Mustang would be great. New superchargers, new bodykits, the whole lot. And maybe even full packages (i.e. the Super Snake)! It would allow many owners to further customize their own cars, to their own taste.

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

October update;

The Capri has gone! It was part exchanged and has already gone onto a wealthy new owner with a big car collection so it will be looked after which I'm pleased about.

In it's place is this;

I've had it for one week as of this post and I'm just currently enjoying it before it goes away for the winter. I'll draw up a to do list over the winter and save up money for it.

And yes, it's the EXACT same Firebird I debated on getting at the beginning of 2014. It's in much better condition than it was before after having £3000 spent on new brakes, tyres and exhaust system. It's only covered 37500 miles. It has the WS6 package installed on it. There's barely any rust on it bar from one tiny spot and unfortunately there's rather a lot of stone chips on the bonnet but they aren't noticeable unless you stare at it.

 

[Bandit1]

Congratulations! You made the right call in my book! Car looks to be in good shape, WS6 suspension is a plus too.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Aww, the Capri is gone... Oh well, hopefully the new elated owner can indeed take good car of it, otherwise it'd be a waste of a well-looked after Capri.

As for the Firebird, it's an interesting choice, and it is also interesting that you ended up closing a cycle considering the fact that you were interested in the car, during the ownership period of the Capri. It is a very tidy car, barely any rust and a special suspension package included are great bonuses. Should be interesting to see how you will get along with your new steed...

 

[homeforsummer]

Nice choice 👍 I'm pretty sure I was actually watching the ad for that one for a time, though there appear to be two or three very similar ones for sale in the UK at the mo.

 

[Katiegan]

I never even got a chance to see the Capri! Hopefully I'll spot the Firebird around. Quite hard to miss in that colour too.

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

I never even got a chance to see the Capri! Hopefully I'll spot the Firebird around. Quite hard to miss in that colour too.

I still haven't seen Bruiser in all these years I've been posting in this forum.

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

Bit of an update for you guys.

Been running around in the Firebird for a while now, enjoying it greatly! Been to a few shows already with many many admirers, one asking if it was a Ferrari!

I'm awaiting some shots of it running on Donington Park from the historic festival so I will upload those as and when.

Also tomorrow night it goes to the exhaust place where I took the Capri. So there'll be before and after photos and a video to accompany it.

On a slightly damper note though, there have been a couple of running issues of which I think (hope) is down to clogged/faulty fuel injectors, I'll be stocking up on cleaner and seeing if it makes a difference.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Been running around in the Firebird for a while now, enjoying it greatly! Been to a few shows already with many many admirers, one asking if it was a Ferrari!

First of all, welcome back! The slience here over the past few months did make me wonder if you had run into trouble during the whole Firebird ownership story.
Also, confusing a Pontiac Firebird with a Ferrari... Huh? Where can anyone see the 1980's Ferrari in a late '80s Pontie? The color? I must admit, I giggled a bit.

I'm awaiting some shots of it running on Donington Park from the historic festival so I will upload those as and when.

Looking forward to seeing the pics, anything special amongst them you can mention without spoiling too much?

Also tomorrow night it goes to the exhaust place where I took the Capri. So there'll be before and after photos and a video to accompany it.

Looking forward to this as well. And I bet the Pontie will sound more meaty from now on after that trip, if the video will be any indication of that...

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

First of all, welcome back! The slience here over the past few months did make me wonder if you had run into trouble during the whole Firebird ownership story.
Also, confusing a Pontiac Firebird with a Ferrari... Huh? Where can anyone see the 1980's Ferrari in a late '80s Pontie? The color? I must admit, I giggled a bit.

Looking forward to seeing the pics, anything special amongst them you can mention without spoiling too much?

Looking forward to this as well. And I bet the Pontie will sound more meaty from now on after that trip, if the video will be any indication of that...

No troubles yet. There just wasn't much to report really whereas now there is a little couple of pieces of news.
The guy who thought it was a Ferrari was loading up his van and saw me drive past so he probably never saw the small Pontiac badges but it did make me laugh. Perhaps I should have a Magnum P.I outfit along with a Michael Knight one.

Well there isn't much to spoil other than they are photos of the parade I went on which also reminds me that there is a video taken from the Saturday parade of which I shall upload.

I'm looking forward to hearing it and also see the difference it'll make to the look of it.

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

Here's a video I found from Saturday's parade at Redgate corner (Turn 1):



And here's the video my friend filmed from the pit entrance.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

No troubles yet. There just wasn't much to report really whereas now there is a little couple of pieces of news.
The guy who thought it was a Ferrari was loading up his van and saw me drive past so he probably never saw the small Pontiac badges but it did make me laugh. Perhaps I should have a Magnum P.I outfit along with a Michael Knight one.

Well there isn't much to spoil other than they are photos of the parade I went on which also reminds me that there is a video taken from the Saturday parade of which I shall upload.

I'm looking forward to hearing it and also see the difference it'll make to the look of it.

So I suppose there weren't enough news to demand many posts here until now, correct?
Either way, you should certainly grab either a Magnum P.I. outfit or a Miami Vice one. You know, American convertible trying to pass as an Italian one, suits the story like a glove.

Indeed, the videos are nice. I must say one thing though (in jest); that sountrack on the second video was certainly British, that classic rock anthem... Also, was there really a Mazda 6 pace car (?) amongst the cars in the parade? Interesting choice...

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

So I suppose there weren't enough news to demand many posts here until now, correct?
Either way, you should certainly grab either a Magnum P.I. outfit or a Miami Vice one. You know, American convertible trying to pass as an Italian one, suits the story like a glove.

Indeed, the videos are nice. I must say one thing though (in jest); that sountrack on the second video was certainly British, that classic rock anthem... Also, was there really a Mazda 6 pace car (?) amongst the cars in the parade? Interesting choice...

No not really, before Donington there wasn't much to report on. I have had the T Top off a few times already but there was only once where it didn't feel cold whilst doing so.

I don't really know what song it was, it was what the circuit organisers chose. The Mazda 6 pace car is property of the circuit, they were running around to ensure the drivers weren't racing as it was a parade. They do it every year and it splits up the cars nicely. Someone in an MX5 did a burnout and got told off which you can see in the video from Redgate.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

No not really, before Donington there wasn't much to report on. I have had the T Top off a few times already but there was only once where it didn't feel cold whilst doing so.

I don't really know what song it was, it was what the circuit organisers chose. The Mazda 6 pace car is property of the circuit, they were running around to ensure the drivers weren't racing as it was a parade. They do it every year and it splits up the cars nicely. Someone in an MX5 did a burnout and got told off which you can see in the video from Redgate.

Ah yes, that equally classic British weather, how can I forget? Well, you probably want to forget that, at least... The Firebird's T-Top was not tested in that kind of weather conditions, GM never covered that possibility.

Do not worry, because my knowledge of that song is as good as yours. So Donington actually owns a Mazda 6 pace car, that is a very wise decision. Bringing out the ever-attractive Soul Red MX-5 ND was an equally wise decision, I might add. Also, was that grey car, the one which preceded the blue MX-5 NA, a Marcos? I loved its exhaust note as it was passing by, much like all the convertible TVRs (god bless the Rover V8 unit)...

Early edit: I also did not know that Donington owned a Jaaaag F-Type Coupe Safety Car (as seen in the Redgate video), another wise decision on their part! 👍

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

Ah yes, that equally classic British weather, how can I forget? Well, you probably want to forget that, at least... The Firebird's T-Top was not tested in that kind of weather conditions, GM never covered that possibility.

Do not worry, because my knowledge of that song is as good as yours. So Donington actually owns a Mazda 6 pace car, that is a very wise decision. Bringing out the ever-attractive Soul Red MX-5 ND was an equally wise decision, I might add. Also, was that grey car, the one which preceded the blue MX-5 NA, a Marcos? I loved its exhaust note as it was passing by, much like all the convertible TVRs (god bless the Rover V8 unit)...

Early edit: I also did not know that Donington owned a Jaaaag F-Type Coupe Safety Car (as seen in the Redgate video), another wise decision on their part! 👍

It's not so much the rain, it's the fact it rarely gets warm enough to have the top off without the wind making it cold.
The Mazda 6 and the F-type belong to the circuit but the ND MX5 was owned by someone else in the MX5 owners club, they had quite a few cars on the parade, I took up part of the Capri clubs allocation for the weekend so there maybe some photos of me alongside some.

I believe it was a Marcos yes, I can't quite remember which one though. It was nice to see the TVRs back this year too.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

It's not so much the rain, it's the fact it rarely gets warm enough to have the top off without the wind making it cold.
The Mazda 6 and the F-type belong to the circuit but the ND MX5 was owned by someone else in the MX5 owners club, they had quite a few cars on the parade, I took up part of the Capri clubs allocation for the weekend so there maybe some photos of me alongside some.

I believe it was a Marcos yes, I can't quite remember which one though. It was nice to see the TVRs back this year too.

So it was not hot enough to warrant having the top down for more than 5 minutes? Ok, fair enough.
I see, so both the 6 and the F are Donington's finest, but the ND is not a press car having a nice trip? Interesting, guess the ND's popularity did not take long to infiltrate the MX-5 owners club, for obvious reasons... And it's somewhat ironic that you, a former Capri owner, got the chance to ride the Firebird next to some fine Capris.

I'll have to check which Marcos cars came with a V8 engine, because I'm intrigued about classic ones having such an engine. The TVRs, as always, are a plus in my book, you cannot have a British meet without at least 4 or 5.

And it may be just me, but I still miss the Capri a bit. It's a shame that it could not live alongside the Pontie, but such is the world of car owning on a budget. It does not help that I learn more and more about Mk.3s, with the April 2016 edition of the Classic Ford Magazine always willing to give me a helping hand. You know a Capri like this one, Calvin Ware's Cabaret II?

​

There is something about this that's just endearing to me. Maybe it's the two-tone paint, maybe it's the Wolfrace steel mags, maybe it's both the former and the latter as well as just about anything else...

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

So it was not hot enough to warrant having the top down for more than 5 minutes? Ok, fair enough.
I see, so both the 6 and the F are Donington's finest, but the ND is not a press car having a nice trip? Interesting, guess the ND's popularity did not take long to infiltrate the MX-5 owners club, for obvious reasons... And it's somewhat ironic that you, a former Capri owner, got the chance to ride the Firebird next to some fine Capris.

I'll have to check which Marcos cars came with a V8 engine, because I'm intrigued about classic ones having such an engine. The TVRs, as always, are a plus in my book, you cannot have a British meet without at least 4 or 5.

And it may be just me, but I still miss the Capri a bit. It's a shame that it could not live alongside the Pontie, but such is the world of car owning on a budget. It does not help that I learn more and more about Mk.3s, with the April 2016 edition of the Classic Ford Magazine always willing to give me a helping hand. You know a Capri like this one, Calvin Ware's Cabaret II?

​

There is something about this that's just endearing to me. Maybe it's the two-tone paint, maybe it's the Wolfrace steel mags, maybe it's both the former and the latter as well as just about anything else...

No it rarely gets that hot where I live, we did have a couple of days where it was warm enough and of course the top came off then.

Not that I was aware of, there were lots of MX5s on display so I'm assuming they asked someone with an ND model to attend.
The guys who were in attendance on the Capri club I am all friends with so they were happy to have the Firebird alongside them, they still regard me as a Capri owner.

The video that was shot at Redgate you can see that Marcos more clearly but I'm still not sure which one it is. Oh I know, TVRs are always at every show I attend and they always get the respect they deserve. They were the dream cars of my childhood.

I do miss my Capri from time to time, I'd have loved to have it alongside the Firebird but I just couldn't afford to do that. I have actually seen it up for sale on eBay for more than twice what I sold it for. It's found it's way to Northern Ireland somehow as well.

Cabaret Capris are now really rare, I've no doubt that one will start fetching a lot of money. I'm sure you could find a good rust free Capri over in Portugal or Spain.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

No it rarely gets that hot where I live, we did have a couple of days where it was warm enough and of course the top came off then.

I see, such is the weather at Yorkshire Land... That wasn't really a problem when you did not have a T-Top at hand with the Capri, right?

Not that I was aware of, there were lots of MX5s on display so I'm assuming they asked someone with an ND model to attend.
The guys who were in attendance on the Capri club I am all friends with so they were happy to have the Firebird alongside them, they still regard me as a Capri owner.

So that Mazda had multiple generations of the MX-5 at hand for the show? That makes sense when one puts it that way, given how important the ND is to Mazda...
Ah, I see, very cool. It's nice to see that brand elitism does not exist in excessive quantities within car clubs, for the Pontie to be treated as well as any Capri in the Capri club despite, well, not being a Capri to begin with.

The video that was shot at Redgate you can see that Marcos more clearly but I'm still not sure which one it is. Oh I know, TVRs are always at every show I attend and they always get the respect they deserve. They were the dream cars of my childhood.

Apparently, from what I can gather, that Marcos is bound to be a Marcos Mantula; an early '80s coupe which had the Rover V8 block. Ironically enough, it's no wonder that its engine noise struck a note with me, it essentially packs the same sort of punch TVRs do. The picture I am about to share seems to match the silver car which appeared at Donington, unless I'm wrong;

​

And I can certainly approve of your love for TVR, to me they are still the unsung underdogs that sounded godly and could bite your nog off if you didn't respect them. If there is something from Blackpool that I can praise other than William Regal, it would be the entire TVR brand. Not just the Cerbera or the Tuscan, but also the Grffith and the T350C...

I do miss my Capri from time to time, I'd have loved to have it alongside the Firebird but I just couldn't afford to do that. I have actually seen it up for sale on eBay for more than twice what I sold it for. It's found it's way to Northern Ireland somehow as well.

Heh, I should have known you would say the exact same thing as I did. Also, it's for sale again? That's odd, didn't it find a home with some car collector last time we saw any mention of it here? Guess the car did not keep him interested for long... It's a shame it's in Ireland, otherwise I'd buy it in a heartbeat...

...if I had the money, that is. And on the topic of Capris for sale;

Cabaret Capris are now really rare, I've no doubt that one will start fetching a lot of money. I'm sure you could find a good rust free Capri over in Portugal or Spain.

Well yes, you can find a Capri in Portugal. However, from the two major online selling websites in the country, car-centric Standvirtual and the more general OLX, there is not a single Mk.3 for sale. Only good condition or rusty rustbucket Mk.1s. My obession for the Mk.3 has hit quite the roadblock here, I'm afraid... It does not help that it might take quite a while to find an affordable Mk.3, much less a British Special like the Cabaret.
I can assure you of one thing; at this current juncture, it is easier to find a Daihatsu Charade Gtti for sale than a Mk.3 Ford Capri. And the Gtti is like the freakin' unicorn of the 1990 hot hatch scene...

Also, these are probably unwarranted worries, but apologies if I'm straying far from the main topic at hand here. I can appreciate the responses, though. 👍

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

I see, such is the weather at Yorkshire Land... That wasn't really a problem when you did not have a T-Top at hand with the Capri, right?



So that Mazda had multiple generations of the MX-5 at hand for the show? That makes sense when one puts it that way, given how important the ND is to Mazda...
Ah, I see, very cool. It's nice to see that brand elitism does not exist in excessive quantities within car clubs, for the Pontie to be treated as well as any Capri in the Capri club despite, well, not being a Capri to begin with.



Apparently, from what I can gather, that Marcos is bound to be a Marcos Mantula; an early '80s coupe which had the Rover V8 block. Ironically enough, it's no wonder that its engine noise struck a note with me, it essentially packs the same sort of punch TVRs do. The picture I am about to share seems to match the silver car which appeared at Donington, unless I'm wrong;

​

And I can certainly approve of your love for TVR, to me they are still the unsung underdogs that sounded godly and could bite your nog off if you didn't respect them. If there is something from Blackpool that I can praise other than William Regal, it would be the entire TVR brand. Not just the Cerbera or the Tuscan, but also the Grffith and the T350C...



Heh, I should have known you would say the exact same thing as I did. Also, it's for sale again? That's odd, didn't it find a home with some car collector last time we saw any mention of it here? Guess the car did not keep him interested for long... It's a shame it's in Ireland, otherwise I'd buy it in a heartbeat...

...if I had the money, that is. And on the topic of Capris for sale;



Well yes, you can find a Capri in Portugal. However, from the two major online selling websites in the country, car-centric Standvirtual and the more general OLX, there is not a single Mk.3 for sale. Only good condition or rusty rustbucket Mk.1s. My obession for the Mk.3 has hit quite the roadblock here, I'm afraid... It does not help that it might take quite a while to find an affordable Mk.3, much less a British Special like the Cabaret.
I can assure you of one thing; at this current juncture, it is easier to find a Daihatsu Charade Gtti for sale than a Mk.3 Ford Capri. And the Gtti is like the freakin' unicorn of the 1990 hot hatch scene...

Also, these are probably unwarranted worries, but apologies if I'm straying far from the main topic at hand here. I can appreciate the responses, though. 👍

I didn't no, I had a nice solid hardtop on that 👍

Yeah they did, they had each generation of MX5 on display and many had been modified.

Yeah that's the Marcos that was there, lovely car and I'll bet it's awesome to drive especially with that Rover V8
It's sad that the company's not been around for a few years, I do hope their comeback is successful. My younger cousins have no idea what TVRs are and it makes me feel old

Yeah the dealer I traded it in with told me it was going to a car collector, I'm assuming he must have got bored of it. It's an eyewatering price for the car. Not even the final 280 Capris are going for that much.

Really? I'm guessing the Capri wasn't as popular in Portugal as it was here. You could always buy one here and take it back to Portugal, there's plenty for sale. No apologies necessary, we're talking Capris and other cars, it's on topic.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

I didn't no, I had a nice solid hardtop on that 👍

A Dagenham-built fixed hardtop, no less. 👍

Yeah they did, they had each generation of MX5 on display and many had been modified.

Nice, I can enjoy that sort of thorough showcase. And of course many are modified, I suppose being unique matters a lot for an owner of a car that has had millions of examples manufacturered....

Yeah that's the Marcos that was there, lovely car and I'll bet it's awesome to drive especially with that Rover V8
It's sad that the company's not been around for a few years, I do hope their comeback is successful. My younger cousins have no idea what TVRs are and it makes me feel old

Heh, I bet it will. Although being a Marcos, you always have to worry about the bodywork falling off at some point during ownership... #justbritishkitcarthings (I jest somewhat, the car is awesome and so is its engine. Rover V8s are sturdy and sound amazing, regardless of the car that is using said engine.)
I hope this supposed Cosworth-powered rebirth goes well for them, because if anything the project has a great amount of potential. And many of my friends don't know much about British cars, much less TVRs... So I'm on the same boat as you, being an old guy.

Yeah the dealer I traded it in with told me it was going to a car collector, I'm assuming he must have got bored of it. It's an eyewatering price for the car. Not even the final 280 Capris are going for that much.

Not even the Brookies go for big money yet? That is odd... They must be at least rising in terms of price. Also, could you share the link for your old Capri's sale? Asking out of curiosity, that's all.

Really? I'm guessing the Capri wasn't as popular in Portugal as it was here. You could always buy one here and take it back to Portugal, there's plenty for sale. No apologies necessary, we're talking Capris and other cars, it's on topic.

Most Ford coupes did not really struck a chord with us Portuguese. The hot hatch scene was just too overpowering for them to thrive. Even cars like the Opel/Vauxhall Calibra and the VW Corrado weren't volume sellers.
Checking out English car sales websites such as carandclassic.co.uk, there are 81 adverts for Capris, featuring plenty of Mk.3s. In Portugal's Standvirtual? A big, fat and juicy zero (the search defaults to a more generalized Ford coupe one)... Now you can see how unlucky I am as far as finding a rust-free Mk.3 Capri here is concerned.

Maybe I should search for a Ford EXP too, given my strange admiration for them after discovering them recently... I should just say that I like all Ford coupes (even that mediocre Cougar), shouldn't I?

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

A Dagenham-built fixed hardtop, no less. 👍
Nice, I can enjoy that sort of thorough showcase. And of course many are modified, I suppose being unique matters a lot for an owner of a car that has had millions of examples manufacturered....

Heh, I bet it will. Although being a Marcos, you always have to worry about the bodywork falling off at some point during ownership... #justbritishkitcarthings (I jest somewhat, the car is awesome and so is its engine. Rover V8s are sturdy and sound amazing, regardless of the car that is using said engine.)
I hope this supposed Cosworth-powered rebirth goes well for them, because if anything the project has a great amount of potential. And many of my friends don't know much about British cars, much less TVRs... So I'm on the same boat as you, being an old guy.

Not even the Brookies go for big money yet? That is odd... They must be at least rising in terms of price. Also, could you share the link for your old Capri's sale? Asking out of curiosity, that's all.

Most Ford coupes did not really struck a chord with us Portuguese. The hot hatch scene was just too overpowering for them to thrive. Even cars like the Opel/Vauxhall Calibra and the VW Corrado weren't volume sellers.
Checking out English car sales websites such as carandclassic.co.uk, there are 81 adverts for Capris, featuring plenty of Mk.3s. In Portugal's Standvirtual? A big, fat and juicy zero (the search defaults to a more generalized Ford coupe one)... Now you can see how unlucky I am as far as finding a rust-free Mk.3 Capri here is concerned.

Maybe I should search for a Ford EXP too, given my strange admiration for them after discovering them recently... I should just say that I like all Ford coupes (even that mediocre Cougar), shouldn't I?

Yeah you'd have to worry about that in a Marcos along with it breaking down.
I really hope it does too, a Cosworth tuned V8 in a TVR designed by Gordon Murray? How can't that be appealing?

They do yeah but not what is being asked of my car. They're going for between £11-13,000 whereas mine is being sold for £14,500. Here's the link.

Weren't they? I wonder why the hot hatch was more popular? I'd try a few English websites for Capris if you really want one. There's plenty of cheap ones available and the Euro is still good against the Pound now.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Yeah you'd have to worry about that in a Marcos along with it breaking down.
I really hope it does too, a Cosworth tuned V8 in a TVR designed by Gordon Murray? How can't that be appealing

At least the Mantula isn't half as ghastly-looking as, say, the original Mantis. In a car like that, you would certainly want the body panels to fall off just to make it look a little less vomit-inducing...
Well, if anything, this new TVR has not skimped on choosing plenty of well-known names and companies. Bringing the Griffith name back only proves this point further, they want to ensure that the new car evokes the old Blackpool spirit. But of course, doing that while respecting a chosen few safety laws, just in case...

They do yeah but not what is being asked of my car. They're going for between £11-13,000 whereas mine is being sold for £14,500. Here's the link.

Bloody hell, whoever posted that ad is not selling the car, is he? Although I can see what you mean about the Brookies, some are already rising in value; this auction example has an estimated value somewhere between £16.000 and £20.000, so people are starting to recognize the Mk.3s value. And if my copy of the April 2016 edition of the Classic Ford Magazine is anything to go by, cars like your 2.8i are quickly becoming the cream of the crop as far as Mk.3s are considered. There is a demand for this generation, and it shows...

Weren't they? I wonder why the hot hatch was more popular? I'd try a few English websites for Capris if you really want one. There's plenty of cheap ones available and the Euro is still good against the Pound now.

Not much, yes. I mean, cars like the Corrado and the Calibra had some popularity because of their familiar underpinnings, but even they struggled to make an impact. And when you consider that many of these cars fell victim to tuning (nothing exclusive to Portugal alone, but it counts), the small amount of existing examples got even smaller. Even in nearby Spain the story is more or less the same. Why didn't they sell? If I had to guess, I would bet my money on the stiff taxes these cars paid due to their engine displacement. This is the country where a brand new Mustang GT will set you back 90.000€, after all, so you can guess that the government hates mid-to-big sports coupes...
And I have discovered the reason why Portugal does not have any Mk.3 Capris; it's because we never got them to begin with. The last production year for us was 1976, a far cry from the Mk.3 year of birth. That shows you just how little popularity the Capri had here...

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

At least the Mantula isn't half as ghastly-looking as, say, the original Mantis. In a car like that, you would certainly want the body panels to fall off just to make it look a little less vomit-inducing...
Well, if anything, this new TVR has not skimped on choosing plenty of well-known names and companies. Bringing the Griffith name back only proves this point further, they want to ensure that the new car evokes the old Blackpool spirit. But of course, doing that while respecting a chosen few safety laws, just in case...

Bloody hell, whoever posted that ad is not selling the car, is he? Although I can see what you mean about the Brookies, some are already rising in value; this auction example has an estimated value somewhere between £16.000 and £20.000, so people are starting to recognize the Mk.3s value. And if my copy of the April 2016 edition of the Classic Ford Magazine is anything to go by, cars like your 2.8i are quickly becoming the cream of the crop as far as Mk.3s are considered. There is a demand for this generation, and it shows...

Not much, yes. I mean, cars like the Corrado and the Calibra had some popularity because of their familiar underpinnings, but even they struggled to make an impact. And when you consider that many of these cars fell victim to tuning (nothing exclusive to Portugal alone, but it counts), the small amount of existing examples got even smaller. Even in nearby Spain the story is more or less the same. Why didn't they sell? If I had to guess, I would bet my money on the stiff taxes these cars paid due to their engine displacement. This is the country where a brand new Mustang GT will set you back 90.000€, after all, so you can guess that the government hates mid-to-big sports coupes...
And I have discovered the reason why Portugal does not have any Mk.3 Capris; it's because we never got them to begin with. The last production year for us was 1976, a far cry from the Mk.3 year of birth. That shows you just how little popularity the Capri had here...

Yeah very true
Hopefully what they come up with will carry on the spirit of old TVRs and fly the flag for them. I have high hopes for their return.

Not at that price no, that's more than double what I sold it for and although it has had work done to it it's can't justify that price. The demand is increasing on old Fords now but they are not at that price yet. It's a case of dealers and auctioneers listening to people claim the demand is on the rise and they hike the prices up whereas private enthusiasts keep the prices low as they seem to know more about the scene.

Oh really? I wonder why the taxes are so high? Our taxes are based on the vehicle's emissions (well the road tax is anyway). I thought the continent got Capris up until 1984? I know that after then they were only sold in Britain.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Yeah very true
Hopefully what they come up with will carry on the spirit of old TVRs and fly the flag for them. I have high hopes for their return.

Not at that price no, that's more than double what I sold it for and although it has had work done to it it's can't justify that price. The demand is increasing on old Fords now but they are not at that price yet. It's a case of dealers and auctioneers listening to people claim the demand is on the rise and they hike the prices up whereas private enthusiasts keep the prices low as they seem to know more about the scene.

Oh really? I wonder why the taxes are so high? Our taxes are based on the vehicle's emissions (well the road tax is anyway). I thought the continent got Capris up until 1984? I know that after then they were only sold in Britain.

Haha, see? At least a Mantula is somewhat well-proportioned... And it stands out even more when you have a British Buick-based V8 growling underneath the hood.
Well we will have to wait and see, so far we do not have much other than a few official press articles and the design sketch for this "neo-Griffith"... I do have high hopes as well, I am not going to lie.

So you think there is too much hype for Mk.3s at the moment? Or at least existing hype that has been overblown out of proportion? I suppose Mk.3s are still not super-valuable neoclassic cars to garner prices over £25.000 unless they're Tickfords (and even then they are probably not that valuable)... Not even Turbo Technic cars go for that much, and they have something Brookies don't (a turbo, duh, I know). Maybe their time has not come yet...

Well we don't have just displacement taxes, we also have emission taxes as well. And when you blend both together, the results are explosive... From what I can gather, these two main taxes are known as IUC (Unique Circulation Tax, focusing on purchases) and the ISV (Vehicle City Tax, focusing on circulation). Buying a new cars comes with a 21% VAT, some of which represents the environmental component embeeded within the ISV. I could try to explain this better, but this article does a good enough job at that... See for yourself.

As for the Capri history, I know this is not the most veritable source, but it is what Wikipedia states. And judging by the lack of Portuguese-registered Mk.3s, I am inclined to believe such is true...

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

Haha, see? At least a Mantula is somewhat well-proportioned... And it stands out even more when you have a British Buick-based V8 growling underneath the hood.
Well we will have to wait and see, so far we do not have much other than a few official press articles and the design sketch for this "neo-Griffith"... I do have high hopes as well, I am not going to lie.

So you think there is too much hype for Mk.3s at the moment? Or at least existing hype that has been overblown out of proportion? I suppose Mk.3s are still not super-valuable neoclassic cars to garner prices over £25.000 unless they're Tickfords (and even then they are probably not that valuable)... Not even Turbo Technic cars go for that much, and they have something Brookies don't (a turbo, duh, I know). Maybe their time has not come yet...

Well we don't have just displacement taxes, we also have emission taxes as well. And when you blend both together, the results are explosive... From what I can gather, these two main taxes are known as IUC (Unique Circulation Tax, focusing on purchases) and the ISV (Vehicle City Tax, focusing on circulation). Buying a new cars comes with a 21% VAT, some of which represents the environmental component embeeded within the ISV. I could try to explain this better, but this article does a good enough job at that... See for yourself.

As for the Capri history, I know this is not the most veritable source, but it is what Wikipedia states. And judging by the lack of Portuguese-registered Mk.3s, I am inclined to believe such is true...

Indeed it does.
Yeah I'll wait until the production car arrives to have a full opinion but I do want them to do well.

No not yet, they haven't got old enough or rare enough to be fetching that sort of money. The rarer models like the Tickford or TT cars maybe but even they aren't fetching more than £15-16k.

Ah I see, it sounds similar to what we have here. A road tax fee based on emissions and a "new car" tax for the privilege of buying a new car plus the 20% VAT. I'm now not surprised that small cars are popular in Portugal.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Yeah I'll wait until the production car arrives to have a full opinion but I do want them to do well.

No not yet, they haven't got old enough or rare enough to be fetching that sort of money. The rarer models like the Tickford or TT cars maybe but even they aren't fetching more than £15-16k.

Ah I see, it sounds similar to what we have here. A road tax fee based on emissions and a "new car" tax for the privilege of buying a new car plus the 20% VAT. I'm now not surprised that small cars are popular in Portugal.

Do you think the design will also echo some TVR car of old? Asking out of curiosity.

Unless they're Zakspeed racing cars, then Capris become more valuable, haha. But joke aside, it's obvious that Mk.3s are still shaking their "less valuable because they're younger" stigma, and some prices like your old car's are not quite reflecting that properly. Then one should be aware of this sort of thing, to keep that Spider Sense up... On the plus side, getting a turbo'd Capri for less than £20k is a fantastic deal. Fiesta ST who?

Well there you go then, now you know. These taxes are the reasons why a brand new Peugeot 308 SW costs as much as a mid-range Audi or Mercedes, and why a Toyota GT86 or an Ecoboost-powered Mustang can cost over 40.000€ (the Ford can actually go over €50k). And things like the latter hurt when you realize that prices are halved in places such as the US of A...

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

Do you think the design will also echo some TVR car of old? Asking out of curiosity.

Unless they're Zakspeed racing cars, then Capris become more valuable, haha. But joke aside, it's obvious that Mk.3s are still shaking their "less valuable because they're younger" stigma, and some prices like your old car's are not quite reflecting that properly. Then one should be aware of this sort of thing, to keep that Spider Sense up... On the plus side, getting a turbo'd Capri for less than £20k is a fantastic deal. Fiesta ST who?

Well there you go then, now you know. These taxes are the reasons why a brand new Peugeot 308 SW costs as much as a mid-range Audi or Mercedes, and why a Toyota GT86 or an Ecoboost-powered Mustang can cost over 40.000€ (the Ford can actually go over €50k). And things like the latter hurt when you realize that prices are halved in places such as the US of A...

I'm not sure, I think it'll be a whole new design realistically.

Indeed, I agree the prices are only going to go up but I don't think they're at that range yet.

It's insane that taxes are that high for vehicles there. I suppose it makes me feel a little better knowing that our car taxes aren't as bad as that. It still surprises me that classic cars and imports don't pay so much in tax.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

I'm not sure, I think it'll be a whole new design realistically.

Indeed, I agree the prices are only going to go up but I don't think they're at that range yet.

It's insane that taxes are that high for vehicles there. I suppose it makes me feel a little better knowing that our car taxes aren't as bad as that. It still surprises me that classic cars and imports don't pay so much in tax.

Hmm, perhaps, they wouldn't want to get too stuck to the past design-wise. Still, there is the odd possibility of them sneaking in one or two details that hark back to past TVR cars, no?

Unless the car in question is like the time-warp Capri 280 I shared on your profile page, that is far above the normal value for any Capri, much less a 280...

Blame it on the recession and the whole Troika shtick, really. Not even classic cars can quite escape having to pay a premium for being driven, when their registration has to take the whole "environmental component" story into consideration... Old West German dinky boxes like Trabants and Wartburgs will have a field day with that sort of thing.