Mustang to Capri in one move
A drive in the mighty Shelby GT500 and how it'll influence 'the new Capri' for Europe
Well Mr Jones, if the four-wheel drive is unlikely to happen, then we have good news on the Capri. It is returning, only we'll know it as the 'Mustang'.
Hang on, we hear you cry, but the Mustang already exists as a ripsnorting, wheel-spinning hunk of old-school Americana. This is very true, and to highlight that fact we've had a drive in the GT500 Shelby with its eye-popping 662hp (more below).
Styling could borrow from Ford Evos concept
But it's the NEXT Mustang that'll get closer to modern Capri spec and that car is coming to Europe and the UK.
This was officially announced in September and we've since had confirmation from Ford that the coupe and convertible will be right-hand-drive.
So here's why it'll be as much Euro-focused Capri as Stars-n-Bars Mustang when it arrives late in 2014. Firstly it'll have a four-cylinder Ecoboost engine with turbocharger to supplement the 3.7 V6 and 5.0-litre V8 versions. That two-litre motor may or may not be bored out to 2.3, but what is certain is that it'll make at least 250hp but record an official emissions figure that won't require the full toe-touch come tax-time.
Boggo Mustang costs just £14,250 in the US
Simple pleasures
Americans are naturally scared that us sophisticates across the pond are going to ruin their blue-collar mirthmobile.
“It's a great idea to market the Mustang worldwide, but it would be a mistake to pander to those cultures for its styling or technology," Steve Turner, editor of 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords told the Fox News website recently.
As long as the next one can still do this...
The new Mustang will become more expensive for Americans than the current car, especially with independent rear suspension. But let's not forget they pay the equivalent of just £14,256 including local taxes (California) for the base 'stang. That's for a 3.7-litre V6 making 305hp and you still get stuff like 17-inch alloys, six-speed manual and remote locking. You can lease one for £151 a month, with £2,000 down.
Even this Shelby GT500 we're about to get into costs just £33,900 in the States. For that you get 662hp and 631lb ft of torque from the 5.8-litre supercharged V8 - just staggering figures for the price. Ford reckons it'll clear 200mph, with magazines in the States recording 3.5-second 0-60mph drag times.
Bold claim, but GT500 does have 662hp
This tribute to the great US racer, tuner and Friend of Ford, Carroll Shelby, who sadly died this year, has been comprehensively reworked to cope with all that power. The list is endless, but we like this fact: the steel two-piece driveshaft is replaced by a single-piece carbon fibre version.
"The car makes so much power and torque that we needed to go through the entire driveline system to ensure it moves to the wheels in a manageable way," said Jamal Hameedi, chief engineer for SVT, the Ford performance arm that created the car.
We're about to head out onto Brands Hatch Indy circuit in the coupe version and our thoughts are now, help. The gearshift with its ridiculous (sorry, 'iconic') cue-ball top is massively long-throw and the clutch bite point very high. It's also very long-geared and we're told third is fine for all but the straight. This isn't a car designed for short, technical circuits. Runways, perhaps.
GT500 felt a bit constrained around Brands
With this in mind, the V8 bellow takes on the pitch of a caged bull elephant demanding a return to the plains of Africa - a fabulous sound, but you feel a bit sorry for the creature that makes it.
Foot down onto the track and the power is something else. It doesn't feel quite like 662hp, but the car is most definitely quick. It also feels well roped down in the corners and the steering responds reasonably quickly to small inputs.
You'd think with all that power that the GT500 would rotate at the merest brush of the throttle if not completely in a straight line, but it requires a bigger hoof than that and grip is good enough to allow early power out of the bends. It's not nimble enough to be properly quick round here, but by god is it fun.
We left thinking the GT500 has definitely got a place in a 10-car dream garage (either that or a Corvette ZR1). Like the editor of 5.0 Mustangs and Super Fords, we do hope the blunt-instrument appeal of a car like this doesn't disappear among the Ecoboost, IRS sophistications of the new one.
A blend of the two and a start price of around £22,000 should get Capri fans in the UK promising themselves a Blue Oval badged coupe all over again.
FORD MUSTANG SHELBY GT500 COUPE
Engine: 5.8-litre, V8 supercharged
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 662@6500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 631@ 2200-5800rpm
0-62mph: n/a
Top speed: 200mph+
Weight: 1744kg
MPG: 18-29mpg (UK gallons)
CO2: C-O-what?
Price: £52,995 (Newport Imports)
the rest will wonder in bewilderment why they would pay that much for someting without a BMW/Audi/Merc badge and then complain that the dash board is a bit plastic and not tactile enough.
the rest will wonder in bewilderment why they would pay that much for someting without a BMW/Audi/Merc badge and then complain that the dash board is a bit plastic and not tactile enough.
These people will have seen Gone In 60 Seconds and all manner of Hollywood car-chase films. As far as they're concerned 'Mustang' exists in a realm beyond Ford, and it's one that will appeal to showoffs currently pottering around in Audi A6 SLine Le Mans 2.0 TDIs.
I think Ford should do some restyling and call it Capri, it has the right proportions (the cab forward fwd concept made me shudder) and the Mustang has prove then nostalgia market can sell cars, it isnt just the UK, the Capri had a big following worldwide, especially Europe and even in the States, sure they could sell some to Americans who are fancying something the same but different.
I will take mine with the turbo engine, styling with hints of MK1 and MK3 Capris (less said about the MK2 the better) and some remixed 18 inch alloy Rostyle style wheels, in Silver Fox with a black, bonnet and get this, X, L and R packs, dummy vents, map light, furry dice, Feu Orange the works.
Ford will probably turn it into a diesel MPV though and call it the M max.
I really do think alot of people out there would love to drive a new version of the car you always promised yourself.
Maybe for some of the older guys out there who used to have Capris when they were young would love to have a new type Capri to relive their youth
Still great news they'll be selling the Mustang here. Now if only they'd sell the Challenger, I'd be happy
Good luck Ford.
In the US the Mustang is affordable for young motoring enthusiast and an icon and toy for wealthy people who know the cars historic significance and likely owned or lusted after a Stang in years past.
In the UK the older wealthy group is certainly small to non existent and few will know or car about the Mustang preferring to opt for a Porsche or something.
So that really only leaves the young car and/or enthusiast market. This is quite different from the States but I think it exists. A Stang pitched at the people who used to buy Evo's, Impreza's, MX-5's and the like would be the way to go IMO.
Really it needs to be a performance bargain and look good while doing it.
Good luck Ford.
I had someone trying to tell me that he got the fact my 944 is a Porsche, but is very old, he was trying to place it in the pecking order and it was an anomaly, it had a good badge but was old, he asked how much it cost and he was then happy, non petrolheads do have a system they use.
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