RE: Mustang to Capri in one move

[killingjoker]

will01 said:

Ford should produce a new Capri but it should look like a Capri and not a Mustang.
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

Absolutely. Still got a mk1 1.6 in a garage, tucked away, just 56k on the clock. Inherited from my dad who can no longer drive. I know it's not a V6 3litre but it's a real nice old car to look at and drive. I had a few back in the day, including the 2.8i Specials and a lovely 280 Brooklands. Great fun and lovely looking coupes. Sod badge snobbery - that's for white goods drivers. I will have another 2.8i in the next couple of years as a weekend toy. I hope Ford really do this but alas, until i see it in the metal so to speak then i'll hold onto my excitement.

Incidentley, for the GT86 fans - if it wasn't for the Capri then the Celica may not have happened and you may have had to wait longer for it. Maybe the interest in the GT86 has lead Ford to do this. No bad thing then.

Edited by killingjoker on Tuesday 6th November 12:56

[trickymex]

I'm sceptical of the 18-29 mpg quoted

[Ari]

irocfan said:

can't help thinking that a euro-Stang would end up being a disappointment

Isn't that essentially what the Capri was? That wasn't a disappointment.

[Roo]

Nice plug at the bottom of that article.

Out of interest, what lap times did you get?

As for MPG I get 18-19 average out of my 4.6 round town and high 20's on a run. The later cars with better gearboxes and more BHP are getting better figures.

[PascalBuyens]

Simply rebadging this as a Capri would be a bit of a let down for the Mustang, I think....

[M@1975]

Maybe ford will succeed where the GT86 doe shave a failing in my eyes. The GT86 should be competing with hot hatches and come in at a max of £20 to be a real contender, if Ford d that with a rear drive coupe then great but I doubt they will, it'll be another £25-28K base car and by the time you add what you really want in options it becomes BMW territory and loses.

[PhilJames]

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.

How much will that be by the time it gets here with 21st century suspension?
Even at £18k its a bargain, if the steering wheel was on the correct side the existing Stang would have sold here by the 10,000s.

Hope they don't used the Aston Martin grill much longer.

[PanzerCommander]

PhilJames said:

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.

How much will that be by the time it gets here with 21st century suspension?
Even at £18k its a bargain, if the steering wheel was on the correct side the existing Stang would have sold here by the 10,000s.

Hope they don't used the Aston Martin grill much longer.

Generally if you want to import one you will pay roughly in £ what they pay in $ ($40k = £40k over here) by they time they are imported.

I can see them selling but not in massive numbers (similar to the Monaro/VXR8 mentioned above) but Ford have already stated in a previous press release that Europe will not initially be getting the V8, only the 4 pot turbo and a V6.

Oh and their (2012/13 bodied) test mules have already sadly (imho) been spotted sporting an IRS setup on the rear too

[300bhp/ton]

DanDC5 said:

I'd rather have a GT86 to be honest.

So you'd rather have a GT86 over a car that isn't defined in styling, spec, power or performance? Riiight ok...

[Ali_T]

Last I read, they'd ditched the Evos look and returned to a retro inspired style again.

[300bhp/ton]

PhilJames said:

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.

But they don't do they... not unless they are all earning UK£ wages at any rate....

Price is relative. If you live and work in the USA and paid a normal US$ wage then you'll pay 20 something K for a new Stang, not 14.

PhilJames said:

How much will that be by the time it gets here with 21st century suspension?

[Twincam16]

Ari said:

irocfan said:

can't help thinking that a euro-Stang would end up being a disappointment

Isn't that essentially what the Capri was? That wasn't a disappointment.

Also, they sold it jointly in the States as well:



Note the different grille, lights and bumpers. On the back you'd find a Mercury badge.

[famfarrow]

That Shelby GT500 in that colour combo is my absolute dream car. My day is now made. Please Ford keep the Mustang a Mustang, don't wuss about and create a crap Eurowagon. Keep it cheap,characterful and bloody quick

1. offtocountpennies

[J4CKO]

I don't mind the Mustangs suspension but, to be fair it does tend to hop about a bit and is caught out by mid corner bumps, it is perfectly good and it can be driven by the scruff of its neck, it isnt some horrendous wobbling blancmange of a car like Musclecars of old, a Mustang GT is a fast car that will trouble M3's, the Shelby versions must be epic, I think it could really work with a decent turbo four installation, 250 bhp, 300 lb/ft would still move it quite nicely.

Come on Ford, get on with it, Mustang first, then the Capri version, just for me and all the other sad old farts.

[Crow555]

It won't be £22k, I can tell you that for nothing right now. The GT86/BRZ is £26k and yes, it's expensive for what it is but you'll not get a 2.0 4 cylinder turbo coupe in today's money for that.

However, this is very welcome news. I remember reading a piece on Autoexpress years ago who claimed (with artist rendition images) that the new Capri would be based on the then-current focus (mk2), be 3 door and front wheel drive and go up against the Scirocco. I'm just glad it's not gonna be that.

[J4CKO]

Dont Ford keep the live axle for the Drag racing fraternity, surely they could develop a more sophisticated setup but still offer a more traditional option for those who want it ?

[PHMatt]

Twincam16 said:

Sorry, but I doubt that. I don't think the average BMW/Merc/Audi buyer is the sophisticate the manufacturers would think they are, but rather someone riddled with status anxiety desperate to show all the neighbours how well they're doing. Why else are so many of them base-model diesels with dress-up trim levels like SLine and MSport?

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.

What on earth are you on about?

Twincam 16 sounds very Toyota to me. Something I once owned.
It was fast but ultimately crap. Bits fell off, it was made out of spit and Kleenex and shared many many parts with cheapo bland boxes worth little to nothing. It never broke down in fairness to it, but it also never once passed an MOT first time either.

MSport and S-Line are no different on BMW's and Audi's to GT and GTS spec are to a Toyota MR2, one is comfort, one is sport. There's nothing silly about it, they're just two different specs on the same cars.

If you want fat spongey tyres and soft suspension on your BMW, get an SE. If you want bigger wheels, lower profile tyres, stiffer lower suspension and better brakes (on some models) get an M Sport. (Or simply Sport as most owners call it)

The reason a vast majority of people buy them is not for badge snobbery (although some do, as you can with a premium brand car, unlike a Toyota)
The real reason is that there are very few cars on the road that have:
RWD or 4WD
Premium build quality and materials
High end specification and technology
4-5 star NCAP ratings
Good looks.
Residuals.

Now if I was speaking as a nuetral in this whole argument and went back to the Mustang/Capri discussions.

At £15k - £20k for a Mustang (Or ideally a Camaro as it's way better looking) You'd be NUTS to look at a German rival.

But, once you add in various costs etc and you end up paying £55k for one, even with 662bhp, you really should be looking at what else is out there.

Power is nothing without control and a lot of buyers just wouldnt want something likely to deafen you if it hadn't already killed you.
High spec in a car like that is probably central locking, electric windows and heaters. If you're lucky, an A-Z roadmap too.



On another note - wasnt the original Capri Europes Mustang?
They got a 7.2 V8 mentalist thing, we got the 1.6 Laser Capri.

[LuS1fer]

Ari said:

Isn't that essentially what the Capri was? That wasn't a disappointment.

Neither have they ever succeeded in replacing it.

I can understand where Ford are going with this and good luck to them but in my view it is a serious mistake to dilute the model and still call it a Mustang. A few panels would have seen it become a Capri even though I also accept that it has been too long and for most modern drivers, the Capri is nothing more than a relic - VW's Scirocco resurrection comes from a more recent car.

The killer for the car will be the VEL rate ad emissions and once you start dragging muscle car icons down into those sorts of economic realities, the allure son tarnishes. Unfortunately, VW have the luxury of volume and diesels to make the Scirocco a success and I can't help but face the reality that sooner, rather than later, this Eurostang will have to become a diesel to be viable. This would be far more acceptable in a modern Capri but never in a Mustang.

So i see this as another prostitution of the concept - not as bad as Chevrolet badges on Daewoos but not far off. Don't get me wrong, I'm pretty sure this car will be a very good car but I'm not sure it will ever be a Mustang though at least technology won't hand it the ignominy of the Mustang II's paltry power outputs.

I just don't see where the business plan for a RHD petrol Mustang can possibly succeed.

[300bhp/ton]

J4CKO said:

Dont Ford keep the live axle for the Drag racing fraternity, surely they could develop a more sophisticated setup but still offer a more traditional option for those who want it ?

I think that's part of it. The other side of the coin is "it works" so why change it? Ok it's slightly more lively on poor surfaces, but it's not dangerous and really has little effect on the cars overall ability. In fact I'm fairly sure most people wouldn't be able to tell a live axle from IRS under road driving conditions anyhow. So sadly it comes down to media pressure and bullst from those that don't know any better.

[Jimbo.]

Before everyone whinges and bhes about "V8 this" and "Horrible euro engine" that, remember that not every Capri sold was a RS3100, Tickford or 2.8i. The vast majority, I suspect, were "everyman" cars: 1300 and 1600s. Yet people still remember it fondly. So a four-pot Capri wouldn't be the sacrilege that may would make it out to be...