Wednesday 31st August 2011

Ford Evos: Is this The New Capri?

No. But Frankfurt show concept is more than just a new coupe - it's a glimpse at Ford's future

---

It must be tough designing a new Ford coupe for Europe. Because each and every time the Blue Oval comes up with a new coupe everybody starts asking whether this is the new Capri.

Just as frustratingly, every time one appears the answer seems to be 'not really'. And the Evos, due to make its public debut at the Frankfurt show in a few days time, appears to be another case of just the same thing.

The Evos, a sleek, taut four-door creation is more than just 'possibly the new Capri', however, it's also the touchstone from which the next generation of Fords will derive their look.

But you don't really want to know how the more sharply creased lines will influence the next Mondeo, or how the lights and grille treatment could be taken up by the next Fiesta. Or even that the Evos's look is 'Kinetic 2.0', Ford refining its current form language rather than revolutionising it (although we think that bit's actually quite interesting).

What you really want to know is whether the Evos genuinely is a successor to the Capri. Well, it's front-wheel-drive where the Capri drove the rear wheels, it's powered by a cutting-edge plug-in hybrid where the Capri's powertrains were anything but, and it's got four Gullwing-style doors and the Capri - er - didn't.

So the Evos isn't really a successor to a Capri. And it isn't all that likely to head for production - Ford of Europe's design director Martin Smith reckons that the short lifespan of coupes makes them a hard sell.

Shame really; the short overhangs, clever doors, bonnet bulge and generally sleek styling give the car an appealing look. Then again, even if we don't see the Evos in production trim, it does at the very least bode well for Ford's new global 'One Ford' design direction.

[collateral]

If coupes are a hard sell why are there Sciroccos everywhere you look?

Obviously the doors are ridiculous, but I love that side profile

[fathomfive]

I quite like that.

Mitsubishi Evo-ish at the front, Megane Coupe-ish in the rear windows, X6-ish rear overhang.

A slightly modified version with suicide doors a la RX-8 would be pretty tempting.

[oilit]

i think what he meant was fords coupes are short shelf life - normally because since the ford capri they have been crap:-

Probe
Puma
Cougar

[dudleybloke]

looks like a jag.
not that thats a bad thing.

[Baryonyx]

The Puma is still a well regarded coupe, in spite of the rust they now suffer from!

I love the look of this car though, especially the back end/exhaust. It's a million miles from today's Fords in a stylistic sense, which I find quite dull and far less impressive than they used to be.

[DS240]

Take away the stupid concept doors. Imagine it just as a conventional two door car and it is quite a good looking vehicle.

...... Coming to a ford showroom near you, not likely!

[Ali_T]

It looks like Aston Martin made a crass SUV. Far too slab sided and blunt ended. Aren't coupes supposed to have just a little elegance?

[anonymous-user]

It's got a very "DB9" roofline highlight hasn't it ;-)

[forzaminardi]

For Gawd's sake, how can it be the 'new Capri' or even a coupe generally with 4 doors?!?!?

[Rawwr]

oilit said:

i think what he meant was fords coupes are short shelf life - normally because since the ford capri they have been crap:-

Probe
Puma
Cougar

One of those is so far from being crap that it's not even funny.

[Gizmo!]

Rawwr said:

oilit said:

i think what he meant was fords coupes are short shelf life - normally because since the ford capri they have been crap:-

Probe
Puma
Cougar

One of those is so far from being crap that it's not even funny.

Yeah, the Cougar is surprisingly good.

[Hellbound]

That must weigh a couple of tonnes. If anything like that made the light of day, it would just end up being a re-skinned Mondeo with sporty suspension set up and ecu remap.

IF Ford do end up bringing the Mustang to Europe, how would a Capri fit into the new line-up?
Probably something like this; Capri: £25k+, Mustang: £45k+.





...Puma: £15k

[MichelV]

At least it looks different.
I would even consider it. Which has been a while for FORD (of except a GT 40).

[Rawwr]

Gizmo! said:

Yeah, the Cougar is surprisingly good.

Baddumtish!

[cookie1600]

Is this the 'Transformers' version of Ford's future then?

[Johnnytheboy]

PH said:

It must be tough designing a new Ford coupe for Europe. Because each and every time the Blue Oval comes up with a new coupe everybody starts asking whether this is the new Capri.

True. You could say the same for Peugeot and new hot hatches being the "new 205 GTi".

You could say the same for Jaguar and new coupes/convertibles being the "new E Type".

etc.

I suspect this connection usually originates from the company's PR people, rather than motoring journos.

[cynical] As for this car, if modern trends are any indicator, it'll come out with a hugely turbocharged but tiny engine, pushing out no more than 200hp. But as it'll weigh more than my house it'll be a bit dull.

Let's hope (like Toyota with the FT86) they go on about it for ever before revealing how averagely fast it's going to be, just so we're all sick of the idea by then anyway. [/cynical]

[Pistachio]

Hmmm mix
1. Mitsu Evo frt
2.Aston Rapide middle
3.Lambo Aventador rear
send ingredients to Koln/Turin
Launch

not really a Capri for me…it should be more like an affordable Maserati

[jbi]

FWD hybrid???

FFS ford

[Johnnytheboy]

What's the first pic?

It makes the second one look too deep in the body - worryingly X6-like in fact.

[SSCooperS]

Ford haven't made a good coupe since the Puma. It could be interesting to see a production ready version of this. Minus the gopping Peugeot-esque mouth on the front.