Cologne - Regarded as the European equivalent of the Mustang, the Ford Capri provided cheap thrills to the masses during the 1970s and early 1980s. The earlier versions also had a loyal following in South Africa, and Basil Green’s V8-powered Capri Perana remains iconic to this day.
But what if the Ford Capri had a retro-looking modern equivalent? Although rumours have suggested that nameplates such as this, and even the Cortina, could make a comeback there has been absolutely no official word from Ford as yet.
But that hasn’t stopped virtual designers like Lars O Saeltzer from imagining what could be, and in our opinion his latest effort is certainly stunning.
The design render was posted by Lars on Instagram, and appears to be part of an Autobild feature, where we see it lined up with its 1972 ancestor, more specifically the Ford Capri RS 2600. The designer describes it as the Ford Capri RSe 2022, implying that it has an electrified powertrain.
We don’t know whether it has been envisioned as a fully-electric car or a plug-in hybrid, as the designer has not mentioned any powertrain details, but the presence of a charging port on the front fender leaves no doubt that it is an electrified creation for the modern world.
The original Ford Capri, launched in 1969, was offered with a wide variety of petrol powered engines, from a 1.3-litre Kent all the way through to the well-known 3.0-litre V6 Essex motor, while SA’s Perana version inherited the Mustang’s 5.0 V8. Beneath the skin, the Capri was related to the Cortina, meaning all versions were rear-wheel driven.
The Capri RS2600 that’s featured in the designer’s ‘new-old’ comparison was powered by a 2.6-litre version of the ‘Cologne’ V6 engine, boasting fuel injection and a power output of 110kW. It also served as the basis for Ford’s European Touring Car entry at the time.