Ford Capri: new edition will be a weighty E-SUV
Ford is drawing on its own history and bringing the Capri name out of obscurity. Conceptually, however, new and old have little in common.
(Image: Ford)
At Ford, there are no inhibitions about combining old names with new cars, even if they are conceptually completely alien to each other. Explorer and Mustang are examples of the recent past, and now the manufacturer is bringing the Ford Capri out of obscurity.
For younger readers, a brief excursion into the past: in 1969, Ford presented an affordable coupé that quickly became a success. Ford built almost 1.9 million Capri in several generations up to the end of 1986. Now comes another Ford Capri, which, as an E-SUV with prices starting at 52,000 euros, no longer has much to do with the original idea. Nevertheless, Ford evokes the lineage at the presentation.
"Reinterpreting a legend like the Ford Capri is a major challenge. The new all-electric Capri brings a breath of fresh air to the world of electric cars," says Jon Williams, who is responsible for the electric Ford models in Europe. On the face of it, however, this is a concept that other manufacturers are already bringing to the market en masse. The selection of competitors ranges from models such as the BMW iX2 and Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback to the new Peugeot 3008.
The Capri shares its technical basis with the Ford Explorer, VW ID.4/ID.5 and the Skoda Enyaq. The E-SUV coupé, which is somewhat chubby at the rear, is 4.63 m long and will offer a similar amount of space to its competitors. The Capri is almost 20 cm taller than the Explorer. Its trunk has a capacity of 570 to 1510 liters.
Drives with 210 and 250 kW
Ford intends to offer two drive systems in the Capri, both of which are familiar from Volkswagen. In the base model, a synchronous motor in the rear delivers 210 kW and 545 Nm. It draws on a 77 kWh battery that can be charged with up to 135 kW. The window between the charge levels of 10 and 80 percent is filled in 28 minutes. In the all-wheel drive model, which has a 79 kWh battery installed, this is not much quicker at 26 minutes, although the peak charging power is 185 kW. Its system output is 250 kW thanks to an additional asynchronous motor on the front axle. In both versions, the top speed is only 180 km/h. Ford specifies a range of up to 630 km in the WLTP.
Launch still unclear
Ford has not yet revealed when exactly the new Capri will be available at German dealerships. This leaves only one obvious speculation: since this is a car on a familiar basis and Ford urgently needs to add models, the local premiere will probably be before next spring. Because with the same chutzpah with which the brand is making use of its own history, it is currently getting rid of a large part of its previous range. Mondeo, Fiesta, S-Max and Galaxy are already history, the Focus will follow. Whether a fresh Capri for at least 51,950 euros will be able to fill these gaps is doubtful to say the least. Ford can hope to attract new customers, but an expensive E-SUV coupé is unlikely to win over the existing ones.
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(mfz)