#mercurycapri

[oldmotors]

The first #MercuryCapri was actually just the German-built Ford Capri with some light alterations - the #Mercury label was never actually seen on the cars, imported from 1970-1977 (with a few leftovers sold in 1978). U.S. Capri sales, strong early on, cooled in 1974 as exchange rates pushed up its price and the very popular Mustang II - similar on paper but not in dynamics - stole its market. Ford began working on a domestic replacement for both cars that same year. For cost reasons, the two cars would ride the new “Fox” platform developed for the Fairmont. Prototypes for the 1979 Mustang ran the gamut from ultra-sleek fastbacks to very upright, formal-look cars that informed the later (U.S.) Ford Granada Mk2 and others. The prototype that won the day was done under Jack Telnack (from a sketch by Fritz Mayhew), recently returned to Detroit from a stint at Ford of Europe. Both a notchback and a hatchback/fastback were developed to customer clinic feedback, though the hatch required personal lobbying of Ford’s financiers and Henry Ford II on Telnack’s part. HFII was not a fan of swept-back front ends, hatches, or wedge shapes, had to be cajoled into approving it. Mercury’s version, perhaps more in line with HFII’s tastes, followed. It came only as a hatch with a more upright front end and lightly flared, boxed fenders reminiscent of contemporary Silhouette racers, but using the basic Mustang pieces. The new North-America-only Capri did well in 1979 (110K sold) but sales slackened considerably after that (36K in 1982) despite a plethora of special editions and incentives. In hopes of revival the Capri got a big refresh in 1983 - mostly confined to the rear of the car, which got a new “bubble back” hatch and a sloped rear end, a look echoed on the smaller Mercury LN7 coupe. The style update didn’t help, although the car got better and better. The top-spec was the RS 5.0, although aftermarket converter ASC offered rarer and even faster convertible and performance conversions (the ASC-McLaren Capri). 1986 was the Fox Capri’s final year, and this RS one of the last built and fastest, with a 210-hp 5.0 with sequential fuel injection. Just 18K ‘86 Capris were made. https://www.instagram.com/p/CErq0cBlske/?igshid=1a7q1r9tcf1z4

[twistedimages]

More of the vehicles from this morning’s Cars and Coffee. Please tag the owners if you know them! #carsandcoffee #oklahomacity #impala #montecarlo #lowrider #corvette #chevyapache #bagged #lancia #acuraintegra #minitruck #mercurycapri #300zx #toyotacelica (at Coffee and Cars OKC) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5x8Yg2HsP0/?igshid=1hnyhrmy7dr09

[uniquecarposters]

The “European Mustang” was how the Ford Capri was conceived. It had all the classic styling of short tale and long front, with a sporty roofline. I made this poster which profiles all the different Mk1 models for different markets, including the RS and GT models, and South African V8-powered Perana special. Available to buy from uniquecarposters.com

[oldmotors]

The #FordCapri is rarely seen in the States now - so much so you’d never realize that almost half a million of them (yes, half a million) were sold in the U.S. between 1970 and 1978 (a trailing year in which leftover ‘77s were retitled and fire-saled). When it came to the U.S., of course, Ford’s European pony car was a small sporty coupe of an entirely different class of vehicle than the Mustang that had inspired it, and had more in common with the Fiat 124 Coupe and BMW 2002 than any U.S. #Fords. The blue oval wanted to avoid confusing buyers with the similarly-sized Pinto, so the Capri was sold through Lincoln-Mercury dealers in the U.S. - the first “Mercury” Capri, although the #Mercury badges never actually appeared on the cars. In hindsight it’s hard to see how anybody could’ve confused cars as different as the Capri and the Pinto, but in the early days only the 1600 was offered in the Capri - which spoke “economy,” not speed, even it was labeled as “Mercury’s Sexy European.” This was followed by the 2-liter in 1971 and, in ’72, the 2.6 liter #CologneV6. The V6 actually made the car a fairly potent and responsive machine for the era. Sales trended steadily upward and the V6 really made the car quite desirable - sales peaked at 113,069 for 1973. This trend might have continued but for #Ford releasing the Pinto-based #MustangII for 1974. On paper the Mustang II looked just like the Capri (which it was imitating) but was vastly inferior in most respects. It was, however, very popular and appreciably cheaper than the Capri (the top-spec Mustang II Mach 1 cost less than the V6 Capri, and the Capri was hurt by exchange rates), whose sales it immediately began to cannibalize. For 1974, big bumpers arrived and in early ’75 all the Mk1 Capris were cleared out to make way for the MkII - which never quite recaptured the magic, especially after the Mustang II got a V8. But the Capri was still a better handling, higher quality car. With sales declining, importation ended a few months before the Mk3 #Capri debuted, and remaining stocks were sold until the introduction of the “Fox” Capri in 1978. #MercuryCapri #CapriV6 #FoMoCo #Coupe #CapriV6 #ig_autoshow #classicFord  https://www.instagram.com/p/BnHGSFKnKiZ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=rc7csyz24c7p

[twistedimages]

Went to visit a customer this morning, and this is his daily driver! I knew immediately we'd get along great! #mercurycapri

[drs197mustang]

Mercury capri

[jakeefer]

What a beautiful Capri. Views from before and after work. #antiqueauto #mercurycapri #freebird #cars #classic #fujifilm #rnifilms #fujifilmgfx50r #spartanburg #downtown (at Spartanburg, South Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJXoG-ljZQW/?igshid=pskdq2106z2c

[mustangrozie]

View this post on Instagram

Hasn't run in 7 years. Fired right up. #caprirsturbo #79caprirsturbo #mercurycapri https://www.instagram.com/p/CF8L3bflKj5/?igshid=g0fruq1tz9au