The Capri was unveiled at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1969, after Ford lost a dispute with Mitsubishi over the planned Colt name. It copied the Mustang's idea rather than its platform and used the Mk2 Cortina's. The Capri II followed in 1974 and the Mk3, a facelifted Mk2, in 1978. Halewood stopped building it in October 1976, leaving Cologne, and the last car left Cologne in December 1986. Sales approached 1.9 million. This entry is the 1969 to 1986 European car, not the 2024 electric Capri.
Ford marketed the Capri as 'the car you always promised yourself'. It was Europe's answer to the Mustang: an affordable fastback coupe with a long bonnet, built from 1968 to 1986. It came with everything from economy fours to powerful Essex and Cologne V6s. It became a well-known touring-car racer and a classic with many fans.
58years
3generations
9trims
63–158hp range
The Lineage
3 generations · tap any to explore6 trimsCapri Mk1
1968–1974
1 trimCapri Mk2
1974–1978
2 trimsCapri Mk3
1978–1986
The Story
Why the Capri mattersTrims · Capri Mk3
2 trims · 1978–1986Capri Mk3 (1978-1986): facelifted with quad headlamps and a hatchback; culminated in the fuel-injected 2.8i and 280 Brooklands run-out model.