Ford Capri

There was a time when the height of British motoring sophistication involved a long bonnet, a sweeping fastback roofline, a pair of driving gloves and the conviction that one was piloting something considerably more exotic than a Ford assembled in a factory. The Ford Capri was the magnificent result: a car that allowed ordinary motorists to experience the glamour of an American muscle car without the inconvenience of American fuel consumption, although certain versions made a respectable effort.

In Ford Capri (2010), Martyn Morgan Jones celebrates one of Britain’s best-loved sporting coupés, exploring the history, development and enduring appeal of the machine famously marketed as ’the car you always promised yourself’. Published by Haynes, this illustrated volume recalls the extraordinary success of a vehicle that brought sporting style to the masses and transformed suburban driveways into miniature displays of automotive ambition.

Introduced in 1969, the Capri was Ford Europe’s answer to the American Mustang, combining dramatic styling with familiar mechanical components and a price that placed sporting motoring within reach of ordinary buyers. It looked fast even when stationary, which was fortunate because some of the smaller-engined versions required considerable patience before achieving anything resembling dramatic acceleration.

Nevertheless, the Capri became an immediate sensation. Its long bonnet, short rear deck and distinctive fastback profile provided all the visual excitement of a considerably more expensive sports car, while its practical Ford underpinnings meant that repairs could usually be undertaken without consulting an Italian engineering specialist or remortgaging the family home.

Over three generations, the Capri evolved into a genuine motoring institution. From modest four-cylinder models to the magnificent V6-engined 3.0-litre and 2.8 Injection versions, it offered something for everyone, whether their ambitions involved economical personal transport, enthusiastic driving or simply looking tremendously impressive outside the local public house.

The Capri also achieved considerable success in motorsport, particularly touring car racing, where highly developed competition versions demonstrated that Ford’s fashionable coupé possessed rather more sporting ability than its everyday origins might suggest.

Naturally, the Capri became inseparable from the culture of the 1970s and 1980s. It was the car of television detectives, ambitious young salesmen and gentlemen who believed that a vinyl roof, alloy wheels and a particularly elaborate stereo system represented the summit of automotive civilisation.

Morgan Jones captures the character and development of this remarkable Ford, celebrating a car that combined affordability, individuality and sporting appeal with an unmistakably British sense of aspiration.

Condition: As New. This copy is in exceptional condition, presenting as new despite its 2010 publication date. Unlike many surviving Capris, it requires no replacement wheel arches, welding around the sills or investigation into suspicious bubbling beneath the paintwork.

Published by Haynes in 2010. ISBN: 9781844256372.

Offered by Crappy Old Books, where we appreciate the golden age of affordable sporting motoring, particularly when its pleasures can be enjoyed without acquiring a garage full of rust treatment.

An excellent addition to any collection of classic Ford literature, British motoring nostalgia or sporting coupé history. Particularly recommended for enthusiasts who remember when owning a Capri meant you had truly arrived, even if the journey itself occasionally involved a temperamental carburettor and a rather optimistic fuel gauge.

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