Ford has seen its fair share of iconic cars over the years, from the game-changing Model T to the Thunderbird to the Mustang to the new GT. One car that doesn’t quite seem to get the credit it’s due is the Ford Capri, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
Meant to scratch the itch for a fun-to-drive sports coupe in Europe 45 years before the Mustang finally made its way across the pond, Ford took to billing the Capri as “the car you always promised yourself.” Over its lifetime, which extended from 1969 to 1986, the Capri saw sales of around 1.8 million vehicles in its lifetime. It even had a brief run in the United States, sold under the Mercury banner as a cousin to the Mustang.
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Ford celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Capri by uploading a video to YouTube in which a journalist pilots a beautiful RS2600 Capri past some of the most scenic spots in Europe.
“The Capri was the car that allowed the man on the street to live the everyday dream,” said Steve Sutcliffe, who drove the Ford Capri in the video. “It made you feel good about yourself when behind the wheel, and it still does today. Ultimately, it was about the pure enjoyment of driving something just a little bit different.”
Ford these days seems quite keen on reviving old nameplates, with the new Puma crossover being the most recent example. Perhaps, in honor of this momentous occasion, the Capri name will be brought down off the shelf once more in the near future. Might even be a good choice for that as-yet-unnamed Mustang-inspired electric performance crossover.
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