First drive Positive Historic name,
well-executed design Negative
Name relevance now, lack of stand-out design or drive
FordCapri Guy Bird
First things first: the new Capri has very little to do with the old that was sold from 1969 to 1986 as a long-nosed, affordable two-door fastback coupé. The all-electric 2024 Capri has no need for a long nose to house a combustion engine and has a closer side profile connection to the Polestar 2. The Capri is 28mm longer than the premium Swedish newcomer (4634 vs. 4606), 13mm wider (1872 vs. 1859) and 147mm taller (1626 vs. 1479) with a 32mm longer wheelbase (2767 vs. 2735mm). The Capri also sits on a borrowed VW electric ‘MEB’ platform, although mercifully contains more design interest than the ID.4 or ID.5. Ford’s designers are at pains to point out details that the new Capri shares with the old models – from the rounded rear side window line, to the vaguely dog bone-shaped front face and even the metal steering wheel spoke at six o’clock with drilled out holes – but the new five-door crossover does not have enough visual resonance with the Capri models that preceded it, to share the name in any meaningful way. That said, the new design is well- executed and coherent. Panel gaps are tight and minimal, and where different materials converge the results are flush and neat. You won’t see a bunch of sensors and other asymmetric safety addenda protruding from its front face either. They’re carefully hidden behind smooth and logical surfacing to the
Standard equipment: Blind spot info system, clear exit warning, cross traffi c alert with active braking, evasive steering assist, lane departure warning, traffi c sign recognition, front and rear park sensors, rear-view camera, independent adaptive cruise control, two-zone climate control, 5in digital instrument cluster and 14.6in adjustable central touchscreen, Bluetooth wireless Apple and Android mirror screening, heated steering wheel & front seats with massage, keyless entry and start, 19in alloys, wireless phone charging pad
Engine: Electric: 70hp & 286hp Single Motor RWD & 340hp Twin Motor AWD
Equipment grades: Select, Premium
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
benefit of EV aerodynamics and range. The Capri’s cabin shares the somewhat minimalist aesthetic of the new Explorer, as well as its secret locker space protected by the portrait-shaped and slidable centre touchscreen. There’s also a 17-litre central space below the front armrest. Passenger space for knees and heads sitting in the back is good and the boot is a sizeable 572 litres with rear seats up, and 1505 litres when folded.
46 | November/December 2024 |
www.businesscar.co.uk
The controversial new Ford driven and assessed, starting with that name…
Ford has a recent history as a maker of great cars to drive – from Fiesta to Focus – although ironically not so much with most of the old Capris. And the new electric Capri follows the ‘old Capri’ rather than more recent Fords in this respect. On twisty roads at higher speeds, this higher-sided vehicle does not feel fully at ease. With only a single-speed automatic transmission and no paddle-style regenerative braking options, the car can feel like it’s running away with itself a little too often. Indeed, the only regen option on the Capri comes from a twist of the steering column-mounted gear selector to the ‘B’ setting, which ‘holds’ the car after bursts of acceleration a bit more. But even when Sport mode is optioned – a two-stage touchscreen button press process rather than a quicker-to-access physical interior switch or toggle – the driving experience doesn’t change tangibly. Ford’s engineers claim Sport mode sharpens the throttle response and steering feedback but it’s subtle at best. Talking at the launch with the engineers, there seemed to be a sense that having to borrow the platform from VW put restraints on making it more Ford-like in handling. One thing the Ford engineers did stress, though, was that ride quality for long trips – especially for those in the back – had been really worked on, suggesting the new five-door Capri is aimed more at families than the old two- door coupé ever was.
The launch line-up starts with a 170hp RWD 52kWh Standard Range model
in Select spec good for 242 miles at £42,075, rising to £56,175 for the range- topping 340hp AWD 79kWh Extended Range model in Premium trim, which has a WLTP range of 346 miles. The best-performing model from a range perspective is the 389-mile 286hp RWD 77kWh Select version for £48,075. Standard kit on the Capri is fine, from both a safety and tech perspective. Wireless Apple and Android pairing is easy enough and via Ford’s own software certain annoying safety bleeps can be turned off on a screen two digital layers below the home page. In summary, the new Capri is decent enough to look at and to drive, but it doesn’t feel ‘stand-out’ in any respect. If you want a more sporty and desirable Ford EV, perhaps wait for the widely rumoured ST version to follow after initial deliveries in spring 2025.
Ford Capri Premium RWD 77kWh Extended Range
P11D £52,120 On Sale Late 2024 Residual value: TBC Depreciation: TBC Range: 369 miles Service, maintenance and repair: TBC Cost per mile: TBC Fuel consumption: TBC CO2 (BiK%): 0g/km (2%) BIK 20/40% a month: £17/£35 Luggage capacity: 572/1505 litres (min/max) Engine size/power: 77kWh/286hp
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