We've obviously been here before. If Ford had called its new coupe SUV pretty much any other name, it would have received a reasonable amount of attention. Calling it Capri, on the other hand, means everybody knows it’s new car already. The name could hardly be more familiar, short of calling it Escort. This doesn’t need explaining, or pronouncing - it’s a new Ford Capri. And while plenty will have a less than favourable opinion of a new electric version of the Blue Oval’s icon, people have undoubtedly heard of a Ford Capri. New brands spend a fortune trying to create that kind of brand recognition - if the badge is there, why not use it? The Mustang already has its electric version, after all, and Ford badges don’t really come much more hallowed. The Capri was always likely to follow.
Much like the Mach-E, this Capri isn’t a modern reworking of a classic two-door. It’s another sort of coupe, sort of SUV, very much looking like a Polestar 2 thing that anything vaguely sporty and electric now seemingly has to look like. Ford says that the ‘soulful coupe SUV design continues the story of the iconic cult classic’, which feels a very tough claim to substantiate from these pics. Because it doesn’t resemble a Capri in any aspect whatsoever. At least the Mustang got the lights.
The new Ford is 4,634mm long, 2,063mm wide with the mirrors and 1,626mm tall; pitched very much a slightly different take on the family EV - ‘the ultimate getaway car’, no less, when getaways include caravans - there’s up to 1,505 litres of seats-down boot space in a Capri (572 seats up), plus a 17-litre MegaConsole between the front seats and a My Private Locker behind the Sync Move infotainment screen. This interior is for storing clutter, confiscating screens and hiding jelly babies out of sight. Just in case there was any lingering hope that the sports coupe was being reinvented with electric power. It ain’t.
Like the new Ford Explorer, the Capri is underpinned by the MEB electric architecture used to create the VW ID cars. At launch, the base Capri will be a 286hp, extended range rear-drive model, with a 77kWh battery able to charge at up to 135kW and offer a best-case range of 627km, or 390 miles. Efficiency is rated at between 4.44 and 4.67 miles per kilowatt hour, which isn’t bad going for 2,100kg. Of slightly more interest to those of a PH persuasion will be the AWD Extended Range Capri, which uses the VW ID GTX powertrain: 79kWh, 340hp, 5.3 seconds to 62mph, 185kW charging and 371 miles. Efficiency doesn’t take much of a hit, either, said to be between 3.93 mi/kWh and 4.14, so it’ll probably be the one to have, but anyone familiar with the GTX experience might struggle to muster much enthusiasm.
Both outputs will be offered in two specs, with standard 19-inch wheels, massage driver’s seat to soothe parent pains, heated steering wheel, wireless smartphone pairing and a glut of driver assists. Premium makes the wheels an inch bigger, introduces a B&O sound system controlled through the 14.6-inch infotainment screen, ambient lighting, Matrix LED lights and a hands-free tailgate. There are optional 21s available. Colours include the Vivid Yellow seen here, plus Agate Black, Frozen White, Magnetic Grey, Blue My Mind and Lucid Red.
That’s about it for now - pricing and availability are to follow, though with so many of the important stats already confirmed the Capri won’t be far from showrooms and school runs. It’ll probably draw a bigger crowd than you’d think at Goodwood Festival of Speed, too, people doubtless keen to see what the new Capri looks like. And it’s something to talk about, right? Over to you for that, in fact - maybe this’ll be the car that launches RS as an electric brand…
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