Ford has reintroduced the Capri nameplate after a 38-year gap. The new Ford Capri has been reborn as an electric SUV and gets a rakish coupe-like body style.
- Ford Capri sits on VW MEB platform
- Has a lot in common with the Explorer e-SUV
- Gets two EV powertrain options
New Ford Capri: What exactly is it?
Bringing back familiar nameplates is now part of Ford’s strategy to leverage its storied past as a point of differentiation in the electric car era, when technical superiority is harder to achieve and the market is being turned on its head by the arrival of countless new EV start-ups from China and elsewhere.
Measuring 4,634mm long, 2,063mm wide and 1,626mm tall, and with a kerb weight of between 2,023kg and 2,115kg, depending on the spec, it’s a close match for the Volkswagen ID.5, with which it shares its platform.
While the Explorer e-SUV revealed last year has a straight-edged, two-box silhouette heavily influenced by Ford’s American heritage, the Capri adopts a sleeker, more aero-influenced form that gives it the appearance of a high-riding sedan rather than a full-blown SUV. The aesthetic is not dissimilar to the Polestar 2.
Like the Explorer, it is underpinned by the Volkswagen Group’s MEB architecture and will be offered with a choice of either a 286hp single rear motor for 0-100kph in 6.4 seconds or a 340hp twin-motor arrangement that enables 0-100kph in 5.3 seconds.
The lower-powered Capri variant uses a 77kWh (usable) battery, which provides a range of up to 627km (WLTP) and can charge at up to 135kW, while the Premium range-topper bumps capacity up to 79kWh for up to 592km, and can be topped up at rates of up to 185kW. For reference, the more monolithic Explorer cracks either 600 or or 530 km, respectively, a testament to the Capri’s slipperier shape.
In terms of looks, beyond its sloping roofline, the Capri is further differentiated from the Explorer by a bespoke front end with distinctive LED headlights that nod to the Mk3 Capri and a wraparound contrasting ‘grille’, with a similar treatment for the rear lending an element of retro appeal.
On the inside, the cockpit is much more familiar to the Explorer’s, with a 14.6-inch central touchscreen that slides backwards to reveal a ‘secret’ storage cubby, the 17-litre ‘megaconsole’ between the front seats, and a foldable boot floor that liberates up to 527 litres of storage space.
One-piece sports seats and the squared-off steering wheel, meanwhile, are a nod to its more overt performance billing. “Inside, I think this is exactly how an original Capri driver would have expected the future to feel,” said Ford Europe design boss Amko Leenarts, who has led the Capri’s reinvention.
While Ford doesn’t sell any cars in India at the moment, there are plans for a comeback with the Everest SUV.
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Uday Singh
Suraj Viswanathan
Lenny D'sa
Saptarshi Mondal
