12 May 09
Ford Capri Mk 3
The third and final one: Ford Capri Mk 3 (1978-1986)
By the late seventies the rot had set in and more and more real enthusiasts were looking elsewhere to get their four-seat sporting kicks. It called for drastic action - a complete rethink.
So what did Uncle Henry do? The answer is nothing more than a facelift. The biggest changes involved reintroducing the Mk 1's four headlamps while gently tweaking the car's aerodynamics by adding a jutting chin spoiler and a prominent rear spoiler hinting at the improved performance that didn't actually arrive until the mid-Eighties.
Ford Capri 1.3 Mk 3
The worst one: Ford Capri 1300 Mk 3 (1978-1982)
Even with the full 160bhp from a fuel injected 2.8 V6, the Capri could have easily justified more power, but apart from the Tickford and a limited number of left-hand drive-only factory built turbos, the Capri never got the performance it deserved.
In fact, it mostly got underpowered engines that couldn't live up to the sporty coupe looks. Worst offender was the 57bhp 1.3 that could barely crack 90mph. A milk float with a nice dress on.
