The rumours are true - after nearly 40 years, the Ford Capri is making a return. Only this time it's a five-door coupe-SUV with an all-electric powertrain. While that will set the cat among the pigeons with fans of the original model, it's a car that Ford design director Amko Leenarts says "celebrates Ford's past while reinventing Ford's future".
The fast Ford fans aren't going to be happy, are they?
No, but similar cries of dismay about the Ford Puma SUV haven't prevented it from being a success. Maybe the Mustang Mach-E could've been a bigger hit, but that car set the template for the electrification of existing badges that has subsequently seen the Explorer name make a comeback. And that's the perfect segue into the new Capri because the new car shares its running gear with the Explorer SUV.
Both cars are based on a Ford-enhanced version of the Volkswagen Group's MEB electric vehicle platform - the result of cross-collaboration between the two firms - but the Capri gets a fresh look that means it's more than just the Explorer with a different roof line.
What are the differences between the Capri and Explorer?
Externally, the Capri features a new front end that has echoes of the Capri MkIII, with the quad-LED daytime running lights connected by a narrower black insert designed to emulate the old car's grille. From there, two distinct bulges run back from the lights into the bonnet, just like the Capri MkIII. Of course, the new Capri's front end is set higher than the old car's.
Further back, there are 19-inch alloy wheels or 20-inch items for the higher-spec Premium model (an optional 21-inch wheel design will also be offered), while the most obvious link between the Capri and Explorer are identical 2,767mm wheelbases and the same doors for both cars. At 1,626mm the Capri is only 4mm lower than the Explorer.
It's from the C-pillars back where the two models feature the biggest differences. While the Explorer has small windows and a truncated rear, the Capri has C-shaped windows (another nod to the classic model) and a sloping hatchback tailgate that extends the car's rear end by 166mm when compared to the Explorer. This creates a 672-litre boot that's 102 litres bigger than the Explorer's, which grows to 1,510 litres with the back seats folded, an increase of 50 litres over the supposedly more sensible of the two.
As with the Explorer, the new Capri has the number plate set into the back bumper, but above that are LED taillights connected by gloss-black trim with Capri lettering emblazoned across it. The Capri will also be available in an exclusive colour, the Vivid Yellow seen in the first images of the car.
And how about the similarities between the two cars?
While the exterior design is different, the Capri's dashboard layout is carried over wholesale from the Explorer. That means there's a 14.6-inch touchscreen that can be tilted for different viewing angles, hidden storage behind it, the MegaConsole beneath the central armrest and plenty of premium materials and equipment.
At launch the Capri will be available in Extended Range RWD and AWD variants. The former has a 286hp electric motor that allows for a 0-100km/h time of 6.4 seconds, while a 77kWh battery is fitted for an official range of up to 627km. The AWD model features twin electric motors for 340hp and a 0-100km/h time of 5.3 seconds, and it comes with a 79kWh battery that officially manages 592km of range. DC charging is up to 135kW for the RWD and 185kW for the AWD and both can be recharged from 10-80 per cent capacity in less than half an hour.
When can we find out more?
Irish prices will be confirmed closer to the new Ford Capri's on-sale date, although the delays with the launch of the Explorer mean there's no concrete time scale in place for the newcomer. When it does arrive, expect a modest price increase over the Explorer, in the same way that coupe versions of other electric SUVs such as the Audi Q4 e-tron or BMW iX1/iX2 and Volkswagen ID.4/ID.5 duos command a premium over the standard versions.