Mercury Capri (1991 - nee Ford Capri)
The Ford Capri name was revived in Australia in 1989. The Australian Capri, codenamed the SA30, was an entry-level convertible, based on Mazda 323 engines and mechanicals that Ford Australia had also used in the Laser. It had a body shell designed by Ghia and an interior by ItalDesign. During development of the Capri, Mazda was developing the MX-5, a vehicle that, although considerably more expensive, was commonly considered its direct competitor.
History:
The Australian-built Capri was intended primarily for export to the US. Exports began in 1991, as the Mercury Capri. When the car was new, it had a poor reputation for reliability, although many still exist today perhaps due to the mechanical robustness of the Laser/323 upon which it was based.[6] In particular, the Capri's roof was prone to leaking, due to poor-quality materials being used; although Ford quickly resolved the issue, the car's poor reputation stuck. As a result, the MX-5 was comfortably more popular, particularly as that car was rear-wheel-drive, and enthusiasts were skeptical about the front-wheel-drive arrangement that the Capri used.
Two models were initially offered in the Capri's range: a base model, with a 1.6 L B6-2E SOHC inline-4 engine that produced 61 kW (82 hp; 83 PS),[1] and a turbocharged model, which used the 1.6 L B6T DOHC inline-4, which produced 100 kW (134 hp; 136 PS). The base model was available with a 5-speed manual transmission or a 3-speed automatic transmission, whilst the turbocharged model only had the manual gearbox. In 1990, the naturally-aspirated 1.6 L B6D DOHC unit, which produced 75 kW (101 hp; 102 PS), was added to the range, and this was the only engine available in 1991.
For 1992, the Capri was updated, and given the codename SC; the turbocharged engine was also re-added to the range.[9] An XR2 trim level was also introduced for both engines, whilst the base trim for the naturally-aspirated model was renamed Barchetta, and the base trim for the turbo model renamed to Clubsprint. In 1993, the Capri was updated again, and this time was given the codename SE. Production ended in 1994, after a total of 66,279 Capri convertibles had been built; of which 10,347 were right-hand-drive (RHD) models for the Oceania/South East Asia market. 9,787 Capris were sold in Australia, whilst the remaining RHD Capris went to New Zealand and South East Asia.
[Text from Wikipedia]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Capri_(Australia)
This miniland-scale Lego Mercury Capri Convertible (1991 -nee Ford Capri) has been created for Flickr LUGNuts' 92nd Build Challenge, - "Stuck in the 90's", - all about vehicles from the decade of the 1990s.
This has been an interesting build, from a historical perspective. Most histories casually mention the concurrent Mazda Miata/MX5 development. The interesting part is many of the Ford Australia engineers with whom I work, did engineering design work for the Capri. The father of one engineer whom I work closely with was actually the program manager, and spent time in Japan, working with the Japanese regarding the Mazda platform and mechanicals that the Capri used. Never once, did the Japanese let on that they were developing a roadster/convertible of their own.
To be honest, it is quite clear which one I would prefer - though in classic Ford-speak, the Capri was a 'better' marketing proposition that the cohort of FWD hatchback-based 'Cabriolets' that were available at the time, or the ancient MGB and FIAT/Bertone X1/9. Lets just say that there were many people at this end of the world who were a bit upset with Mazda.
Mercury Capri (1991 - nee Ford Capri)
The Ford Capri name was revived in Australia in 1989. The Australian Capri, codenamed the SA30, was an entry-level convertible, based on Mazda 323 engines and mechanicals that Ford Australia had also used in the Laser. It had a body shell designed by Ghia and an interior by ItalDesign. During development of the Capri, Mazda was developing the MX-5, a vehicle that, although considerably more expensive, was commonly considered its direct competitor.
History:
The Australian-built Capri was intended primarily for export to the US. Exports began in 1991, as the Mercury Capri. When the car was new, it had a poor reputation for reliability, although many still exist today perhaps due to the mechanical robustness of the Laser/323 upon which it was based.[6] In particular, the Capri's roof was prone to leaking, due to poor-quality materials being used; although Ford quickly resolved the issue, the car's poor reputation stuck. As a result, the MX-5 was comfortably more popular, particularly as that car was rear-wheel-drive, and enthusiasts were skeptical about the front-wheel-drive arrangement that the Capri used.
Two models were initially offered in the Capri's range: a base model, with a 1.6 L B6-2E SOHC inline-4 engine that produced 61 kW (82 hp; 83 PS),[1] and a turbocharged model, which used the 1.6 L B6T DOHC inline-4, which produced 100 kW (134 hp; 136 PS). The base model was available with a 5-speed manual transmission or a 3-speed automatic transmission, whilst the turbocharged model only had the manual gearbox. In 1990, the naturally-aspirated 1.6 L B6D DOHC unit, which produced 75 kW (101 hp; 102 PS), was added to the range, and this was the only engine available in 1991.
For 1992, the Capri was updated, and given the codename SC; the turbocharged engine was also re-added to the range.[9] An XR2 trim level was also introduced for both engines, whilst the base trim for the naturally-aspirated model was renamed Barchetta, and the base trim for the turbo model renamed to Clubsprint. In 1993, the Capri was updated again, and this time was given the codename SE. Production ended in 1994, after a total of 66,279 Capri convertibles had been built; of which 10,347 were right-hand-drive (RHD) models for the Oceania/South East Asia market. 9,787 Capris were sold in Australia, whilst the remaining RHD Capris went to New Zealand and South East Asia.
[Text from Wikipedia]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Capri_(Australia)
This miniland-scale Lego Mercury Capri Convertible (1991 -nee Ford Capri) has been created for Flickr LUGNuts' 92nd Build Challenge, - "Stuck in the 90's", - all about vehicles from the decade of the 1990s.
This has been an interesting build, from a historical perspective. Most histories casually mention the concurrent Mazda Miata/MX5 development. The interesting part is many of the Ford Australia engineers with whom I work, did engineering design work for the Capri. The father of one engineer whom I work closely with was actually the program manager, and spent time in Japan, working with the Japanese regarding the Mazda platform and mechanicals that the Capri used. Never once, did the Japanese let on that they were developing a roadster/convertible of their own.
To be honest, it is quite clear which one I would prefer - though in classic Ford-speak, the Capri was a 'better' marketing proposition that the cohort of FWD hatchback-based 'Cabriolets' that were available at the time, or the ancient MGB and FIAT/Bertone X1/9. Lets just say that there were many people at this end of the world who were a bit upset with Mazda.