After images were leaked earlier this week, the all-new 2025 Ford Capri has been officially unveiled in Europe and is set to arrive in markets such as the UK in the final quarter of this year.
Already ruled out for Australia, the new Ford Capri EV resurrects the famous nameplate used by Ford of Europe between 1969 and 1986 for its fast two-door coupe.
Drawing some heat for applying the same name to a battery-electric SUV has attracted furore from some diehard Blue Oval fans – just as the Mustang Mach-E did – as they argue that the latest Capri is neither a proper sports car nor even a Ford.
That’s because the reborn Capri is based on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB electric car architecture, so it’s heavily related to the Volkswagen ID.5 which is due for release in Australia soon.
At 4634mm long, 2063mm wide and standing 1626mm tall, the Capri EV has a similar footprint to the VW ID.5, while weighing in between 2023kg and 2115kg, depending on the variant.
Turning a blind eye to the original Capri’s two-door roots, and later roadster origins, the new car looks more like a high-riding fastback sedan, in a similar vein to the current Polestar 2, rather than a typical coupe-style SUV.
Helping justify the Capri name, designers say the black front fascia is reminiscent of the original Capri’s grille, while the headlights and daytime running lights evoke the original Mk1 Capri’s quad-lamp arrangement.
Other less obvious homages include fender peaks, oval side windows and a subtle rear spoiler that’s said to be inspired by the RS3100’s ducktail spoiler.
The tail-lights, meanwhile, attempt to mirror the last Mk3 Capri’s.
Inside, the Capri EV has plenty in common with the current battery-electric Ford Explorer sold in Europe – another product from the VW-Ford partnership – including its 14.6-inch portrait-mounted infotainment system.
Beneath the skin there’s the choice of an entry single-motor powertrain that produces 210kW and can sprint from 0-100km/h in a claimed 6.4 seconds.
That car gets a 77kWh power pack that’s said to enable the EV to cover up to 627km on a single charge. Accepting a charge up to 135kW, topping up from 10-80 per cent is said to take 28 minutes.
A second 250kW dual-motor/all-wheel drive Capri will also be available, launching from 0-100km/h in just 5.3sec.
The flagship dual-motor Capri gets a larger 79kWh battery that can still see it drive up to 592km on a single charge and be topped-up at a higher rate of 185kW, meaning a 10-80 per cent recharge takes 26min.
In Europe, all Capri EVs come with dual-zone climate control, 12-way massage seats, electric-folding door mirrors, keyless entry/start, a wireless phone charger and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
It has 19-inch wheels at the entry level, while the range-topping Premium adds 20-inch rims and throws in a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system (with subwoofer), ambient interior lighting, Matrix LED headlights and a gesture-operated tailgate – but all that extra kit lops 32km off the total range.
Options include bigger 21-inch alloy wheels and a driver assist pack that brings a head-up display, active park assist, lane change assist and a 360-degree camera.
Pricing is expected to be announced in conjunction with the European sales launch in the final quarter.
The Capri name has been employed not once but twice in Australia, both for the original two-door coupe that was sold briefly from 1969-1972 and again in 1989-1994 with the SA30 Capri roadster that was assembled at the Blue Oval’s Broadmeadows plant.
The Explorer EV has been under study for release in Australia, however Ford has already said there are no plans to bring the Capri EV Down Under, despite trademarking the Capri nameplate for our market in 2022.