Over at Car Spy Shots (follow the link in the title above), somebody has gotten a copy of Auto Bild from Germany. An article speculates that Ford will bring a new Capri to market in Europe and that this is allegedly it.
If so, I hope not. It's clumsy, crude, and looks far to heavy from all angles. Lets face it, it's ugly. If there is to be a follow-on Capri from Europe (versus the US or Australia), then it should functionally follow the original rear wheel drive European Capri. And the form should be long hood and large greenhouse - a school of thought that says "form follows function". This school of design produces cars for people who want to be recognized for the technology and capabilities of the car they drive, not it's styling. The conceptual drawings above violate that idea. The original European Capris did not violate that principle, and they were very popular cars. I'm a former owner of an original European Capri myself.
You never know how these things get started, or where drawings like this come from. One of the "big three" monthly mags has published another drawing showing a curved side window just like the early European Capris.
I suspect that there has been discussion inside Ford on whether or not to counter the new VW Scirocco. If so, then drawings could have been made... even leaked to gauge customer reaction. Well, I've offered my reaction and it's negative. FWD doesn't have the traction or poise (despite the MazdaSpeed3), AWD is too heavy and expensive for this market space. And Ford doesn't have a rear wheel drive platform to put this car on. That leaves the idea of a new Capri - a true Capri - impossible.
