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Reader Submissions: Ford Capri with Euro-Only V6 Makes Us Long for Summer

Ford Capri with Euro-Only V6 Makes Us Long for Summer

By Petrolicious
November 5, 2013

Owner and photographer: Ron de Haer

Location: Doetinchem, The Netherlands

Year, Make, and Model: 1971 Ford Capri GT 2000 XLR

Mr. Ron de Haer, whose art we’ve previously featured here, is the proud owner of this original 1971 Ford Capri GT 2000 XLR V6. He purchased it almost nine years ago from the original owner, his friend’s dad who wasn’t driving it any longer. His friend “had no interest in the car” and casually showed it to Ron, who was instantly “hooked.” He made an offer and bought the Capri on the spot.

The Ford Capri was built in Europe and imported to the US in large numbers, as a Mercury. However, Ron’s example carries a two-liter V6 that was not available in the US version. He happily spotted an American example while on vacation last year in Los Angeles (they’re not common here, but can be found).

Ron’s car has not been restored and it was bought as it currently appears. Nowadays, the car sees use limited to pleasant summer days with windows rolled down and the V6 cranked up. And if it’s not out cruising The Netherland’s back roads or at a local show, it’s tucked away in the garage maintaining its original, good looks.

Want to see your vintage car on Petrolicious? Click here for more information.

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Capri GT 2000 XLR Ford Ron de Haer The Netherlands
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Rhett620
Rhett620
1 year ago

They employ highly trained and experienced drivers who handle your vehicle with utmost care and adhere to strict safety protocols throughout the transportation process https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogqUs4iIMlc

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team blitz
team blitz
7 years ago

The Capri was not imported to North America “as a Mercury”. It was imported as the Ford Capri. It was sold by Mercury. Just like the Pantera was sold by L-M dealers, but wasn’t labeled as a Mercury or a Lincoln. No literature, sales brochure, owners manual (with one exception see below), TV ad, warranty document or anything ever issued by Ford referred to the imported Capri as a “Mercury”. No badge ever said Mercury either. So it wasn’t a Mercury. It was sold by Mercury dealers. In 1976, as Ford was planning to introduce the first Fox-chassis Mercury Capri made in America (for the 1979 model year), it put the word “Mercury” above the Ford logo on the front of the owners manual of the Mk2 Capri. That was a marketing decision to position the future “Mercury Capri”, knowing the Ford Capri of Europe was being dropped from importation.

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Laurie Lindt
Laurie Lindt
9 years ago

I love this thing , i’ve had 3 Capris a 69 Red 1.6 , then a Yellow 71 3.0 GT and my current 75 3.0 Ghia 🙂

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Ron de Haer
Ron de Haer
10 years ago

Ron de Haer (the owner)
This is a 1971 car, but the former owner has put in the 72 taillights in the early 80’s!
So it did get the RS-treatment, perhaps later on the four spoke wheels. It still has the looks the way I bought the car many years ago!

1
Al Capri
Al Capri
10 years ago

Is this Capri really a ’71, it has the big tail lights of a ’73-’74. Anyways I do like the RS2600 treatment (quad headlights, baby bumpers, steering wheel and blacked out hood paint) all that’s missing is the four spoke RS wheels!
Absolutely Love the German Capri. I learned to drive in one and currently own a ’77 and ’74.

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Erik de Vries
Erik de Vries
10 years ago

Not available in the USA, but certainly to be found in Canada. Not sold as “Fords” though, but Mercury.

And very popular little car to rip that V-6 out of, and re-stuff with a little 302 v-8, which fit almost as if it were made to go there. At my high school alone, there were a pair of them done up that way, although I believe they started out life with 2 litre 4 cylinder OHC engines. The V-6 engines were 2.6 and 2.8 litre respectively. A girl I knew at college had a brown 2.8 litre with a 3 speed automatic. (I think you have a typo in this article, although I could easily be wrong.)

Nice cars, a bit prone to rusting just behind the rear door pillar.

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Chris Buckley
Chris Buckley
10 years ago

Ford South Africa did a limited (550) of the Ford Capri “Perana”.. They dropped a Windsor 302 V8 into it…….0-60mph in 6.1 seconds.

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Ben Lamboeuf
Ben Lamboeuf
10 years ago

I really love these Capris, having grown up in Europe. They were everywhere in the 70s, along with the bigger Granada (Cortina for the UK I believe) and the Taunus. I had a 1971 Taunus with the 2.0 V6 for a few years myself. I was like having a miniature 69-70 Mustang.

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Emerson Shaw
Emerson Shaw
10 years ago

Anyone have any details on that beautiful shifter knob?

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Robert Kirkpatrick
Robert Kirkpatrick
10 years ago

The U.S. actually did get a Cologne 2.6 V6 starting in 1972, which in 1974 changed to a 2.8 V6.

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JB21
JB21
10 years ago

I always feel a bit shafted living in the United States nowadays. I mean, we never got those proper fast Ford, did we? Capri and maybe I’d stretch out and say XR4Ti, but Cortina, mk1/2 Escort, or Cosworth RS, Puma and Racing Puma, Focus RS (s), etc. It would just be swell if we get to see them on the road or in the classified once in a while, you know.

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Matthew Lange
Matthew Lange
10 years ago

I knew that European Capris (and other Fords of the same era for that matter) had different engine options to those in the UK but I never realised there was a 2.0 V6 when we got a 2.0 V4 instead. Can you imagine companies signing off on two completely different engines with similar power outputs for different markets today?
Cool car are the quad headlamps standard on this version or are they an upgrade to ape the RS2600?

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Oingo
Oingo
6 years ago
Reply to  Matthew Lange

England taxes by displacement

0
Dustin Rittle
Dustin Rittle
10 years ago

Thanks for showing off your Ford Capri. The car does look stunning in the black and green paint job. I kinda always liked the Ford Capri from its long hood short rear deck proportions to fact it always reminded me of the Ford Mustang European cousin that was smaller and lighter to boot. The interior for me has always had a very sporty look to it as well. I do love this year alot when they changed to the quad style headlamps and the extra lights are a very nice touch to the car. If i do remember Basil Green of South Africa made a special version of the capri with a v8 that did very well in racing. I still think id prefer the V6 though. thanks for showing off a wonderful little car:)

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