If ever a car deserved iconic status, it is the Ford Capri. There was a time when a Capri was a common sight when out and about however could dwindling numbers make this Fastback Ford worth your time, attention and money?

When launched in 1969 the Capri was an affordable alternative to the mustang on this side of the pond. Ford kept things simple with its Mustang for Europe, combining a sporty body with proven saloon car mechanicals to create an affordable and desirable coupe.

 

Performance wise, the 1.6 litre and 2.0 litre Capris aren’t overly fast, but so too, neither are they especially slow. The 2.0 litre, for example, is about as fast as a modern day mid-range family car. Reaching 0-60 in 9.9 seconds, it’s a tad quicker to 60 than a modern 1.6 VW Golf Tdi if stats are what you’re into.

The Ford Capri is a car that many hold dear and that has played a part in many lives and is now seen as desirable. Sadly due to their long lives and rust prone bodywork their numbers on British roads are dwindling.

Compared to 1995 Capri numbers on the roads has more than halved from 764 to 338, with a further 259 declared off the road. The Capri, it seems, is becoming quite a rare beast these days.

This rarity is what the market is beginning to notice about our beloved Capri, as you can see while numbers on the road creep ever downwards their values make no bones about heading skywards. With more and more high mileage, well used Capris succumbing to their known rust issues a well loved example in halfway decent condition is becoming a rare find.

 

As you can see from the above graph values of the Capri are rising in a wholly convincing manner and have been doing so for the last four years. Sales of the larger engined models dominate the upper ends of the price scale and can fetch just under £60,000 which, for a Capri, is a very exciting figure. If you hover over the data points and take a look at which cars are selling for what price you will notice that it is the Mk3 models and special editions that are selling for the highest aside from the track cars. Occupying the lower echelons are the more ‘everyday’ capris trading around the similar price as they have always done.

A car’s true value is what someone will pay for it, and these honest figures direct from auction houses show that the proposition of a Capri is becoming ever more favourable. If you’re in the market for a one then now could be the time to snatch a bargain and watch values increase. Similarly if you, or if someone you know owns one of these then be sure to keep it in good condition and the future could be looking bright.